Luck Buffer

How long could you survive
if you were laid off tomorrow?

A free layoff runway calculator — private, instant, no sign-up.
Know your runway. Make your own luck.

All calculations happen in your browser — nothing is saved or sent anywhere.

Free Layoff Runway Calculator

Luck Buffer calculates how long you can survive financially if you lose your job. Enter your liquid savings, any expected severance, and your monthly expenses to get your exact runway — the number of months before your money runs out. The Lifestyle Simulator shows how expense cuts extend that timeline. The Income Gap tool shows what you'd need to earn to reach a 6, 12, or 18-month target. The Action Plan generates a prioritized checklist matched to your exact runway tier. Everything runs in your browser — nothing is stored or sent anywhere.

Also try: Severance Optimizer — compare lump sum vs. salary continuation after tax  ·  COBRA vs ACA Calculator — find the cheapest health insurance option

Financial Snapshot

Your current income, savings, and monthly expenses.

Quick start with a preset

Monthly Expenses

Monthly Burn Rate

Total monthly expenses

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Your entries are saved locally in your browser.

Job Search optional

See when you're likely to land an offer, overlaid on your runway.

Your Runway

How long your savings can sustain your current lifestyle.

Enter your financial details above to calculate your runway.

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Pause all subscriptions Cancel streaming, software, and recurring services
Remove car payment Sell or refinance vehicle to eliminate transportation debt

Formula: Runway = (Savings + Severance) ÷ Monthly Burn Rate

Side-Income Gap

How much would you need to earn to extend your runway to a target?

Select target runway

Enter your financial snapshot to calculate your income gap.

Your Action Plan

A concrete checklist tailored to your runway tier.

Complete your financial snapshot to generate your action plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a layoff runway calculator?

A layoff runway calculator tells you how many months you can live on your savings if your income stops. It divides your total liquid assets — savings plus any severance — by your monthly burn rate to give you a precise financial survival timeline.

How do I calculate my financial runway?

Financial runway = (Savings + Severance) ÷ Monthly Burn Rate. If you have $30,000 saved and spend $3,000 per month, your runway is 10 months. Luck Buffer runs this calculation automatically and shows how lifestyle cuts extend that number.

How much runway should I have before losing my job?

Most financial planners recommend a minimum of 3–6 months of expenses. If you work in a volatile industry or hold a senior role, 9–12 months provides meaningful security. Use this calculator to find your current number and close the gap.

What expenses should I cut first during a layoff?

Start with the highest-leverage categories: housing (negotiate rent, find a roommate, or move), subscriptions, and discretionary spending. The Lifestyle Simulator shows exactly how many months each cut adds to your runway.

Is my financial data stored anywhere?

No. Luck Buffer runs entirely in your browser — your numbers are never sent to any server, stored in cookies, or saved in localStorage. Refresh the page and everything clears.

Do I need an account to use this calculator?

No account, no email, no sign-up required. Enter your numbers and get your results instantly.

What should I do if my runway is less than 3 months?

Treat it as a financial emergency. File for unemployment the same day, call creditors before missing payments to negotiate deferment, and cut all non-essential expenses within the first week. The Action Plan section generates a tier-specific checklist based on your exact runway.

Can I include severance in my runway calculation?

Yes. Enter your expected severance in the Financial Snapshot alongside your savings. The calculator adds them together and divides by your monthly burn rate to show your total runway including severance.

Privacy Guarantee

This tool runs entirely in your browser. No data is ever sent to any server. Your entries are saved to your browser's localStorage so you can pick up where you left off — nothing leaves your device. Use the Clear saved data button in the snapshot to erase everything.