> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.taxhomebase.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Compare Contracts

> Side-by-side contract comparison with tax impact and FMR-based cost of living.

<Snippet file="pro-required.mdx" />

The Compare page lets you evaluate two contracts side-by-side, factoring in taxes, stipends, and local cost of living. Unlike simple pay calculators, TaxHomeBase computes the **actual take-home** for each contract.

<Frame caption="Compare two contracts side-by-side with tax impact, FMR-based living cost, and a clear winner.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/stipendguard/rYTODjwsgR5TPzB9/images/guides/compare.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=rYTODjwsgR5TPzB9&q=85&s=20daf504e0b1792eb795b316eb8b4800" alt="Compare page showing two contracts with gross pay, stipends, taxes, living cost, and net take-home comparison" style={{ maxWidth: '300px' }} width="786" height="1680" data-path="images/guides/compare.png" />
</Frame>

## How It Works

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select or enter contracts">
    Choose from your existing assignments or enter hypothetical contract details:

    * Base pay, housing stipend, M\&IE stipend
    * State and location
    * Contract length (weeks)
    * Bonuses (sign-on, completion, referral)

    For custom contracts, you can also use **Scan Job Ad** to upload a screenshot from any job board (Vivian, AMN, Aya, etc.) and auto-fill the fields. See [Contract Scanning](/guides/contract-scanning) for details.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Compare results">
    TaxHomeBase calculates for each contract:

    * **Gross taxable income** — Base pay + bonuses
    * **Stipend total** — Tax-free housing + M\&IE
    * **Federal tax** — Based on your filing status and employment type
    * **State tax** — Using the assignment state's brackets
    * **SE tax** — Self-employment tax (1099 only)
    * **Living cost** — Based on HUD Fair Market Rent for the location
    * **Net take-home** — What you actually keep
  </Step>

  <Step title="See the winner">
    A banner shows which contract wins and by how much (weekly difference).
  </Step>
</Steps>

## FMR-Based Living Cost

Instead of using a crude estimate, TaxHomeBase uses **HUD Fair Market Rent** (1BR monthly) to estimate living costs at each location. This provides an accurate cost-of-living comparison — for example, rural Minnesota vs. Manhattan.

The living cost row shows:

* Weekly rent estimate (FMR monthly / 4.33)
* FMR area name when matched (e.g., "Rochester 1BR: \$950/mo")

TaxHomeBase tries the live HUD API first, then falls back to static rates for \~65 metro areas plus the national median.

<Info>
  For hypothetical contracts without a state set, the comparison falls back to a 1.2x housing stipend estimate.
</Info>

## Saving Comparisons

After viewing results, click **Save** to persist the comparison as an immutable snapshot:

* Enter a name for the comparison
* The contracts, results, winner, and difference are frozen
* Saved comparisons appear in a list below the results

### Viewing Saved Comparisons

* Click any saved comparison to view it in read-only mode
* Data is frozen at the time of save — no recalculation
* Year picker filters saved comparisons by year
* Delete with a soft-delete (can be restored)

## Tax Calculation

The comparison uses the same tax engine as the Tax Estimate page:

* Federal tax brackets by year
* State tax brackets
* Self-employment tax for 1099
* Standard deduction by filing status
* W-2 vs. 1099 deduction handling