Payroll & contractors
PTO Accrual Calculator with Carryover Caps
Project a PTO balance across the year and see how much gets forfeited at a carryover cap, or lost to an accrual cap that quietly stops you earning.
| Starting balance | 40.00 hrs |
|---|---|
| Accruedafter any accrual cap | 120.12 hrs |
| Never creditedaccrual cap reached | 0.00 hrs |
| Used | 80.00 hrs |
| Balance at year end | 80.12 hrs |
| Forfeitedabove carryover cap | 0.12 hrs |
| Carried forward | 80.00 hrs |
Some states treat accrued vacation as earned wages that cannot be forfeited, which makes a use-it-or-lose-it carryover cap unenforceable there. Check your state before relying on one.
Details people get wrong
- What is the difference between an accrual cap and a carryover cap?
- An accrual cap stops you earning once the balance hits a ceiling — time is lost silently, all year, and no one notices until they check. A carryover cap only trims the balance at year end. Two policies with the same headline number produce very different outcomes, which is why this calculator models them separately.
- Can an employer take away accrued PTO?
- It depends where you are. Federal law does not require paid leave at all, so carryover rules are largely a matter of state law and policy. Some states treat accrued vacation as earned wages that cannot be forfeited, which makes a use-it-or-lose-it policy unenforceable there. Check your state before relying on a cap.
- Why does my balance stop growing mid-year?
- Almost always an accrual cap. Once the balance reaches the ceiling, accrual pauses until you use time and drop back below it. The hours you would have earned in that window are simply never credited — this calculator shows that figure explicitly.