{
  "slug": "pto-payout-calculator",
  "title": "PTO Payout Calculator — Cash Value of Unused Vacation (2026)",
  "heading": "PTO Payout Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/pto-payout-calculator",
  "summary": "Turn your unused vacation balance into a dollar figure — gross, taxed, and net.",
  "description": "When you leave a job, accrued and unused paid time off may be owed to you in cash. This calculator converts your PTO balance in hours or days into a payout using your actual pay rate, then applies the 22% supplemental federal withholding and FICA that employers typically take out of a final check.",
  "formula": "Hourly rate = salary ÷ 2,080 (or your stated wage). Payable hours = balance (converted to hours) × payout percentage. Gross payout = payable hours × hourly rate. Withholding = 22% federal supplemental + 7.65% FICA.",
  "dateModified": "2026-08-31",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=pto-payout-calculator",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "payType",
      "label": "How are you paid?",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "salary",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "salary",
          "label": "Annual salary"
        },
        {
          "value": "hourly",
          "label": "Hourly wage"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "salary",
      "label": "Annual salary (if salaried)",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 78000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "rate",
      "label": "Hourly wage (if hourly)",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 26,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "balanceUnit",
      "label": "Balance is measured in",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "hours",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "hours",
          "label": "Hours"
        },
        {
          "value": "days",
          "label": "Days"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "balance",
      "label": "Unused PTO balance",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 64,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "hoursPerDay",
      "label": "Hours in your workday",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 8,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 24
    },
    {
      "id": "payoutPct",
      "label": "Percent of balance your policy pays out",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": "Some policies pay 100%, some pay half, some cap the payout.",
      "default": 100,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 100
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "gross",
      "label": "Gross PTO payout",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "net",
      "label": "Estimated after withholding",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "payableHours",
      "label": "Payable hours",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "days",
      "label": "Equivalent workdays",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "perHour",
      "label": "Your effective hourly rate",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "withheld",
      "label": "Estimated withholding",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "How are you paid?: Annual salary",
      "Annual salary (if salaried): 78000 $",
      "Hourly wage (if hourly): 26 $",
      "Balance is measured in: Hours",
      "Unused PTO balance: 64",
      "Hours in your workday: 8",
      "Percent of balance your policy pays out: 100 %"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Gross PTO payout: $2,400.00",
      "Estimated after withholding: $1,688.40",
      "Payable hours: 64",
      "Equivalent workdays: 8",
      "Your effective hourly rate: $37.50",
      "Estimated withholding: $711.60"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter how are you paid?.",
      "Enter annual salary (if salaried) ($).",
      "Enter hourly wage (if hourly) ($).",
      "Enter balance is measured in.",
      "Enter unused pto balance.",
      "Enter hours in your workday.",
      "Enter percent of balance your policy pays out (%) — Some policies pay 100%, some pay half, some cap the payout..",
      "Read your gross pto payout on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Two weeks banked",
      "values": {
        "payType": "salary",
        "salary": 78000,
        "balanceUnit": "hours",
        "balance": 80
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Hourly worker, 5 days",
      "values": {
        "payType": "hourly",
        "rate": 24,
        "balanceUnit": "days",
        "balance": 5
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Half-payout policy",
      "values": {
        "payType": "salary",
        "salary": 105000,
        "balanceUnit": "hours",
        "balance": 120,
        "payoutPct": 50
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Does my employer have to pay out unused PTO when I quit?",
      "a": "It depends on the state. California, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, and North Dakota treat accrued vacation as earned wages that cannot be forfeited. Many other states enforce whatever the written policy says — including 'use it or lose it' — so read the handbook before you resign."
    },
    {
      "q": "How is a PTO payout taxed?",
      "a": "As supplemental wages. Employers commonly withhold 22% for federal income tax plus Social Security and Medicare, and state tax where it applies. It's ordinary income at filing time, so your real rate depends on your total year."
    },
    {
      "q": "Should I take the time off instead of the payout?",
      "a": "Usually yes, if your employer allows it. Taking the days keeps you on payroll and on benefits during that period, and the days are worth the same gross either way — while a payout is taxed immediately at the supplemental rate."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does sick leave get paid out too?",
      "a": "Rarely. Most policies and most state laws treat sick leave differently from vacation, and unused sick hours are typically forfeited unless your employer's policy or a union contract says otherwise."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/severance-pay-calculator",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/overtime-calculator",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/time-and-a-half-calculator"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — PTO Payout Calculator — Cash Value of Unused Vacation (2026) (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/pto-payout-calculator)"
}