Tithing calculator
Enter your income and a giving percentage, and see the amount on gross and net — annually, monthly, and per paycheck. Traditions differ on which base to use; we show the math both ways and leave the conviction to you and your church.
On gross income
On net (take-home) income
Gross or net? What the traditions actually say
The honest answer: faithful Christians disagree, and they have for a long time.
- Gross ("firstfruits") givers reason that giving comes from the first and best of all increase, before taxes or anything else touches it (Proverbs 3:9 is the verse most often cited).
- Net givers reason that a tithe applies to what you actually receive to live on — your take-home pay — and that taxes were never yours to give.
- Proportionate and growth givers treat 10% not as a ceiling or a legalism but a starting benchmark, growing generosity as God prospers them (1 Corinthians 16:2, 2 Corinthians 9:7).
Churches and denominations teach this differently, and this page takes no side. What we can do is make the numbers concrete — because a commitment you can see in dollars per paycheck is one you can actually plan around.
Making giving sustainable
The most common failure mode isn't the percentage — it's treating giving as whatever happens to be left over. Households that sustain generosity for decades almost always do three things:
- Put giving in the budget first, alongside housing and retirement savings — not after them. Our biblical stewardship guide walks through a full budget built this way.
- Automate it per paycheck (the per-paycheck figure above), so faithfulness doesn't depend on month-end willpower.
- Plan the tax side: itemizing vs. standard deduction, donor-advised funds for bunching, and qualified charitable distributions from IRAs after age 70½ can meaningfully change what your generosity costs you — without changing what the church receives. A faith-aligned advisor does this routinely.
Frequently asked questions
Should I tithe on gross or net income?
Traditions differ. Some give on gross (before taxes), some on net (take-home), and some grow into and beyond a tenth over time. It's a conviction question for you and your church — the calculator above shows both so the decision is informed.
How much should I tithe?
"Tithe" means a tenth, so 10% is the traditional benchmark. Set any percentage above and see what it means annually, monthly, and per paycheck.
Before or after retirement contributions?
It follows from the gross-vs-net choice. Gross-basis givers calculate before 401(k)/IRA contributions; net-basis households differ on whether pre-tax savings count as income received. Consistency matters more than formula.
What if we can't afford a full tithe right now?
Many families set a starting percentage and grow it as debt is paid down. The point of a stewardship-first plan is that giving is a goal in the plan, not the leftover after it.
Want a plan where generosity actually fits?
Get matched with a fee-only fiduciary advisor who serves Christian families — giving, investing, retirement, all in one coordinated plan. Free, no obligation.