Unemployment insurance benefit calculator 2026

Three examples with different pay and insurance records

Gross salary 1400 €, record under 5 years. The average daily wage is 1400 × 9 ÷ 270 = 46.67 €. For the first 100 days the benefit is 60%, 28.00 € a day or 840 € in a 30-day month. From day 101 it is 40%, 18.67 € a day or 560.10 € a month. Total for 180 days: 100 × 28.00 + 80 × 18.67 = 4293.60 € gross.

Gross salary 2500 €, record of 5-10 years. The daily wage is 83.33 €, the first-phase benefit 50.00 € a day (1500 € a month) and the second-phase benefit 33.33 € a day (999.90 € a month). Total for 270 days: 100 × 50.00 + 170 × 33.33 = 10,666.10 €.

Gross salary 6000 €, record over 10 years. The daily wage is 200 €; 60% would be 120 € and 40% would be 80 €. Both exceed the maximum, so you get 101.27 € a day (3038.10 € a month) and later 67.51 € a day (2025.30 € a month). Total for 360 days: 27,679.60 €. The calculator shows a cap warning in this case.

What each result row means

The large figure is the monthly benefit during the first 100 days, with the daily rate below it. The monthly figure assumes 30 days. Because the benefit is paid per calendar day, a 31-day month pays more: 868 € at a 28 € daily rate, and February less.

The "From day 101" row shows the second-phase monthly and daily amounts. The payment period follows the record you selected, and "Total for the period" adds both phases over the whole duration. It is a gross figure assuming you stay registered as unemployed for the full period and do not find work sooner.

Minimum and maximum: when they apply to you

The limits do not affect most people, but near the edges the benefit behaves differently.

• The maximum applies when your average gross salary is above roughly 5064 € a month. Beyond that a higher salary no longer raises the benefit.
• With a salary below roughly 738 €, the benefit is at the minimum in both phases: 14.77 € a day, 443.10 € a month.
• With a salary of roughly 739-1107 €, the first-phase benefit is above the minimum but the second phase is raised to it. On a 1000 € salary you get 20.00 € a day, then 14.77 € after day 100 instead of 13.33 €.

Common input mistakes

The most common mistake is entering your latest salary. The calculation uses 9 months of pay that come before the last three months of employment. A raise received only in the last three months is not counted.

The second is assuming the result also applies if you resigned. The calculator works out the income-based benefit. From 2026, people who leave voluntarily get the base-rate benefit of 14.77 € a day regardless of salary, which is 443.10 € for 30 days.

The third is mixing up insurance record with work experience. Select the period during which unemployment insurance premiums were paid on your wages. If unsure, check your data in the Töötukassa e-service.

Net amount and the basic exemption

All figures in the calculator are gross. Income tax depends on whether you apply the basic exemption to the benefit. On an 840 € monthly benefit with the 700 € exemption, income tax is (840 - 700) × 0.22 = 30.80 € and net is 809.20 €. Without the exemption, tax is 184.80 € and net 655.20 €.

The basic exemption is 700 € a month across all your income combined. If you receive a final paycheck or other income in the same month where the exemption is already applied, do not claim it twice, or you will owe extra tax on your annual return.

Using the result in your budget

Budget by the two phases, not by an average. With a 2100 € salary and a 5-10-year record, the benefit is 1260 € a month for the first 100 days and 840 € after that. After about three and a half months income drops by a third, so if the job search drags on, your fixed costs should fit the smaller amount.

Register as unemployed on your very first day without work, as the benefit is paid from the registration date. Each day of delay is a lost daily rate: at 28 € a day, a week's delay costs 196 €.