Pay rise in 2026: how much is left net?

€100 more gross a month: how much net in 2026?

The net gain from a pay rise depends on your current salary, your family situation and your status. Three zones stand out: below €2,301, you keep a good share; between €2,301 and €3,404, very little; above that, a little under half.

For a specific amount, see gross to net by amount: each page also details the effect of a pay rise at that salary level.

Why a pay rise brings in so little between 2,300 and €3,400 gross

The culprit is the work bonus (werkbonus / bonus à l’emploi), a reduction in social security contributions for low and middle incomes. It has two parts, which fall as pay rises:

• Part B: €171.99 a month up to €2,300.62 gross. Above that, it falls by 26.99 cents per extra euro of pay, and disappears at €2,937.93.
• Part A: €127.54 a month up to €2,937.93 gross. Above that, it falls by 27.39 cents per euro, and disappears at €3,403.62.

On top of this comes the fiscal work bonus: a reduction in withholding tax equal to 63% of part B and 33.14% of part A. It falls at the same time. Between €2,301 and €2,938, each extra gross euro therefore costs 26.99 cents of lost work bonus, about 17 cents of lost fiscal work bonus, 13.07 cents of contributions and the usual withholding tax.

Blue-collar workers too

For blue-collar workers, the thresholds are the same, but the work bonus amounts are higher (€185.75 and €137.74 a month) and contributions are calculated on 108% of gross pay. At €2,600 gross, a single blue-collar worker keeps €12.91 out of €100, against €16.17 for a white-collar worker.

Single-income couples, less affected at first

With a spouse who has no income, the marital quotient sharply reduces withholding tax. At the bottom of the zone, the fall in the fiscal work bonus is therefore barely visible: at €2,500 gross, €58.84 is left out of €100, against €16.19 for a single person.

Holiday pay, the year-end bonus and the final tax

A pay rise also increases your double holiday pay and your year-end bonus. The non-recurring withholding tax on them changes in steps: crossing a threshold can slightly reduce the net amount of these bonuses in the year of the rise. The final tax, calculated the following year, corrects these jumps. Over a year, for a single white-collar worker on €2,800 gross with a 13th month, a €100 monthly rise leaves about €243 net, final tax included; at €4,500 gross, about €615.

A pay rise does not reduce your monthly net pay: in our calculations, from 2,000 to €8,000 gross, €100 more always leaves at least €13 net, blue-collar workers included. And salary counts towards your pension, your holiday pay and your social security benefits, which exempt benefits do not.

At the same cost: benefits that reach you in full

For your employer, a €100 gross rise costs about €125.00 a month, with basic employer contributions of 25%. Some benefits, within their ceilings, carry neither contributions nor tax: every euro paid by the employer reaches you in full. Their conditions are strict.

What benefits do not do

Exempt benefits do not count towards your statutory pension, your holiday pay, your year-end bonus or your unemployment or sickness benefits. A pay rise does. For a salary close to the trap zone, the best combination often mixes the two: benefits up to their ceilings, the rest as salary.

They do not replace your current salary

Meal vouchers, eco vouchers and the CLA 90 bonus cannot replace or convert existing pay: they can only come on top of your salary. They are also collective: your employer grants them to a category of workers, under a CLA, a written agreement or a plan. If your employer lets you choose within a budget yourself, see the cafeteria plan. To swap a company car, see the mobility budget.

Negotiating in 2026: the wage norm is 0%

For 2025 and 2026, the wage norm, the maximum margin for growth in wage costs, is set at 0% (Royal Decree of 12 September 2025). Indexation and pay-scale increases remain guaranteed. Rises linked to a promotion or a change of job remain possible, as does the CLA 90 bonus. In 2026, an increase of up to €2 in the employer’s share of meal vouchers also falls outside the norm. An employer who exceeds the norm risks an administrative fine of €250 to €5,000 per worker concerned.

In practice: base your request on how your job has developed, and suggest forms your employer can grant, such as meal vouchers or a collective bonus. Indicative information only: your union delegation or your social secretariat (payroll provider) knows the rules in your sector.

The negotiation email, ready to send

After the calculation, the tool suggests an email to your employer with your figures: the cost of the rise for the company, what it leaves you net, and the better option at the same cost. Choose the tone, friendly or firm, then copy the text or open it in your email app. Fill in the passages in square brackets. The text is prepared in your browser: nothing is sent or stored.

To compare two job offers rather than a pay rise, see compare two offers; to earn more in other ways (overtime, flexi-job, side activity), see earn more. For a one-off bonus, see bonuses and holiday pay.

Frequently asked questions

What next?

• Cafeteria plan: what is each option worth?Your employer lets you choose: the net value of each option.
• Gross to net by amountNet pay for 2,000, 2,500, €3,000 gross and more, by family situation.
• Earn moreOvertime, flexi-job or side activity: which brings in the most?
• Compare two job offersTwo offers side by side, with net pay over the year.