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&lt;p&gt;Post-April 15th, it becomes brutally apparent how much taxes eat into your take-home pay. Don’t take it lying down! Be proactive and ride that wave of fiscal indignation – start preparing to negotiate for a better salary. But this time, go in prepared for that tax bite. Take these steps before approaching your boss:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Step 1: How Much Do You Need…and Want?&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;First, consider what you owe: You have your credit card bills, student loans, housing, car payments – and that doesn’t even begin to cover food to live and funds for a social life. How much do you want to save each month?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Next, ask yourself how much you want left over after your monthly needs are met.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Step 2: How Much Will the Government Take?&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tax salary calculators aren’t 100% accurate, but at least you’ll be able to ballpark how much of your salary goes to taxes. Give yourself a nice surprise down the road and estimate high.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Try some of these free online tax calculators:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Turbo Tax Tools&lt;br /&gt; IRS Withholding Calculator&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Step 3: Negotiation!&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Once you know how much you need and want, and have compared it to how much of your salary goes to taxes, you should have an idea of a number you’d like to negotiate with your employers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Remember, when you walk into a negotiation, your desire for more money isn’t relevant – neither is your ego. Now that you know what you’d like your income to be, prepare solid reasons why your company should agree.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ask yourself these important questions:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Have I gone above and beyond my job description?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;How much should I be earning in my position?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Don’t let Tax Day scare you into hiding – let it spur you towards the higher salary you deserve.&lt;/p&gt;

Padmini Mangunta

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