Redundancy vs New Job Calculator NZ

This calculator helps you weigh up whether to stay on for a redundancy payout or leave sooner to start a new job. Redundancy payments are taxed as income on top of your existing pay, so the headline payout overstates what actually lands in your account, and this tool corrects for that. You enter your gross redundancy payout, your current salary, the salary on offer in the new role, and how many weeks sooner you could start if you walked away early. From those figures it works out the after-tax payout you would receive by staying, and the extra net pay you would earn by starting the new job that many weeks sooner, using current New Zealand tax brackets and the ACC earner levy. It then gives a clear verdict on which option leaves you better off in money terms alone. Use it to sense-check an offer before you hand in your notice, or to see how much extra salary or head start a new role would need to beat the payout you are due. Because a decision like this is rarely only about money, weigh up job security, the strength of the new opportunity, how long a job search might realistically take, and your own wellbeing too. Figures are indicative estimates based on current tax settings and are not financial advice.

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Staying for the payout wins
comparing the after-tax payout with extra pay from starting sooner
After-tax payout$13,493
Extra net pay over the weeks$1,527

Both figures are after tax on the 2026/2027 brackets (ACC earner levy 1.75%). The payout is taxed on top of your income. This is a money comparison only; weigh job security, prospects and wellbeing too. Estimate only, not financial advice.

How it works

The calculator taxes the redundancy payout on top of your current income to find the net payout you would receive by staying. It then works out the net pay you would earn in the new role over the weeks you could start sooner, less the net pay you would have earned staying put. Comparing the after-tax payout with that extra net pay shows which choice leaves you better off over the period.

Worked example

A $20,000 payout taxed on top of $75,000 nets roughly $13,400. Starting a $85,000 role 12 weeks sooner, instead of the $75,000 role, earns a small amount of extra pay, so the larger payout wins on money alone here, though a much higher new salary or longer head start could tip it the other way.

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Data sources: the rates and thresholds on this page are maintained against Inland Revenue and ACC. Figures are checked twice monthly.

Frequently asked questions

Should I stay for a redundancy payout or take a new job?

It depends on the size of the after-tax payout against the pay you would earn by starting a new role sooner. If the new job pays more and starts soon, moving on can beat waiting; if the payout is large, staying may win.

Is a redundancy payment taxed?

Yes, a redundancy payment is taxed as income in New Zealand, so it is the after-tax payout that counts. This calculator lets you compare the net payout with the net pay from a new role over the same period.

What else should I weigh up?

Beyond the money, consider job security, the new role's prospects, how long a search might take, and your own wellbeing. The numbers are one input into a decision that is also about timing and risk.