Bonus and commission income: How the Monthly Number Is Actually Calculated

Policy language decides: ‘income’ vs ‘salary.’ A commissioned salesperson at 60% of base salary takes a 40% real pay cut — the income definition is the single most expensive line in the contract.

The calculation

Two policies can both say ‘60%’ and pay thousands apart — the difference lives in the wage basis and the tax line, not the headline ratio.

Worked example

Take a $120,000 package that is $90,000 base plus $30,000 bonus. A ‘salary’ policy pays 60% of $90,000 = $4,500/month. An ‘income’ policy paying 60% of documented average earnings pays $6,000. Same person, same premium tier — $18,000 a year apart.

What to check in your contract

• The word after ‘disability income’ — salary, earnings or income.
• Whether employer-paid premiums make benefits taxable.
• Whether the ratio applies before or after SSDI offset.

Bonus and commission income: the headline ratio is marketing — the wage basis and tax line are the contract.