How much do I keep from a $250 coaching payment?

On a $250 payment through Stripe (US card), the published processing fee is $7.55, leaving $242.45 before tax. Reserving 28% for tax sets aside $67.89, so your pre-expense take-home is about $174.56. Adjust the processor and tax rate above for your own numbers.

Is this before or after my tool subscriptions?

Before. This figure covers the processing fee and a tax reserve on a single payment. Monthly subscriptions like TrueCoach, Zoom, or Kajabi come out of your overall margin, not one payment — CheckMargin tracks those automatically so your real monthly take-home reflects them.

Why is the tax number only an estimate?

Tax depends on your total income, country, state, deductions, and filing status — none of which a single payment knows. We apply a flat rate you control (defaulting to 28% for US self-employment) so you can set money aside. Your accountant produces the real figure.

Take-home calculator

What you take home on a $250 coaching payment

On a $250 payment through Stripe (US card), the published processing fee is $7.55 and a 28% tax reserve sets aside $67.89 — leaving roughly $174.56 before tool costs and expenses. Change the processor or tax rate below to match your own setup.

Payment amount (USD)

Payment processor Estimated tax rate estimate

Stripe's standard US online card rate: 2.9% + $0.30 per successful charge.

Gross payment $250.00
Stripe (US card) fee −$7.55
Tax reserve (28%, estimate) −$67.89
You take home $174.56

Where the money goes

Take-home Tax reserve Processing fee

Processing fees use each provider's published per-transaction rate (Stripe 2.9% + $0.30, PayPal 3.49% + $0.49 goods & services). The tax line is a reserve at the rate you enter — an estimate to set money aside, not tax advice. Your accountant has the final word.

The three cuts before your bank balance

Every coaching payment passes through the same three layers: the payment processor's published fee, the tax you should reserve on the profit, and only then your take-home. The fee is fixed by the provider; the tax reserve is a planning choice; the take-home is what's actually yours to spend — before monthly tools and expenses.