Personalized · Free · No login

Build your free layoff action plan in 2 minutes

Answer a few questions and get a personalized first 24 hours, first 7 days, and first 30 days plan with money, benefits, severance, unemployment, visa, 401(k), and job-search reminders.

Start My Plan

What you'll get

One personalized plan that turns a stressful day into a clear, ordered set of next steps.

First 24 hours checklist

The handful of things to do — and not do — right after a layoff, so you protect your options.

First 7 days checklist

Unemployment filing, severance review deadlines, and health-coverage decisions, in order.

First 30 days checklist

Resume, job search routine, COBRA payments, and how to explain the layoff in interviews.

Financial runway estimate

A rough number of months your savings, severance, and PTO can cover essential expenses.

HR questions & document checklist

The questions to ask HR and the documents to collect before you sign anything.

Recommended tools for you

The calculators and guides that match your situation — severance, COBRA, visa, 401(k), and more.

Step 1 of 6 · Situation

This tailors your first 24 hours and which deadlines to watch.

Which best describes your situation?

Your plan will include

First 24 hours, 7 days & 30 days checklists
Questions to ask HR & documents to collect
Recommended calculators & next pages for you

No login required. Your answers stay in your browser and are not sent to any server. Educational content only — not legal, financial, tax, insurance, employment, immigration, unemployment, or mental health advice.

Why trust this calculator?

Designed by Deepak Middha, a Chartered Accountant and finance educator
Built using publicly available guidance and documented assumptions
An educational planning tool — not personalized financial or legal advice
Reviewed and updated regularly
Privacy friendly — inputs stay in your browser
Methodology is published and open to read
Known limitations are documented, not hidden

Methodology About Deepak Editorial Standards

Example plan sections

A real plan is tailored to your answers. Here are the kinds of action items it includes:

Confirm final paycheck and PTO

Estimate money runway

Review severance questions before signing

Compare COBRA and Marketplace

File unemployment in the state where you worked

Update resume and recruiter message

Frequently asked questions

Is this layoff plan legal or financial advice?+

No. Build My Layoff Plan is educational only. It does not provide legal, financial, tax, insurance, employment, immigration, or unemployment advice. Always confirm decisions with a licensed professional or the relevant official government source.

What information do I need to build my plan?+

Rough estimates are enough: your situation, the state where you worked, monthly expenses, savings, any severance or PTO, your benefits, and a few details about equity, 401(k), or work-visa status. Nothing is required and nothing is stored on a server.

Should I use this before or after being laid off?+

Both work. If you're worried layoffs are coming, the plan helps you prepare. If you were already laid off, it organizes your first 24 hours, 7 days, and 30 days so nothing important slips.

What should I do first after a layoff?+

Don't sign anything on the spot, write down what was said in your termination meeting, confirm your last day and when benefits end, and note the deadline to review any severance agreement. Your generated plan lists these in order.

Can H-1B workers use this?+

Yes. If you select a work visa, your plan adds a reminder about the discretionary grace period and points you to the H-1B toolkit. It is not immigration advice — verify timing with a licensed immigration attorney.

Can I use this without creating an account?+

Yes. No login or email is required. Your answers stay in your browser and are not sent to any server. You can download or email the plan to yourself when you're done.

Deepak MiddhaFounder of LayoffNext

Deepak Middha is the founder of LayoffNext and a Chartered Accountant (ICAI, India). A U.S. immigrant with nearly 20 years of experience — and 17 years in hedge fund and private equity administration, including as Vice President of Fund Accounting at NAV Fund Administration Group and Associate Director of Private Equity and Real Estate at SS&C Technologies — he builds free, plain-language layoff tools and guides for employees, H-1B workers, and immigrant families.

Updated July 1, 2026

About Deepak LinkedIn Editorial Standards Methodology View All Articles

Educational content only. LayoffNext does not provide legal, financial, tax, insurance, employment, immigration, unemployment, or mental health advice. Always consult a licensed professional or official government source for guidance specific to your situation.