How this works
In Portugal the holiday bonus and the Christmas bonus each equal one month of base salary. By default the holiday one is paid before your leave and the Christmas one by 15 December. The option to receive these in twelfths — 1/12 a month — instead of in one go now comes from agreement between worker and employer (arts. 263/264 of the Labour Code). The mandatory regime of Law 11/2013 only applied between 2013 and 2017. You can spread 0%, 50% or 100%. The simulator shows both sides of the same coin: how much an ordinary month rises by, and how much less lands in the bonus month. Figures are gross (base); they exclude IRS and Social Security, which apply equally either way.
- 1
Enter your base salary
Your monthly base salary, excluding meal allowance, bonuses or overtime. The bonuses are calculated on this figure.
- 2
Pick the twelfths percentage
0% = you get the bonuses in full in their month. 50% = half spread across the year, half in the month. 100% = all spread month by month.
- 3
Compare the calendar
The simulator shows an ordinary month, the holiday month and December, and confirms the yearly total is the same in every option.
Frequently asked
What are duodécimos (twelfths)?
It is the option to receive your holiday and Christmas bonuses split across the 12 months of the year instead of in full in the relevant month. Since each bonus equals one month of salary, one twelfth is 1/12 of that bonus. You can spread 0% (you get it all in the bonus month), 50% (half along the year, half in the month) or 100% (all spread out).
Do I get more money with twelfths?
No. The total you receive over the year is exactly the same. Only the distribution changes: with twelfths your monthly pay rises a little, but the bonus months lose that big top-up. It is a cash-flow choice, not a way to earn more.
Who decides — me or my employer?
Paying in twelfths depends on agreement. In practice many companies ask at the start of the year which option you prefer. It can change year to year. Always confirm with your HR how it is set up in your case.
What about income tax and Social Security?
Twelfths have their own IRS withholding and Social Security deductions like any pay. This tool works with gross (base) figures to show the timing effect of your choice; it does not compute net pay. For net, apply the deductions for your bracket.
Can I pick 50% for one bonus and 100% for the other?
The law treats the two bonuses separately, so mixed setups are possible by agreement. To keep the simulator clear, the percentage here applies to both bonuses at once — the most common choice. If your case is mixed, simulate each bonus on its own.
DISCLAIMER
Informational tool based on the Labour Code (arts. 263/264). It works with gross figures (base salary) and does not compute IRS, Social Security, or part-year hire/termination cases, where bonuses are pro-rated. Paying in twelfths depends on agreement with your employer. Always confirm your case on your payslip and with HR. Not legal or tax advice.