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How much will I pay each month on parental leave?

See what benefits and employer top-up cover, and how much you’ll need to pay yourself.

Monthly leave estimate · Planning estimate · No account required

Amounts in USD

The most you’d pay out of pocket

US$5,500in month 1 of your leave.

After benefits, any employer top-up and other income you include.

Make it your planUSD

Time away from regular work, including unpaid weeks.

Include housing, food, bills and expected baby costs.

Optional. For example, a partner’s take-home pay. Leave this at 0 if there’s no other income to include.

What you pay each month

Monthly costs US$5,500

Most you’d pay

US$5,500

Month 1

Income covers US$0

Monthly average

US$5,077

Across your leave

Income covers US$0

You pay this partIncome covers this part

Benefits and top-up can change during leave. The average includes any shorter final month. Figures are after estimated tax withholding.

Your leave pay

Only include paid leave you’ve confirmed. No paid US benefit is assumed.

Before tax, from your state or benefit administrator.

Enter only employer pay you’ve confirmed. Check with HR if you’re not sure.
Estimated withholding: 10%. Leave pay is shown after that deduction; your final tax bill may differ. Job protection and eligibility aren’t determined here.
Dates, tax and other costs

Only add payments not already in household costs.

Calculation details & sources

Monthly estimates. Costs and other income are spread across 52 weeks per year. Planning months are 4⅓ weeks, with benefit weeks divided proportionally at month boundaries. The final month includes only the remaining leave weeks. The main result is the largest monthly gap. The average includes every planning month, including any shorter final month.

Employer pay. Only money received during leave is included, with weekly payments from the first paid week you enter. Canadian top-ups are calculated for the weeks covered by the employer plan, then shifted to that payment week. Payments after returning to work are excluded. Income left over in one month can help with later costs; the chart shows each month’s gap before using it.

What to confirm. Check benefit amounts, timing and coordination with your employer or program. Figures are estimates for your time on leave. Payment delays and unexpected costs can require a separate buffer.

You have plans. Fred has your finances.

Fred is your financial copilot in deezbills. He works through leave benefits, baby costs and the return to work alongside your bills and savings.

He researches your options, updates your budget and saves the plan you approve. Less for you to manage as your family grows.

Meet Fred Explore deezbills
Hi Fred. We just had a baby. I’m wondering how much our emergency fund should be? Anything else we should adjust?
Fred

Congratulations on your baby! I’d aim for about $35,000 in your emergency fund, enough for roughly six months of essential household costs once daycare starts. Your Emergency Savings has $24,000, or about four months on that basis, so there’s about $11,000 to build up, not an immediate need to find it all at once.

Common questions

Does US parental leave automatically include paid benefits?

No. Federal FMLA can provide unpaid, job-protected leave for eligible employees. Paid leave depends on state programs, employers, insurance, and eligibility. This calculator only counts benefits you enter.

What if my employer coordinates pay with a state benefit?

Enter the state benefit and only the additional employer payment after coordination. Entering the full employer salary alongside the state benefit can count the same income twice.

Are benefits taxed?

Tax treatment and withholding depend on the program, employer contributions, and benefit type. The withholding input is a cash-flow assumption, not a tax determination. Confirm with the administrator.