Relocation Package Tax Cost
Post-TCJA (2017): relocation reimbursements taxable. Add 30-40% gross-up to make employee whole. Use this tool to estimate gross-up needed.
| Moving cost | — |
| Temp housing | — |
| Home selling asst | — |
| Total benefit | — |
| Total tax rate | — |
| Tax on benefit | — |
| Gross-up required | — |
| Total company cost | — |
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA, 2017) eliminated the moving expense deduction. All employer relocation benefits are now taxable W-2 wages. To 'make whole' the employee, employers add a 'gross-up' — extra cash to cover the tax burden on the relocation.
Post-TCJA Landscape
Before 2017: most relocation tax-free, deductible. After 2018: all relocation taxable to employee, deductible to employer. Major change in negotiation — savvy employees demand gross-up; cheap employers don't offer it (rookie mistake costing 30-40% of benefit value).
Gross-Up Math
Without gross-up: employee receives $20K, owes $7K tax → keeps $13K. With gross-up: employer pays $30K total ($20K benefit + $10K gross-up). After tax on both, employee nets $20K (made whole). Recommended: 30-40% gross-up rate.
Negotiate Smart
(1) Get itemized package broken down. (2) Ask for gross-up explicitly. (3) Negotiate 'tax assistance allowance' separately. (4) Choose net-make-whole structure rather than fixed dollar. (5) Spread over multiple tax years if possible to reduce bracket impact.
Last updated May 2026. Sources: IRS Pub 521.