Gross pay is not enough
A $100,000 W-2 salary and a $100,000 1099 contract are not economically equivalent. Payroll taxes, business expenses, insurance, state taxes, unpaid time and lost employer benefits can change the result materially.
Our role is calculation and explanation, not tax representation. Analyze My Income provides planning estimates and educational context. It is not tax-return preparation software, legal advice, accounting advice or a substitute for a qualified professional who can evaluate an individual's full facts.
Why it exists
The problem we are trying to solve
Fixed conversion rules can mislead
Rules such as “multiply your salary by 1.25” can be useful as rough heuristics, but they cannot reflect an individual's state, expenses or billable hours. Analyze My Income is designed to calculate the scenario rather than apply one universal premium.
The answer should be visible
The product is built around direct outputs: estimated W-2 take-home, estimated 1099 take-home, the annual contractor break-even amount and the corresponding hourly target.
The assumptions should be inspectable
A calculator is only useful when users can understand what is inside it. The public 2026 Tax Methodology documents the formulas, model scope, source hierarchy and important exclusions.
Editorial responsibility
How we handle tax and financial information
- Primary sources come first. Federal tax parameters are checked against IRS and Social Security Administration material. State parameters are checked against the relevant state revenue agency, official instructions, statutes or other authoritative state publications.
- Calculator logic and explanatory content should agree. We do not intentionally publish a tax rule in an article or landing page that differs from the production calculation engine. When the engine changes, affected explanatory content should be reviewed as part of the same release process.
- Scope is stated instead of hidden. The standard 2026 model is primarily a single-filer, resident, ordinary-income planning model with one sole-proprietor 1099 business. Local taxes, tax credits, itemization, entity elections and many special situations can require different treatment.
- Estimates are labeled as estimates. Results are planning outputs, not promised tax liabilities, filed-return results or guarantees that one employment classification is legally correct.
- No fabricated authority. Analyze My Income does not claim professional review, certification or endorsement unless that review or endorsement can be specifically identified and verified.
Update process
How model changes reach production
Check the rule against authoritative material
Tax-year parameters and state-specific rules are traced back to primary or official sources whenever available.
Implement the calculation change
The relevant federal, state or planning-engine logic is updated rather than patching only the visible page copy.
Run regression and integration checks
The project includes dedicated federal, state, state-aware, end-to-end, UI and SEO checks intended to detect calculation or publishing regressions before a release is treated as complete.
Publish the rule with its scope
User-facing pages are expected to identify the applicable tax year, explain material assumptions and link users to the methodology when more detail is needed.
Transparency
What Analyze My Income does not try to be
Not tax filing software
The calculators do not prepare or file Form 1040, Schedule C, Schedule SE, state returns or quarterly vouchers.
Not an employment-classification opinion
Whether a worker is legally an employee or independent contractor depends on facts and applicable law. The calculator compares compensation; it does not determine legal worker status.
Not a full benefits valuation by default
The quick comparison focuses on modeled take-home. Employer-paid benefits, PTO, bonus, retirement match and contract risk should be considered separately or through the site's deeper full-offer analysis where supported.
Not a substitute for individual advice
Users with multiple businesses, complex investment income, credits, itemized deductions, multi-state filing obligations or entity structures may need individualized tax advice.
Corrections
Accuracy is an ongoing responsibility
Tax rules and official guidance can change. When a material calculation issue or source change is identified, the goal is to correct the engine, add or update regression coverage, revise affected explanatory content and update the applicable review date rather than silently leaving conflicting information in place.
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