What Is Net Income & How Do You Calculate It? | Capital One (2024)

May 30, 2024 |4 min read

    Net income is the amount of money you bring home after taxes and other deductions are taken out of your paycheck. For businesses, net income refers to the money that remains after business expenses have been paid.

    Learn more about what net income is, how to calculate it and how to use it to budget better.

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    What is net income?

    Net income can be defined as the amount of money that remains after all expenses have been deducted from your pay. But how net income is calculated and measured may differ slightly depending on whether you’re talking about an individual or a business.

    Why is net income important?

    For individuals, net income matters because it shows you how much money you may be able to spend. And for a business, net income is the amount of money remaining after all expenses are paid.

    Knowing your net income, or net pay, can be a good way to budget and look for areas where you could cut back on spending. And for businesses, it can also offer a picture of how much profit a company is bringing in.

    Net income for individuals

    Preparing for a healthy financial future takes planning. Whether you want to pay off debt, create a manageable budget or save for a home, understanding net income could be the first step in managing your money.

    How to calculate net income

    Calculating net income is pretty simple. Just take your gross income—which is the total amount of money you’ve earned—and subtract deductions, such as taxes, insurance and retirement contributions.

    Here’s how to find net income:

    Net income = Gross income − Deductions

    Net income example for individuals

    Let’s say your gross income is $3,350 a month. But you pay $272.51 in federal taxes, $102.48 in state taxes, $46.61 in Medicare taxes, $193.31 in Social Security taxes and $125 for insurance. And these are all deducted from your paycheck before you get it.

    Calculating your net income might look like this:

    $3,350 − $272.51 − $102.48 − $46.61 − $193.31 − $125 = $2,610.09

    Your net income, which is sometimes called take-home pay, is $2,610.09. Knowing your take-home pay each pay period can help you create a budget for living expenses and any financial goals you may have.

    Business net income

    A company’s net income—sometimes called net earnings—could be seen as a way to measure how profitable the business is. So net income can be one of the most important numbers for a business to know.

    Companies often use an income statement, which typically shows all income and expenses. The net income is usually found at the bottom of the income statement. This is why net income is sometimes referred to as the bottom line.

    How to calculate business net income

    Net income for a business can be expressed with this simple formula:

    Net income = Total revenue − Total expenses

    The formula can become more complicated when you break down the total expenses category, which can include things like operating expenses, taxes and the cost of goods sold (COGS). COGS is the amount of money a company spends on making or acquiring goods for resale. This can include costs connected to materials, labor and purchases.

    When a company has more revenue than expenses, it has a positive net income. But if there are more expenses than revenue, then that’s a negative net income or net loss.

    Net income FAQ

    Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about net income and how to calculate it:

    For individuals, the difference between gross income and net income is that gross income is the total earnings before deductions like taxes and retirement contributions are taken out. Net income is what remains.

    For businesses, net income is the number you get when you subtract business expenses, operating costs and taxes from total revenue. And a company’s gross income is the total revenue minus COGS.

    Learn more about how gross income compares to net income with this guide.

    For individuals, you can usually find it on your pay stub. For businesses, net income can usually be found on the bottom line of a company’s income statement.

    Yes, you can find a net income calculator online that can help you find your monthly net income or annual net income.

    Key takeaways: Net income

    Whether it’s for personal or business finances, knowing your net income can help you get a clearer picture of where you stand financially.

    For individuals, it’s important to understand your net income for a few reasons. It can help you budget and be in a better position to reach savings goals you might have. Learn more about how to make a budget that works for you.

    What Is Net Income & How Do You Calculate It? | Capital One (2024)

    FAQs

    What Is Net Income & How Do You Calculate It? | Capital One? ›

    To calculate net income, take the gross income — the total amount of money earned — then subtract expenses, such as taxes and interest payments. For the individual, net income is the money you actually get from your paycheck each month rather than the gross amount you get paid before payroll deductions.

    How do you calculate net income from capital? ›

    The formula for calculating net income is:
    1. Revenue – Cost of Goods Sold – Expenses = Net Income. The first part of the formula, revenue minus cost of goods sold, is also the formula for gross income. ...
    2. Gross Income – Expenses = Net Income. ...
    3. Total Revenues – Total Expenses = Net Income.
    Feb 23, 2024

    How do I calculate my net income? ›

    To calculate net income, take the gross income — the total amount of money earned — then subtract expenses, such as taxes and interest payments. For the individual, net income is the money you actually get from your paycheck each month rather than the gross amount you get paid before payroll deductions.

    What is the net income? ›

    Net income is what a business or individual makes after taxes, deductions, and other expenses are taken out. In business, net income is what a company has left after all expenses are subtracted, including taxes, wages, and the cost of goods.

    What is net capital income? ›

    The amount by which your total long-term capital gain for the year is more than your short-term capital loss for the year.

    How do you calculate capital income? ›

    Your taxable capital gain is generally equal to the value that you receive when you sell or exchange a capital asset minus your "basis" in the asset. Your basis is generally what you paid for the asset. Sometimes this is an easy calculation – if you paid $10 for stock and sold it for $100, your capital gain is $90.

    What is the net income capital account? ›

    The capital account measures the changes in national ownership of assets, whereas the current account measures the country's net income. In accounting, the capital account shows the net worth of a business at a specific point in time.

    How to calculate total income? ›

    Your total income is your gross income from all sources less certain deductions such as expenses, allowances and reliefs.

    What is the formula for net income percentage? ›

    Once you've calculated the net income (profit), simply divide this amount by the total revenue. To convert it to a percentage, multiply by 100.

    How to calculate the net salary? ›

    It's gross pay minus mandatory and voluntary deductions. Your net pay is the amount of money you have in your bank account after deductions like taxes, insurance and other expenses.

    What is a good net income? ›

    A net profit of 10% is generally regarded as a good margin for most businesses, while 20% and above is regarded as very healthy. A net profit margin of less than 5% is relatively low in most industries and can indicate financial risk and unsustainability.

    What number is net income? ›

    Your net income is your total income for the year (from all sources, such as employment, RESPs, retirement income, benefits, etc.) minus your allowable deductions (such as RRSP contributions, childcare expenses, moving expenses, etc.)

    How to calculate adjusted net income? ›

    Your adjusted net income is your total taxable income. Included in this are things like your salary, rental income, money from freelance work etc. Not included in this total are tax reliefs like losses from previous years, pensions contributions, or donations to charities.

    How do I figure out my net income? ›

    Net income = Total revenue − Total expenses

    The formula can become more complicated when you break down the total expenses category, which can include things like operating expenses, taxes and the cost of goods sold (COGS). COGS is the amount of money a company spends on making or acquiring goods for resale.

    How do you calculate net capital? ›

    The following equation is used by the SEC to determine a firm's net capital: net capital = net worth + subordinated debt – non-allowable assets – haircuts Clear as mud?

    How do you calculate net working capital? ›

    1. Example: A manufacturer has assets totaling $220,000 and liabilities totalling $130,000.
    2. Working capital = current assets - current liabilities.
    3. Net working capital = current assets (less cash) - current liabilities (less debt)
    4. Net working capital = accounts receivable + inventory - accounts payable.
    Aug 21, 2022

    How do you calculate net profit from capital? ›

    Profit is calculated from the fluctuations in the capital at the starting and end of the year and by adding the drawings and subtracting the amount introduced into capital at the end of the year.

    What is the formula for net capital? ›

    Here are some common formulas for NWC: NWC = current assets - current liabilities: This is the broadest formula that includes all current assets and liabilities, such as cash, accounts receivable, inventory, accounts payable, accrued expenses, etc.

    What is the formula for net worth using capital? ›

    Net Worth = Assets – Liabilities

    If a person or company owns assets that are greater than liabilities, it is said to show a positive net worth. If the liabilities are greater than assets, it implies a negative net worth.

    What is the formula for net income using equity? ›

    First, we do the same familiar step -- subtract the beginning period equity of $500 from the ending period equity of $600 to get a $100 increase in equity. To get to net income, we need to subtract the $200 investment by the owner from the $100 increase in equity. The company had a net loss of $100 for the year.

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