AuraCalcs

Compare a 1099 contract with a W-2 salary

compare_1099_vs_w2

Read-only

Compare a 1099 hourly contract with a W-2 salary offer, counting the extra self-employment tax, 401(k) match, health insurance and business expenses. Returns which pays more, by how much, and the break-even 1099 hourly rate. Same math as the auracalcs.com 1099 vs W-2 calculator. Estimate only.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "w2Salary": "<w2Salary>",
      "hourlyRate1099": "<hourlyRate1099>"
    },
    "name": "compare_1099_vs_w2"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`w2Salary`	Yes	W-2 annual salary offered.
`paidDaysOff`	No	Paid vacation and holiday days in the W-2 job. Defaults to 0.
`hourlyRate1099`	Yes	1099 hourly contract rate offered.
`businessExpenses`	No	Business expenses as a contractor per year. Defaults to 0.
`weeksWorkedPerYear`	No	Weeks worked per year on the contract. Defaults to 48, like the website.
`billableHoursPerWeek`	No	Billable hours per week on the contract. Defaults to 40.
`employerHealthInsurance`	No	Employer-paid health insurance per year. Defaults to 0.
`employer401kMatchPercent`	No	Employer 401(k) match as a percent of salary. Defaults to 0.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

AddedNov 1, 2026

TDQS

A3.9/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, destructiveHint=false, and openWorldHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds real value beyond that by naming the return payload (which pays more, the gap, and the break-even 1099 rate) and flagging 'Estimate only,' which sets expectations about precision.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three sentences, front-loaded with what is compared, followed by what is returned and a caveat. The auracalcs.com reference earns its place as a credibility/behavior anchor, though it borders on promotional filler.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With no output schema, the description correctly summarizes the return values, and the schema fully covers inputs. The remaining gap is that no tax year, jurisdiction, or default-assumption summary is stated, which matters for a tax-calculation tool, though defaults are visible in the schema.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so all eight parameters including defaults (48 weeks, 40 hours) are documented in the schema itself. The description's mention of self-employment tax, 401(k) match, health insurance, and business expenses loosely maps to those inputs but adds no syntax, units, or default guidance beyond what the schema already provides.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb (compare) with two precisely named resources (1099 hourly contract vs W-2 salary offer) and enumerates the cost factors included. It is clearly distinguishable from siblings like calculate_1099_tax and calculate_paycheck, which compute a single side of the equation rather than a comparison.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The scenario (weighing a contract offer against a salaried offer) is implied by the framing, but there is no explicit when-to-use/when-not-to-use guidance and no routing to alternatives such as calculate_1099_tax for tax-only questions or convert_hourly_to_salary for simple rate conversion.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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