Independent researcher of US compensation data. Based in Indonesia. Founder and sole maintainer of SalaryLabs, a free and currently self-funded research utility for US salary, paycheck, take-home pay, and tax math. Working on the project since early 2024.
What I Do
I publish open salary, paycheck, and tax research for US workers. Every calculator on SalaryLabs runs deterministic JavaScript formulas anchored to primary sources: IRS Publication 15-T, IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, Social Security Administration wage-base announcements, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and DOL Fair Labor Standards Act rules. The math is shown, the sources are cited inline, and the assumptions are documented on the methodology page.
The site serves en-US and es-US audiences with locale-appropriate framing. English and Spanish pages are reviewed as separate search and content surfaces; their indexing and hreflang treatment may differ while quality work is in progress. The Spanish side is aimed at hispanohablantes living and working in the US, not at translation-only readers.
Why I Built SalaryLabs
I started SalaryLabs in early 2024 because the existing US salary tool landscape splits cleanly into two camps. On one side, paid subscription products that gate basic paycheck math behind sign-ups, lead capture, or premium tiers. On the other side, free tools that monetize through aggressive ad density and generic content that does not actually answer the worker's question.
Neither side serves the person who just wants to know what a $75,000 offer becomes after tax in their state, or whether reclassifying from exempt to non-exempt would change their pay. SalaryLabs is the small middle ground: free, transparent about sourcing, independently maintained, and aimed at one specific job — answering paycheck and offer questions clearly, in the worker's preferred language.
What I Have Published
- Bilingual library of 13 free calculators covering salary conversion, take-home pay, federal and state tax estimation, FICA calculation, overtime under FLSA, salary comparison, salary heatmap, income percentile, and more.
- Long-form analytical guides on real take-home pay by state (2026), wage growth versus inflation 2020-2026, the hourly-versus-salary decision framework, FICA wage base history 1999-2026, and the honest math behind no-income-tax states.
- Methodology, editorial policy, and corrections pages so readers can audit the math against primary sources.
How I Work
The project is a one-person operation. I write, code, source-check, and maintain the site. There is no editorial board, no anonymous research team, and no claim of professional licensure or advisory authority. The site is a research utility that publishes the math openly and lets readers decide whether the assumptions fit their situation.
AI-assisted tools help draft and edit explanatory copy. All numerical outputs come from deterministic JavaScript formulas, not AI inference. Public data figures are taken from the primary sources listed on the methodology page and refreshed manually when the IRS, SSA, BLS, or DOL publishes updated values.
Location and Audience
I live in Indonesia. The audience is US workers, primarily en-US and es-US speakers. The combination of "Indonesia-based researcher writing about US compensation data" sometimes raises questions, so I want to address it directly: the math is anchored to US primary sources, the site identifies who maintains it, and the formulas, assumptions, methodology, and source notes published on the site can be inspected by readers. Distance does not change whether a paycheck calculation is right or wrong. The IRS does not publish different brackets for international researchers.
Contact
Reader feedback on calculations, sourcing, or content goes to [email protected]. Substantive correction and sourcing reports are reviewed based on severity, reproducibility, and the evidence provided. Material confirmed errors are documented through the corrections process.
Professional inquiries, collaboration, and methodology discussions: I am most reachable on LinkedIn.
Disclosure
- SalaryLabs is currently self-funded. The site has applied to Google AdSense, but it has not been approved, ads are not active, and SalaryLabs earns no AdSense revenue. There are currently no affiliate links, sponsored content, data sales, or paid placements.
- I do not provide tax, legal, or financial advice. The site is informational only. For decisions that matter for your specific tax situation or legal classification, consult a licensed CPA, tax professional, or attorney.
- I am not affiliated with any employer, payroll provider, government agency, or recruiter. SalaryLabs is independent.
Related Pages
Last updated 2026-06-10. Material profile changes will be reflected on this page.