Reverse Salary Calculator Tax Year 2026–27
You know what you need each month. This works out roughly what CTC gets you there.
Your result
Estimates only. Your payslip and your employer's records are the authority. Disclaimer
Working backwards from what you need
Most salary conversations run forwards: here is a CTC, here is what it becomes. This runs the other way. You know what your rent, EMI and life cost each month. This tells you roughly what CTC covers it.
It works by searching. The calculator runs the full salary engine repeatedly, adjusting the CTC until the take-home lands on your target, then rounds up to a figure a human would actually negotiate. That is more reliable than a reverse formula, because slabs, the rebate taper, surcharge and PF ceilings do not invert cleanly.
Treat the answer as a floor, not a target
The number assumes a specific salary structure. A real offer at that CTC could pay several thousand a month more or less depending on how much is Basic, whether employer PF sits inside the CTC, and how much is variable pay.
Two things are worth doing before you quote a number in an interview. Add a margin for variable pay, since a package with 20% variable will not deliver its headline monthly figure. And check the structure, run the CTC through the full calculator with the offer’s actual components once you have them.
Common questions
How accurate is this?
The arithmetic is exact for the structure assumed. The uncertainty is entirely in the structure: a different Basic percentage or PF rule at the same CTC can move the monthly figure by several thousand rupees. Use it to set a range, then check a real offer against the full calculator.
Should I ask for this CTC in an interview?
Ask for a little more than the number here. It assumes no variable pay, and most packages above ₹15 lakh include some. If 20% of the offer is variable, your monthly figure will be well below what this suggests.
Why does the old regime need a higher CTC?
Only when you have no deductions to claim. The comparison here assumes none. Add rent, 80C and health insurance in the main calculator and the old regime can need a lower CTC than the new one for the same take-home.
How we keep this calculator accurate
- Tax rules are the ones in force for Tax Year 2026–27, under the Income-tax Act, 2025 (in force from 1 April 2026).
- EPF and pension figures follow EPFO’s published contribution rules.
- Professional Tax is included only for states where we have a rule we trust, and named as missing where we do not.
- Every assumption behind the estimate is shown on screen and can be changed.
- The calculator runs entirely in your browser. Your salary is never sent anywhere.
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