Scenario comparison
Salary After Tax Scenarios How to Save and Compare
Scenarios let you save multiple calculator runs so you can compare like for like. Change one thing at a time, see how taxes versus FX move the numbers, and export safely when you need to review later.
Published: December 31, 2025 · Updated: December 31, 2025 · By FinToolSuite Editorial
Disclaimer
- Educational purposes only, not financial or tax advice.
- Examples are illustrative and simplified.
- Results depend on your inputs and assumptions and are not guaranteed.
- FX snapshots change and can shift comparisons.
- See the Privacy Policy for handling details.
Open the salary after tax calculator
Save scenarios, compare outputs, and export when needed.
Quick answers: scenario comparison
- Save one baseline scenario first.
- Change one thing at a time.
- Compare net pay and effective rate together.
- Note the FX snapshot date when comparing countries.
What is a scenario?
A scenario is a saved snapshot of your inputs and outputs. It keeps your country choices, salary, pension percent, frequency, and the resulting net, effective rate, and FX view, so you can compare side by side without guessing. It is a comparison tool, not a recommendation engine.
Step by step: save and compare
- Run your baseline scenario.
- Save it with a clear label.
- Change one variable (salary, frequency, pension percent, or country).
- Save the second scenario.
- Compare net pay, effective rate, and FX adjusted view.
- Export if you need to review later.
Need export help? See the PDF export guide.
Naming and labels that stay readable
Keep labels short, descriptive, and avoid special characters.
| Good label | What it means | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| UK to US 60000 annual pension 0 | Country switch, salary, frequency, no pension. | Shows the exact change you tested. |
| UK to US 60000 annual pension 5 | Same as above, but 5% pension. | Clear comparison of one variable. |
| UK to India 60000 annual pension 0 | Different destination, same salary and pension. | Keeps notes consistent across countries. |
Isolate one change at a time
Changing several inputs at once makes it hard to see what caused the difference. Isolate one variable, then move to the next.
// One-change checklist
salary (one change)
frequency (annual vs monthly vs weekly)
pension percent
origin vs destination country
FX snapshot day
For frequency reminders, see pay conversion basics.
Compare the right outputs
Focus on the outputs that show change without over-reading small differences.
| Metric | What it tells you | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Net pay (local) | Take home in the source currency. | Baseline comparison within one country. |
| Converted destination net | FX adjusted view using the snapshot rate. | Directional cross-country comparison. |
| Effective tax rate | Total tax divided by gross. | Sanity check across scenarios. |
| Tax amount | Estimated total tax in source currency. | Seeing impact of bracket or allowance changes. |
| Pension amount | Estimated retirement contribution if pre tax. | Evaluating trade-off between net pay and saving. |
| FX snapshot note | Rate used for conversion. | Explaining day-to-day changes. |
Learn more about rates in effective vs marginal tax rate.
FX can move the goalposts
The converted number can change even when your salary and tax stay the same. FX snapshots are points in time.
// Illustrative FX swing
Net pay: $60,000
Snapshot 1: $1 = £0.80 → £48,000
Snapshot 2: $1 = £0.83 → £49,800
Same salary, different conversion because rate moved.
More in the FX snapshot explainer.
Exporting comparisons safely
- Export only what you need; avoid personal identifiers in labels.
- Keep files local when possible.
- Use the PDF export option for clean sharing.
- See the PDF export guide.
- Review the Privacy Policy.
Common mistakes to avoid
- No baseline scenario saved.
- Changing multiple inputs at once.
- Mixing annual and monthly frequencies.
- Forgetting pension percent differences.
- Comparing different FX days without noting it.
- Assuming state or local taxes are included.
- Treating converted net as purchasing power.
- Expecting payslip matching.
- Using bonus month income as typical.
- Over trusting one scenario without reruns.
FAQs
How many scenarios can I save? +
Save as many as you need; keep labels short and clear.
What should I name scenarios? +
Include country, salary, frequency, and pension percent for clarity.
Why did my comparison change today? +
FX snapshots move, and assumptions can update. Note the date when comparing.
Does this include local taxes? +
The calculator is a simplified national model and may not include state or city layers.
Can I export a scenario comparison? +
Yes. Use the PDF export and remove personal labels before sharing.
Where can I read the assumptions? +
See the calculator FAQ for limits, assumptions, and what is not included.
Final step
Save a baseline, change one thing at a time, compare net, effective rate, and FX view, then export if you need to share. Rerun when your inputs or the FX snapshot change.