Hi everyone, I want to do a sense check on my paycheck and taxes.

I am a staff 2 in tech consulting at EY in Chicago with 1.5 YOE. Current base salary is $91.2k and with RACs etc I am right around $95k. I contribute $250/month to my 401k which EY matches. My total comp according to the Better Me dashboard is ~$105k

However, my take home each month after taxes is ~$2.4k. The ADP app tells me that 32.5% goes to taxes and my gross pay is 67.5%.

This just doesn’t seem right…anyone help explain?

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Seems to be about right. I’m guessing you are single with no dependents

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I feel you haha I’m also single with no dependents and it’s brutal when it comes to taxes

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2.4K a paycheck sounds about right for 90k salary

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Yeah but not to me 🤣

funny

Two things:
- you know the saying that few things are inevitable in life as death and ....taxes? No? It's not going away.
- in the US, currently we have one of the lowest tax system of any developed country
- one of the easiest way to ease the tax burden is to contribute more to your trad 401k. For 2022, the limit is $20.5k. Your marginal tax rate - the highest bracket your last dollars are taxed at - immediately goes down. There's a whole lot of room here to improve.

Ok, that was 3 things.

likesmart

I think you mean ~$2.4K per paycheck, and we have 26 pay periods, so you per month is much higher than ~$2.4K since we get 2 paychecks most months and 3 in 2 months (July and Dec). This sounds accurate for your comp.

likesmart

Lol bruh I’m in bc in lcol as a senior 2 only making 90k 😭

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90k in LCOL is pretty good right???

That’s taxes number is probably federal, state, social security and Medicare. So rounded numbers let’s say 20 federal 5 state and 7.65 ss/med ~32.5%. So there you go

*government taxes too heavily

Seems a bit high. Did you get refunds when you filed last year - with those numbers would expect you to be overwithheld unless you have other significant income. I think I typically paid around $10k in federal at that income level/situation and that was years ago with higher rates.

Could also consider contributing more to the 401k - that would decrease your burden.

I started in Oct 2020 and started at around 80k base. Take home was around 72% and I got a refund then because technically in that year I was making below poverty by April 😂 but I doubt I will this tax year though

Seems a bit high. I have a similar profile as you (File as Single, A2 in Consulting at KPMG in Chicago) but in a lower tax bracket at 80K. My before tax deductions end up being $1200/month ($400 to a traditional 401K, $600 HSA, and the rest to health insurance) and I bring home $3300/month. Mind you, I also have $700 after tax deductions which include Roth 401K and my partner’s health insurance.

I'm coming into EY as a senior with 1.5 YOE total. Base is $130k for MCOL

If you vote blue you can have them take over 32.5% 💙 vote Green for more pocket change 💚

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