Paid Family Leave Calculator

Estimating paid family leave benefits means combining your income with the 2026 rules that apply in your particular state, and this tool does exactly that across the various US programs. Those figures matter when you are planning around a new child or stepping back to care for a seriously ill relative, since knowing the number ahead of time lets family come first without the budget falling apart. The spread between programs is wide: California caps the weekly benefit at $1,765 in 2026 while Connecticut stops at $1,016.40, and the number of weeks ranges from eight to twelve.

The calculation begins by pulling your state's qualifying wage base and benefit percentage, which commonly lands somewhere between 60% and 100% of your average weekly wage (AWW). Several states now tier that rate, paying a high percentage on the first slice of your wage and a lower one above a breakpoint: Washington pays 90% then 50%, Massachusetts 80% then 50%, Connecticut 95% then 60%. Flat-rate states are simpler, as with New York, which pays a flat 67% of your AWW capped at 67% of the statewide average weekly wage, a cap of $1,228.53 in 2026 against a NYSAWW of $1,833.63. Your AWW itself is usually drawn from your highest-earning quarters inside a set base period.

Most programs base benefits on a look-back window, often running 5 to 18 months rather than your paycheck today, so recent raises may not be fully reflected. Confirm your state's specific eligibility rules as well, including minimum earnings thresholds and any waiting period, since those details can move the final figure. Washington, for example, imposes a mandatory one-week wait before payments start.