Redundancy Runway Calculator NZ
Losing your job is stressful enough without also wondering exactly how long your money will hold out, and this calculator turns that worry into a clear number you can plan around. You enter four figures: your redundancy payout after tax, any savings you have available, your essential monthly expenses, and any other income coming in, such as a partner's wage, a part-time job or a benefit. The calculator adds your payout and savings together to show your total available funds, then works out your monthly shortfall by subtracting your other income from your essential expenses. Dividing the funds by the shortfall gives your runway in months, shown as the headline figure, alongside your available funds and monthly shortfall so you can see exactly how the number is built. It also shows how much further your money would stretch if you trimmed spending by 15 percent, so you can weigh up whether a leaner budget buys you meaningfully more time to find your next role. Because redundancy pay is taxable, enter your payout after tax for an accurate result, and remember to check any Work and Income support you might be entitled to, since that would extend your runway further. This is a planning estimate only, designed to give you a realistic, honest picture of your financial breathing room during a job search, not financial advice.
Enter your payout after tax, since redundancy pay is taxable. Check any Work and Income support you may be entitled to, which would extend your runway. Estimate only, to support planning during a job search.
How it works
The calculator adds your payout and savings to find your available funds, then works out your monthly shortfall as your essential expenses less any other income. Dividing the funds by the shortfall gives your runway in months. It also shows how cutting your spending by 15% lengthens that runway, illustrating how much breathing room a leaner budget buys while you find your next role.
Worked example
With a $20,000 payout and $15,000 savings, you have $35,000. If essentials are $4,500 a month and you have $1,000 of other income, your shortfall is $3,500, giving a runway of 10 months. Trimming spending 15% stretches that to around 12 months.
Related calculators
- Redundancy Entitlement Calculator: your entitlements.
- Emergency Fund Calculator: build a buffer.
- Budget Calculator: trim your spending.
- Benefit Entitlement Estimator: support you may get.