Layoff Survival Runway Calculator
Calculate your survival runway in months using savings, severance, and unemployment benefits.
Typical state unemployment benefits last for 6 months (26 weeks).
What is the Layoff Survival Runway Calculator?
The Layoff Survival Runway Calculator is an emergency planning engine built to support tech workers and professionals navigating layoffs. It aggregates your liquid savings, severance package cash, and state unemployment benefit checks to calculate how many months you can survive before running out of money, giving you a clear timeline to secure your next job.
How Does the Layoff Survival Runway Calculator Work?
1. Enter Monthly Outflows — Your total monthly living cost (rent, food, insurance, debt).
2. Provide Savings Pool — Cash in checking/savings accounts.
3. Input Severance Terms — Severance package duration in weeks and your pre-layoff salary.
4. Input State Benefits — Expected monthly unemployment checks and duration.
5. Analyze Survival Timeline — Review your total cash pool, subsidies, and runway months.
Formula & Calculation Method
Runway Depletion Methodology:
- Severance Cash: Severance Weeks × Weekly Salary.
- Initial Cash Cushion: Savings + Severance Cash.
- Unemployment Subsidy: Applied as a monthly inflow (subtracted from monthly expenses) up to the state limit duration.
- Cash Depletion: The calculator decreases the cash cushion month-by-month using net monthly outflows until cash reaches $0.
Example Calculation
Example: Monthly expenses of $4,000, savings of $12,000, 8 weeks of severance ($2,000/week salary), and $1,800/mo state unemployment for 6 months.
- Initial Cash Pool: $12,000 savings + $16,000 severance = $28,000
- Months 1 to 6 (Active Benefits):
- Net monthly outflow = $4,000 - $1,800 benefit = $2,200
- Cash spent over 6 months = $2,200 × 6 = $13,200 (Remaining cash = $14,800)
- Month 7+ (Benefits Expired):
- Net monthly outflow = $4,000
- Remaining runway = $14,800 / $4,000 = 3.7 months
- Total Runway: 6 months + 3.7 months = 9.7 months of survival runway.
Frequently Asked Questions
**Runway Depletion Methodology:** - **Severance Cash:** Severance Weeks × Weekly Salary. - **Initial Cash Cushion:** Savings + Severance Cash. - **Unemployment Subsidy:** Applied as a monthly inflow (subtracted from monthly expenses) up to the state limit duration. - **Cash Depletion:** The calculator decreases the cash cushion month-by-month using net monthly outflows until cash reaches $0.
Disclaimer: This tool is provided for informational and calculation purposes. Output values are estimates based on standard user inputs.