BYOBookkeeper A program of Heyward CPA
Free calculator

Find your Northstar Number

Every business decision should point toward one goal: knowing how much your business needs to generate to support your life.

Step 1 of 5 20%

Personal living expenses

What does your life actually cost each month? Be honest. This is your foundation.

Housing
$
$
$
Monthly total$0
Transportation
$
$
$
Monthly total$0
Food and lifestyle
$
$
$
Monthly total$0
Health and family
$
$
$
Monthly total$0
Debt and other bills
$
$
$
Monthly total$0
Total monthly expenses
$0

Savings and goals

What do you want your money to build? Add what you’d like to set aside each month.

Monthly savings goals
$
$
$
$
Monthly total$0
Monthly need so far
$0

Tax buffer

As a business owner, taxes don’t come out of your income automatically. Set aside enough so tax time doesn’t catch you off guard.

25%
15%25%40%
Many self-employed owners set aside 25–30%, covering federal self-employment tax (15.3%) plus estimated income tax. The right rate depends on your situation, so talk with your CPA about yours. We gross up your take-home need so you keep that amount after taxes.
Monthly tax buffer $0
Total monthly need, with taxes
$0

Profit margin

That’s what you need to take home. Your business has to bring in more than that to cover its own costs, so your profit margin turns your take-home need into a revenue target.

30%
5%30%80%
What is profit margin? If your margin is 30%, then for every $1.00 your business brings in, $0.30 is left after business expenses. If you’re not sure of yours, start with an estimate and refine it once your books are current.

Typical margins by industry

Retail 5–15% Restaurant 3–9% Consulting 30–50% Construction 15–25% Tech and SaaS 40–70% Healthcare 10–20%
General ranges for reference only. Your margin depends on your business.
Your monthly revenue target $0
Annual revenue needed
$0
Your Northstar Number
$0 Annual revenue target
What this means

To take home $0 per month after taxes, with a 0% profit margin, your business needs to bring in about $0 in revenue every month, or roughly $0 every week. That’s your minimum sustainable target.

Monthly revenue $0 per month
Weekly revenue $0 per week

How we got here

Monthly living expenses$0
Monthly savings goals$0
Tax buffer$0
Monthly need before taxes$0
Rates applied30%
Monthly revenue needed$0
Annual revenue needed$0

Now let’s build a business that hits this number.

Schedule a free consultation with James Heyward, CPA. We’ll talk through how your business can reach your number, and how BYOBookkeeper keeps you on track month to month.

Schedule a free consultation Call 919-886-4829

Want the full walkthrough?

Watch the free Northstar workshop replay with James, or read 5 steps to find your Northstar Number.

Watch the replay

This calculator gives an estimate for planning purposes, not tax advice. Your actual numbers depend on your situation.