What does the second job really add once you take off the extra tax, childcare, work costs and the childcare tax breaks you'd lose? And what does staying home cost later, in retirement savings and pay? Both choices are valid; this shows the numbers, with 2026 tax rules. Runs in your browser; we don't store what you enter.
Lines for each year: the household's take-home pay after taxes, childcare and work costs with both parents working full time, with one parent at home and then back at work, and with one parent part time. The other view shows the second parent's retirement savings. The full figures are in the year-by-year table below.
| Year | Children's ages | Childcare, both working | Both working | One at home | Second job adds | Part time | Savings: both working | Savings: one at home |
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| Scenario | Second job adds, /mo | Tightest month, one income | Tightest month, both working | Long-run cost |
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Monthly figures are averages (or the tightest year) over the years at home, in today's dollars. Each row changes one thing.