Emergency Fund Runway Planner

Project how long your emergency fund will last when partial income or severance offsets essential expenses. Provide your savings balance, core monthly costs, expected income during a disruption, and any one-time cash buffer to see the runway in months.

Cash reserved specifically for emergencies.
Rent or mortgage, utilities, food, insurance, and other must-pay costs.
Average gross or net income before any reduction.
Percent of regular income expected from severance, benefits, or side work.
Optional. Leave blank if you have no severance, bonus, or extra cushion.

Educational planning aid—not financial advice.

Examples

  • $18,000 savings, $3,200 expenses, $4,000 income, 40% replacement, $2,000 buffer ⇒ 12.50 months of runway
  • $12,000 savings, $2,500 expenses, no income, 0% replacement, no buffer ⇒ 4.80 months of runway

FAQ

Should I include discretionary spending?

Only list essential expenses here. Track optional spending separately so the runway reflects a lean emergency budget.

How do unemployment benefits fit in?

Add them to the income replacement percentage—combine all dependable temporary income into a single estimate.

What if I expect expenses to rise during the disruption?

Increase the essential expense input to reflect the higher cost, then rerun the planner for a conservative runway figure.

Additional Information

  • Runway equals (savings + one-time buffers) divided by the monthly shortfall after partial income is applied.
  • If your expected support matches or exceeds essential expenses, the calculator reports that the fund remains untouched.
  • Revisit the numbers whenever expenses, income expectations, or severance terms change to keep your emergency playbook current.

Related calculators