<prompt> Human: Soo...Im a 25 year old college grad, and landed a good, professional job that seems to have growth opportunity. I was making 12 an hour working as an hourly 10-99 freelance, therefore no taxes being taken out. I went from part time to full time around May 1st still freelance. My responsibilities have probably tripled since then...definitely to warrant more pay. As I devised my pitch for a raise my goal was to get to 15 an hour and started to get it ready for proposing, my boss rings me up one evening out of the blue. He wants to meet for breakfast the next morning at 8am. To me, it seems as though hes going to offer me something?...so I go, long story short, nothing is said about pay...its getting time to leave, so I start my pitch. He cuts me off. He says Im going to increase your pay by 2,000 a year and put you on the payroll. I definitely appreciated being put on payroll which will save me from having an enormous tax bill but still unsure of what that actually means in terms of my take home pay, I say Thanks, sounds good. We leave the meeting. I go to my car and do the math and its coming out to about 13.00 an hour..a dollar raise..not really very much especially considering taxes will be taken out from here on out. I consult with my family, friends, and even the internet, and they all recommend me coming back with a counter offer. 2 days later, after a meeting, I approach said boss in private. I tell him, that while I appreciate the offer, with taxes being taken out, I will be making less money than I was before. He tells me it wont and that I shouldnt worry about it. I sort of reiterate that the math I did was solid and I think it really is going to be lower and he still says no, it wont be lower, youll see...I reluctantly say ok and move on. Cut to two weeks later today, I get my first check as an employee on payroll and my new hourly rate is 12.96. Combine this with 221 dollars in taxes taken out...my take home pay is over 200 less than it was before I asked for the raise. Granted, technically he IS paying my taxes...but cmon! I still should atleast be making the SAME?? Right? My question to this sub is, should i contact him and tell him I was correct in my assessment? Or should I wait till next Wednesday at our meeting to bring it up? Im very frustrated and feel a little let down and swindled. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks! Assistant: with taxes being taken out, I will be making less money than I was before.Youll be taking home less, but your tax bill will be lower. Youre seeing less in every paycheck because youre not having to send the IRS quarterly payments and pay the second half of self-employment tax. Assuming full time 12.00hr 1099, your annual income is 24,960. Ballparking deductions and your exemption, taxable income is 15,000, with an income tax bill of 1778, and payroll taxes of 4,000. Net pay is 19,182.Monthly take home pay as a 1099 is 2,080 with no taxes taken out. 480 should be set aside for tax. At 13.00hr W2, annual income is 27,040, with a taxable income of 17,000. Income tax is 2000, but payroll tax portion is only 1,275. Net pay is 23,765.Monthly take home pay as a W2 is 1,980, but only 272 was taken out from taxes vs the 480 that was taxed earlier. 23,765 19,182Human: For sure! I totally get that but dont you think a DROP in my take home is alittle crazy for what this guy is calling a raise or promotion?  <response>: The drop in your take home is from taxes being taken, so while yes it is less currently in the end of will still work out that you make more. The perceived drop isnt really there when you calculate how much from each paycheck you should have been setting aside to cover your taxes. You can also ask to adjust your withholdings to increase your take home. 