The detailed guide below is currently available in English.
What a raise is really worth
A percentage raise compounds on your whole wage, while a flat “new amount” offer can be checked against the increase it truly represents. Comparing the monthly difference to your budget is the honest test: it tells you whether the raise covers rising rent, speeds up debt payoff, or mostly disappears into payroll deductions. Remember that gross pay grows faster than take-home — federal, state, and payroll taxes all take a slice of the increase.
Negotiating with the numbers
Walking into a review with figures beats walking in with feelings. Check what the same role pays elsewhere, decide on a target percentage, and know your walk-away point. A 3–5% raise is a typical merit increase in steady years; switching jobs often moves pay 10–20%. If the budget truly cannot stretch, the same math applies to extra vacation days, a signing bonus, or a title that sets up the next jump.
Contexto local: Portugal
Dados locais essenciais para cálculos financeiros em Portugal — diferem dos valores padrão dos EUA:
- IVA: Taxa normal 23 % (continente), intermédia 13 %, reduzida 6 %. Os preços ao consumidor já a incluem.
- IRS (2025): Taxas progressivas de 13,25 % a 48 %, mais taxa solidária e majoração ACR (Açores e Madeira têm deduções próprias).
- Segurança Social: Taxa contributiva global 34,75 % — 11 % a cargo do trabalhador sobre o bruto, 23,75 % da entidade patronal.
- Salário mínimo 2025: 870 € por mês, pagos em 14 prestações (12 + subsídios de férias e de Natal).
- Gorjeta: Não é obrigatória; 5–10 % em restaurantes é bem-visto.
Atualizado: outubro 2026 · valores de 2025, fontes oficiais acima.
Perguntas frequentes
Why does the calculator use 2,080 hours?
It is the standard full-time year: 40 hours a week for 52 weeks. If you work different hours, divide your own annual hours into the salary for a closer hourly figure.
Is the new salary before or after tax?
All figures are gross — before taxes and deductions. Use the take-home pay calculator to see how much of the raise actually reaches your bank account.
How much raise should I ask for?
Aim for a number backed by market data for your role and location. High inflation years push the bar up, since a raise below inflation is effectively a pay cut in buying power.