Target Pay
Target Pay — runs in your browser. Inputs are not stored.
Reverse-calculate target take-home (2026, for reference)
Enter values, then press Calculate.
Four-insurance mode includes only the 2026 employee share (national pension 4.75, health 3.595, long-term care linked, employment 0.9). Income tax is not included.
How to use
- Enter the target take-home amount you want left in the bank.
- Enter hourly wage and hours per day.
- Choose deductions: no tax, freelancer 3.3%, or four social insurances employee 2026 (Korea).
- Press Reverse-calculate to see required pre-tax, deduction rate, required hours, and workdays.
- For regular monthly take-home, use annual take-home pay instead of this screen.
Key concepts: reverse-calculating pre-tax from take-home
For hourly, part-time, and contract work it is easy to mix up “if I need N million KRW in the bank, what pre-tax should I quote.” If take-home = pre-tax × (1 − deduction rate), then pre-tax = take-home ÷ (1 − deduction rate). Freelance contracts in Korea often withhold income tax 3% + local income tax 0.3% = 3.3%.
Four-insurance mode includes only 2026 employee shares (National Pension 4.75%, National Health Insurance 3.595%, long-term care linked, Employment Insurance 0.9% → about 9.72%) and does not include income tax. Actual earned-income withholding can be larger. Results are for reference.
Example
Target take-home 1.5 million KRW, hourly 10,000 KRW, 6 hours a day, freelancer 3.3% → required pre-tax is 1.5 million ÷ 0.967 ≈ 1,551,000 KRW. Required hours about 155; at 6 hours a day about 26 workdays. Switching deductions to “no tax” makes pre-tax equal take-home, so hours look fewer.
Related: Freelancer 3.3% · Four social insurances (Korea) · Hourly to monthly wage
Frequently asked questions
Does the target take-home reverse calculator include income tax?
Only 3.3% mode is business-income withholding. Four-insurance mode includes premiums only and leaves income tax out.
Should I add weekly holiday pay to the hourly wage?
This screen multiplies only the hourly wage you enter. See weekly holiday pay separately in the <a href="/tools/weekly-holiday-pay/">weekly holiday pay calculator</a>.
Are part-time 3.3% and earned-income withholding the same?
No. Earned income uses the simplified withholding table. Contract and freelance work commonly uses 3.3%.
What if I set hours per day to 8?
Required total hours stay the same; only workdays drop. Pre-tax is matched with hourly wage × hours.
Is the minimum wage applied automatically?
No. Enter your own hourly wage.
Are inputs saved?
No. Reverse calculation runs only in the browser.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-04