Employee Retention Credit Estimator

Overview: What this Employee Retention Credit estimator does

The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) was a temporary federal tax credit created during the COVID‑19 period to encourage employers to keep staff on payroll despite shutdowns and revenue declines. Although the program has largely ended for new wages, many businesses are still allowed to review past quarters and, if eligible, file amended payroll tax returns to claim refunds.

This page provides a simplified ERC estimator. It lets you combine average monthly wages, headcount, qualifying months, and a credit percentage to see a rough, directional estimate of what an ERC refund might look like across your team. It is intended for planning and discussion, not as a filing tool or a substitute for professional tax advice.

Important: The real ERC rules are complex. This estimator does not test eligibility, does not apply IRS wage caps or quarter‑by‑quarter limits, and may show results that are higher or lower than the amount you could actually claim. Use it as a starting point to understand scale before speaking with a tax professional.

How the ERC estimator works

The calculator focuses on a basic high‑level relationship between wages, time, and a chosen ERC percentage. It assumes that each employee earns similar qualifying wages each month and that the same credit rate applies across all included months.

The core calculation is:

Estimated ERC = Average Monthly Wages × Qualifying Months × Credit Rate × Number of Employees

More formally, you can represent the formula using variables:

• E = estimated total ERC for your group of employees
• W = average monthly wages per qualifying employee (in dollars)
• M = number of months those wages qualify for the credit
• P = credit percentage, expressed as a decimal (for example, 70% becomes 0.70)
• N = number of qualifying employees included in the estimate

The estimator multiplies these values together to produce a combined estimate. The goal is to answer a basic question: if my business qualified for the ERC at a given rate, and I had a certain level of wages over a period of time, what size refund might I roughly expect?

Understanding each input field

• Average monthly wages ($): Enter the average amount of wages you paid per qualifying employee per month during the period you are reviewing. You can include qualified health plan expenses if you intend to treat them as ERC‑eligible wages for planning purposes.
• Number of employees: Enter the number of employees whose wages you want to model. The estimator assumes each employee has the same average monthly wage and is eligible for the same number of months.
• Qualifying months: Enter how many months you believe may qualify under the ERC rules (for example, months in 2020 or 2021 in which your organization met gross‑receipts decline or suspension tests). This tool does not verify that those months actually qualify; it simply applies your input.
• Credit percentage (%): Enter the ERC rate you want to model, as a percentage. The law used different rates in different periods (for example, 50% in some 2020 quarters and up to 70% in certain 2021 quarters). If you are unsure, you can run several scenarios using different percentages to see a range.

How to think about the credit percentage

The real ERC rate depends on the specific calendar quarter and year, as well as your eligibility in that period. Historically, many employers experienced:

• Credit rates around 50% of qualified wages for some 2020 quarters.
• Credit rates up to around 70% of qualified wages for certain 2021 quarters.

The estimator lets you plug in any percentage, including figures below or between those ranges, to explore conservative and aggressive scenarios. For instance, you might model 40%, 60%, and 70% to see how sensitive your potential refund could be to the underlying rules and periods.

Interpreting your estimated ERC result

When you submit the form, the tool returns a single estimated ERC amount in dollars. This is a directional projection only. You can use the estimate in several ways:

• To understand whether it is worth investing time and professional fees to explore a claim.
• To compare different wage levels, headcounts, or qualifying periods.
• To support internal budgeting conversations about potential refunds from amended returns.

If the estimate is relatively small, you may decide that a full ERC analysis is not a priority. If the estimate is large, it may indicate that a detailed review with a qualified advisor could be worthwhile.

Because the estimator uses averaged data rather than detailed payroll records, the actual ERC on a filed return may be substantially different. Treat the output as an order‑of‑magnitude view rather than a quote.

Worked example: from wages to estimated ERC

Consider a company that paid $50,000 in average monthly wages to 10 potentially qualifying employees over six months, and wants to model a 70% credit rate. Using the estimator, you would enter:

• Average monthly wages: $50,000 (for all 10 employees combined, or $5,000 per employee)
• Number of employees: 10
• Qualifying months: 6
• Credit percentage: 70%

The calculation is:

Estimated ERC = 50,000 × 6 × 0.70 × 10

Step by step:

1. Multiply wages by months: 50,000 × 6 = 300,000.
2. Apply the credit rate: 300,000 × 0.70 = 210,000.
3. Scale by employees (if 50,000 was per employee, not total; in this example we treat 50,000 as the combined monthly wages for the 10 employees, so no further scaling is needed) to reach your total estimate.

Depending on how you define average wages (per employee or total for the group), you may include the headcount in the average itself or in the separate employee field. The key is to avoid double‑counting. Many users find it easiest to:

• Enter per‑employee average monthly wages in the wages field, and
• Use the Number of employees field to scale up to the total.

Illustrative scenarios at different wage levels

The table below shows how the estimated ERC amount can change with different wage levels, months, and credit percentages for a single employee. To project a group total, multiply the estimated credit by your headcount.

These examples assume that each employee qualifies for all listed months and that none of the formal ERC wage caps or limits apply. In real life, those constraints often significantly reduce the maximum allowable credit.

Key assumptions and limitations of this ERC estimator

Because the ERC rules are detailed and fact‑specific, this tool makes several simplifying assumptions. These are necessary for a fast, easy‑to‑use calculator but mean that results are not precise or comprehensive.

What the estimator assumes

• All employees you include are eligible for the ERC during the months you enter.
• Each of those employees has roughly the same level of monthly wages.
• The same credit rate applies to every month you include.
• The wages you enter are fully ERC‑eligible and are not reduced by other credits or programs.

What the estimator does not do

• It does not determine whether your business actually qualifies for the ERC in any quarter.
• It does not apply per‑employee wage caps or maximum credit amounts per quarter.
• It does not handle the detailed quarter‑by‑quarter rules for 2020 versus 2021.
• It does not adjust for full‑time versus part‑time employee counts or special aggregation rules across related entities.
• It does not exclude wages paid to certain related individuals or owners, which may be ineligible under IRS guidance.
• It does not coordinate ERC wages with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness or other credits that may prevent double‑counting the same wages.

Because of these limitations, the actual ERC you could claim on filed tax returns may be significantly lower than the estimate from this calculator. In some cases, your true eligible amount could also be higher if you qualify for more months or have more eligible employees than you initially assumed.

How this estimator compares with a formal ERC calculation

The ERC on an actual IRS filing is computed under detailed statutory and regulatory rules. The table below highlights the contrast between this simplified estimator and a full professional calculation.

Historical and planning focus

The ERC largely applies to historical quarters in 2020 and 2021. New wages paid today generally do not qualify for the credit, but you may still file amended returns to claim refunds for past periods if you meet the eligibility criteria and are within the applicable statute of limitations.

Use this estimator primarily to understand the potential impact of reviewing those prior quarters. It is not designed for current‑year payroll planning or for predicting future tax credits.

Practical next steps after generating an estimate

After you have run one or more scenarios, consider the following steps:

• Save your estimate: Record the assumptions you used (wage levels, months, credit percentage, and employee count) so you can discuss them with advisors.
• Gather supporting information: Collect payroll reports, health plan cost summaries, and financial statements showing gross receipts for 2019 through 2021.
• Review IRS guidance: Read the primary IRS instructions, notices, or FAQs related to the ERC for the periods you are analyzing.
• Consult a qualified professional: Speak with a CPA, enrolled agent, or payroll tax specialist who can apply the detailed rules to your specific situation.
• Evaluate risk and timing: Because ERC claims have been the subject of enforcement attention, consider the documentation you can provide and whether a claim is appropriate before filing.

About this estimator and important disclaimers

This ERC estimator is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not tax, legal, or accounting advice, and using it does not create a client relationship with any advisor. The laws and guidance around the Employee Retention Credit have been subject to change and ongoing clarification, and enforcement practices may evolve.

You are solely responsible for determining whether and how to claim the ERC. Before relying on any estimate, you should consult the official IRS guidance and speak with a qualified professional who understands your organization’s facts and circumstances.

Because the calculator intentionally simplifies many aspects of the ERC rules, you should expect differences between the output on this page and any amount you might ultimately claim—or decide not to claim—on a tax return.