Severance Calculator
What your offer is really worth — and what the law says where you are.
The cash number is only part of the package. Add the pieces up, see the real total, and find out how many months of runway it buys - so you know where you stand before you answer. Runs entirely in your browser, no signup. Negotiating a new offer instead? Use the salary counter offer calculator.
Severance law is national. Start by choosing where you work:
Base pay before bonus - the figure severance is usually calculated from
Offered a lump sum instead? Leave this blank and put the amount in "other cash" below.
What you actually spend per month - this turns the package into runway
We never send or store any of this - the math runs entirely in your browser, no account needed.
These figures are arithmetic on the numbers you entered. They are not a statement of what you are legally owed. Severance rights, notice periods, and filing deadlines depend on your contract, your country, and often on your specific dates. A severance agreement is a binding document that usually gives up your right to sue. Before you sign anything, or let any deadline pass, get advice from an employment lawyer in your country.
Knowing the number is not the hard part. The hard part is saying it out loud to the person who just told you your job is gone. Rehearse that conversation first, against an AI counterpart who pushes back like a real one.
Practice the conversationFree to start · no card needed · or read how the severance scenario plays out first
What the law says where you are
General information about typical cases — not calculated for your situation, and it may not apply to it. We show the rules and the official source; we do not work out your dates or your entitlement.
The cash is usually the least flexible part
Severance pay is often set by a formula applied to your title and tenure, and the person delivering the news frequently has no authority to change it. That is why "can you do better on the number?" so often gets a flat no - and why people stop there.
The rest of the package usually has different approvers and more room. Each of these is a separate ask, and a no on one is not a no on the others.
Where the room usually is
- The end date. Moving your termination date out is sometimes easier to approve than more severance, and it can carry benefits, vesting, and bonus eligibility with it.
- Health coverage. Extra months of employer-paid premiums are a real cash saving and often sit in a different budget than severance.
- Equity. Accelerated vesting, a longer post-termination exercise window, or keeping an unvested tranche. Often the largest number on the table and the one people forget to raise.
- Repayment clauses. Signing bonuses, relocation, and tuition are frequently repayable on exit. Waiving them is a straight transfer of value to you.
- The reference and the framing. A written reference, or recording the exit as a resignation, costs the company nothing and can be worth months of job search.
- The restrictive covenants. Non-compete scope, non-solicit duration, and non-disparagement being made mutual rather than one-way.
Runway is the number that decides your leverage
Whatever the package is worth, the question that matters is how long it keeps you solvent. That figure - not the headline number - is what determines whether you can afford to take a week to think, or feel forced to sign in the room.
Work it out before the conversation, not after. It is the difference between negotiating and accepting.
Common questions
Is a severance offer negotiable?
Often, yes. A first offer is usually a standard formula applied to your title and tenure, not a ceiling calculated for you personally. What varies most is who asks. The company has already decided you are leaving, so the downside of a calm, specific counter is small.
How many weeks of severance is typical?
A common informal benchmark in the US is one to two weeks per year of service, often with a floor for senior roles - but there is no universal rule, and many countries set statutory minimums instead. Your offer letter, the employee handbook, and local law matter far more than any benchmark. Treat a typical figure as context, not entitlement.
Should I sign immediately?
Signing on the spot removes every option you have. Severance agreements typically release legal claims against the employer, and some jurisdictions give you a statutory review period. Asking for time to read it is normal and expected.
Where do my numbers go?
Nowhere. The math runs entirely in your browser. This page never sends or stores what you type, and no account is needed to calculate.
This is a calculator, not legal advice
Severance entitlements are set by employment law that varies by country, state, and contract, and a severance agreement is a binding legal document that usually releases claims. This tool adds up numbers you supply - it does not tell you what you are owed. Have an employment lawyer review anything you are asked to sign.