Layoff Finance Guides

Practical articles on financial runway, severance, unemployment, and surviving a job loss. Every guide links to the calculator so you can apply the advice to your real numbers.

Tier 1 — Start Here

What to Do Financially the Day You're Laid Off

Luck Buffer · March 2026 · 7 min read

An hour-by-hour checklist for day one. File for unemployment within 24 hours. Call your bank. Know your runway before you make any decisions.

Tier 1 — Start Here

How to Calculate Your Financial Runway (and Why It Matters)

Luck Buffer · March 2026 · 6 min read

The formula is simple. The implications aren't. Three worked examples across low, median, and high savings — then your real number.

Tier 1 — Start Here

Layoff Survival Budget: A Month-by-Month Guide

Luck Buffer · March 2026 · 8 min read

Month 1 is triage. Month 2–3 is stabilization. Month 4 and beyond is income recovery. Spending targets for each phase.

How Much Emergency Fund Do You Actually Need?

Luck Buffer · March 2026 · 5 min read

The "3–6 months" rule is wrong for a lot of people. The right number depends on your industry, income variance, and local job market.

The 7 Expenses to Cut First When You Get Laid Off

Luck Buffer · March 2026 · 5 min read

Ranked by impact per dollar of effort. Housing is hardest and biggest. Subscriptions are easiest and meaningful. Start here.

Severance Package 101: What It Is and How to Negotiate

Luck Buffer · March 2026 · 9 min read

What you can negotiate, what you can't, and what you should never sign the same day you receive it.

How to Talk to Creditors Before You Miss a Payment

Luck Buffer · March 2026 · 6 min read

Call before you're late. Most creditors have hardship programs they don't advertise. A script that works.

The WARN Act: Your Legal Rights When You're Laid Off

Luck Buffer · March 2026 · 6 min read

Who the WARN Act covers, when it requires 60-day notice, and what you're entitled to if your employer skips it.

Side Hustles That Can Cover Your Monthly Burn Rate

Luck Buffer · March 2026 · 7 min read

Real hourly rates after expenses. Honest about the effort required. Sorted by how fast you can start earning.

What Happens to Your Benefits When You're Laid Off?

Luck Buffer · March 2026 · 7 min read

COBRA, 401(k), HSA, life insurance — what stays, what disappears, and what you have to act on immediately.