Real Estate Agent Net Income Calculator: Take-Home Per Deal

What this calculator adds up

The commission split calculator answers one question: what lands in your account from one closing. This one keeps going. It runs the whole year, so a cap only counts once, and then it takes out the costs you pay whether you close or not: marketing, MLS and board dues, your CRM, the miles. Last comes the slice you owe in tax. What's left is the number that pays your mortgage.

How the math works

Gross commission   = sale price × your commission %
After referral     = gross − referral fee %
Brokerage split    = after referral × split %, until the annual cap is paid
Team split         = (after referral − brokerage split) × team %
Royalty            = after referral × royalty %
Paid to you        = after referral − brokerage − team − royalty − per-deal fees
Profit before tax  = paid to you on all deals − yearly costs − (miles × cost per mile)
Take-home          = profit before tax − (profit × your tax set-aside %)
Per deal           = take-home ÷ number of deals

The calculator assumes every deal is the same size. If your deals vary a lot, use your average sale price, or run it twice: once for your listings and once for your buyer deals.

Worked example (the default numbers)

10 deals at $400,000, 2.5% commission	$100,000 gross
Brokerage 30% of $10,000 = $3,000 a deal. The $16,000 cap is paid on deal 6 (5 × $3,000, then $1,000)	−$16,000
Fees: $400 × 10	−$4,000
Commission paid to you	$80,000
Marketing $3,000, dues $1,800, other $2,400	−$7,200
Driving: 6,000 miles × $0.76	−$4,560
Profit before tax	$68,240
Tax set-aside at 25%	−$17,060
Take-home for the year	$51,180
Per deal	$5,118, or 51.2% of gross commission

Example inputs, not an average agent's numbers. Swap in yours.

Two things show up when you run your own numbers. First, deals after the cap are worth a lot more. In the example, deal 7 pays you $9,600 and deal 1 pays $6,600, because the brokerage split stops once the cap is paid. Second, fixed costs weigh most on a slow year. Drop the example to 4 deals and the brokerage takes $12,000, the yearly costs stay at $11,760, and take-home falls to $10,980, or $2,745 a deal.

Where the inputs come from

Split, cap, team split, royalty and fees: your independent contractor agreement or team agreement. If the cap resets on your anniversary date instead of January 1, enter what's left on it and the deals you expect before it resets.
Marketing and other costs: last year's bank and card statements, or the expense tracker if you've been logging them.
Miles: your mileage log. The default cost per mile is the IRS business standard mileage rate for driving from July 1, 2026 (76 cents). It was 72.5 cents from January 1 to June 30, 2026. That rate is the IRS's estimate of what a mile costs to drive, so it works here as a stand-in for gas, wear and insurance. Change it if you track actual car costs.
Tax set-aside: a flat percentage you choose. It's a savings rule, not a tax calculation. The quarterly tax calculator figures federal self-employment and income tax from 2026 IRS figures, then you can add your state's rate and use that total here.

Three ways agents use it

Comparing brokerage offers. Run each offer's split, cap and fees with the same deal count. A lower split with high per-deal fees can lose to a higher split with a low cap once you're past five or six deals. The 100% commission vs split guide walks through this.
Setting a deal goal. Change the deal count until the take-home matches what you need. Then the income goal calculator turns that count into appointments and leads per week.
Deciding on a paid lead source. A 25% or 35% referral fee changes the per-deal number a lot. Put it in the referral field, then check cost per closing in the lead cost calculator.

For planning only. This isn't tax, legal or financial advice, and the tax line is a flat estimate you set. Check your contract terms with your broker and your tax situation with a tax professional.

Sources

Checked Oct 29, 2026.

Related free tools and guides

Commission Split Calculator: your take-home on one deal after referral fee, brokerage split, cap and fees.
Quarterly Tax Calculator: your 2026 federal estimate and what to set aside per check.
Income Goal Calculator: turn a take-home goal into closings, appointments and leads per week.
Lead Cost Calculator: what a closing from each lead source costs you, and what it nets after your split.
Expense Tracker and 2026 Mileage Log: log costs and miles as you go.
Referral fee guide: the math and rules on referral fees.

FAQ

How do I calculate my net income as a real estate agent?

Start with gross commission (sale price times your commission rate) for each deal. Subtract referral fees, your brokerage split until the cap is paid, any team split, royalty and per-deal fees. Add up the year, subtract your yearly business costs and driving, then set aside a share for tax. The calculator above does each step and shows the math.

What's the difference between this and the commission split calculator?

The commission split calculator shows what one closing pays you. This calculator runs a full year, so it applies your cap across all your deals, then subtracts yearly costs and a tax set-aside to show take-home per deal and per year.

How does a brokerage cap change my take-home?

Once you've paid the cap amount in brokerage splits for the year, the split usually stops, though some brokerages charge a smaller fee per deal after cap. Deals after the cap pay you noticeably more, which the calculator shows by counting the cap across all your deals.

What tax rate should I use?

It depends on your income, filing status and state, so there isn't one right number. Use the quarterly tax calculator for a federal estimate, add your state's income tax rate, and enter that total. The set-aside here is a savings rule, not a tax calculation.

Why use the IRS mileage rate for driving costs?

The IRS sets the business standard mileage rate from a yearly study of what it costs to own and run a car, so it's a reasonable stand-in for gas, wear and insurance. For 2026 it's 72.5 cents a mile from January to June and 76 cents from July 1. Use your own figure if you track actual costs.

Does Doorlark save my numbers?

No. The calculator runs in your browser and nothing is sent to us.

By Doorlark Editorial Team. For planning only, not legal, tax or financial advice.

Real Estate Agent Net Income Calculator