RealContractorPay is a free educational tool. There is nothing to purchase, no subscription, and no account. These terms govern your use of the site and its content.
Acceptance of terms
By accessing or using RealContractorPay (the "Site"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site. These terms apply to all visitors, users, and others who access the Site.
We reserve the right to update these terms at any time. Changes take effect immediately upon posting. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms. We will update the "last updated" date at the top of this page when changes are made.
What this site is
RealContractorPay provides a free, browser-based calculator for estimating take-home pay differences between 1099 contractor and W2 employee compensation structures. It also provides educational articles and guides related to contractor taxes, self-employment tax, and S-Corp election considerations.
The Site is an educational tool, not a professional service. Nothing on this Site constitutes tax advice, legal advice, financial advice, or accounting services. The calculator produces estimates based on simplified assumptions and is not a substitute for the judgment of a licensed CPA, tax attorney, or financial advisor.
Permitted use
You may use this Site for personal, non-commercial educational purposes. You may share links to pages on this Site. You may quote brief excerpts from our content for commentary, criticism, or educational purposes, provided you attribute the source and link back to the original page.
You may not:
- Reproduce substantial portions of our content without written permission
- Use our content to create competing products or services without authorization
- Scrape or systematically download content from this Site
- Use automated tools to access or index the Site in ways that impair its performance
- Represent our calculator outputs as professional tax advice in any context where that representation could mislead others
- Frame or embed the Site in another website without permission
Accuracy and reliance on information
We make reasonable efforts to keep the tax brackets, rates, and calculation logic current and accurate. However, tax law changes frequently, state rates vary in ways that are difficult to fully capture in a simplified tool, and individual tax situations differ substantially from the assumptions this calculator uses.
Do not make significant financial decisions — signing a contract, electing S-Corp status, filing estimated taxes — based solely on the output of this calculator. Use it to understand the general landscape. Use a licensed professional to confirm the specifics that apply to you.
We disclaim all warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of information on this Site. We are not liable for errors, omissions, or outcomes resulting from reliance on this information.
Affiliate relationships
Some links on this Site are affiliate links. When you click one and make a purchase or sign up for a service, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. We disclose affiliate relationships on every page where they appear.
Our affiliate relationships do not influence our editorial recommendations. We do not accept payment for positive reviews, and we do not rank affiliate products based on commission rates. The products we link to are ones we have evaluated and believe are genuinely useful for independent contractors.
Affiliate partners currently include Gusto and Collective. Their products are governed by their own terms of service and privacy policies, which you should review before signing up.
Intellectual property
All content on this Site — including written articles, calculator logic, design, and code — is owned by RealContractorPay or licensed for use here. The calculator methodology and written guides represent original work. Unauthorized reproduction, modification, or commercial use of this content is prohibited.
If you believe any content on this Site infringes your intellectual property, please contact us at hello@realcontractorpay.com with details, and we will respond promptly.
Third-party links
This Site contains links to external websites, including affiliate partners and reference sources. We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or accuracy of information on those sites. A link does not constitute an endorsement beyond what is explicitly stated.
Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, RealContractorPay and its owner shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of — or inability to use — this Site or its content. This includes damages resulting from reliance on calculator outputs, errors in tax rate data, or any decisions made based on information found here.
Our total liability to you for any claim arising from use of this Site shall not exceed one dollar ($1.00), which reflects the fact that the Site is provided free of charge.
Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of the United States. Any disputes arising from your use of this Site shall be resolved in a court of competent jurisdiction. You agree to submit to personal jurisdiction in that forum.
Changes to these terms
We may update these terms periodically. When we do, we will revise the "last updated" date at the top of this page. Material changes will be noted clearly. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes acceptance.
Contact
Questions about these terms can be sent to hello@realcontractorpay.com.