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Yes, with 4.4-year payback. You save $1,200/year on gas + $600/year on maintenance vs gas cars. Federal tax credit ($7,500) + state incentives cover most of the price premium. After 12 years, you'r...
Read moreDiet significantly affects your carbon footprint: omnivores produce 2.5 tons CO2/year, vegetarians 1.7 tons, and vegans 1.5 tons. Switching to a vegetarian diet can save 0.8 tons of CO2 and about $...
Read more(1) Drive less / carpool / EV (-2-4 tons), (2) Switch to renewable electricity (-4-6 tons), (3) Fly less (-0.5-2 tons per flight avoided), (4) Reduce meat consumption (-0.8-1 ton). These four cut 7...
Read moreLED bulbs (7-month payback), smart thermostats (1.4-year payback), hybrid cars (2.5-year payback), and electric vehicles (4.4-year payback) offer the best returns. Solar panels have 10.4-year payba...
Read moreYes, with 4.4-year payback. You save $1,200/year on gas + $600/year on maintenance vs gas cars. Federal tax credit ($7,500) + state incentives often cover most of the price premium. After 12 years,...
Read moreA 5kW system costs $12,500 net (after $5,000 federal tax credit) and saves $1,200-1,800/year. Payback is 7-10 years, but 25-year value is $11,500-30,000+. Plus you avoid rising electricity rates (3...
Read moreSwitch to renewable electricity (-4-6 tons CO2/year), drive less or get an EV (-2-4 tons), fly less (-0.5-2 tons per flight avoided), and reduce meat consumption (-0.8-1 ton). These four changes ca...
Read moreFocus on investments that do both. LEDs, smart thermostats, EVs, and solar all save money while reducing emissions. Start with quick wins (LEDs, smart thermostat) then move to bigger investments (E...
Read moreGross pay is the total amount of money earned before any deductions, while net pay, or take-home pay, is what you receive after taxes and other deductions are subtracted. Understanding this differe...
Read moreTake-home pay is the amount of money you actually receive in your bank account or on your paycheck after all deductions and taxes have been subtracted from your gross earnings. It's also called net...
Read moreFederal and state tax withholdings are deducted from your gross pay to cover your income tax obligations. The amount withheld depends on your income level, filing status, and the information you pr...
Read moreThe percentage of your salary you take home varies based on your income level, location, filing status, and deductions, but most Americans take home between 70-80% of their gross salary. Here are t...
Read moreFICA taxes consist of Social Security and Medicare taxes, which are mandatory deductions from your paycheck. Social Security tax is 6.2%, and Medicare tax is 1.45% of your gross income, reducing yo...
Read moreMultiple types of deductions reduce your take-home pay, falling into three main categories: mandatory taxes, pre-tax deductions, and post-tax deductions. Mandatory tax deductions (cannot be avoided...
Read morePre-tax deductions, such as contributions to a 401k or HSA, lower your taxable income, which can reduce your overall tax burden. This means you contribute to retirement or healthcare savings while ...
Read moreYour filing status significantly impacts your take-home pay because it determines your tax brackets, standard deduction, and withholding amounts. The five IRS filing statuses have different tax tre...
Read morePost-tax deductions, such as contributions to a Roth 401k, are taken from your income after taxes have been withheld. Although these contributions do not lower your taxable income, they allow for p...
Read moreYes, you can estimate your annual take-home pay from a single paycheck by multiplying your net pay by the number of pay periods in a year, but several factors can affect accuracy. For standard esti...
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