Mexico Aguinaldo Calculator: Christmas Bonus from Monthly Salary
Work out the Mexican aguinaldo — the year-end Christmas bonus every employer must pay — as a share of monthly salary. The legal minimum is 15 days of pay, which is half a month's salary.
Adjust the inputs and select Calculate for a full breakdown.
Compare Common Scenarios
How the numbers shift across typical situations for this calculator:
| Scenario | Aguinaldo | Remaining month's salary |
|---|---|---|
| 15 days (50%) of $12,000 ($6,000) | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| 30 days (100%) of $12,000 | 12,000 | 0 |
| 20 days (~66.7%) of $15,000 | 10,000.5 | 4,999.5 |
| 15 days (50%) of $8,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 |
How This Calculator Works
Enter the bonus as a percentage of one month's salary (15 days = 50%, a full month = 100%) and your monthly salary. The calculator returns the aguinaldo and the remaining share of the month's pay. By law (Ley Federal del Trabajo) the aguinaldo must be at least 15 days of salary and paid before 20 December.
The Formula
Percentage of an Amount
Amount is the base value, Percentage is the rate applied to it
Worked Example
At the legal minimum of 15 days (50%) on a $12,000 monthly salary, the aguinaldo is $6,000. The aguinaldo is a mandatory annual bonus in Mexico: every employee is entitled to at least 15 days of salary, paid by 20 December each year. Workers who haven't completed a full year receive a proportional amount for the days worked. Many employers pay more than the legal minimum — 20, 25, or 30 days — as a benefit (prestación superior).
Key Insight
The aguinaldo is a defining feature of Mexican employment law, and a few points clarify it. It is a statutory right under the Ley Federal del Trabajo (Article 87), not a discretionary gift: every employee — regardless of contract type — is entitled to a minimum of 15 days' salary, payable before 20 December. The amount is based on the daily wage, so 15 days equals half of a 30-day month's salary (hence 50% in this calculator); employers who offer more generous packages pay 20, 25, or even 30 days. Workers who have not completed a full year are entitled to a proportional aguinaldo for the days actually worked in the year — so someone employed for six months receives roughly half the days. Two practical caveats this estimate omits: first, part of the aguinaldo is exempt from income tax (ISR) up to 30 days of the UMA (the official reference unit), with the excess taxable, so the net amount received can be slightly less than the gross for larger bonuses; second, the calculation uses the salario diario (daily wage), which for some workers includes more than base pay. Failure to pay the aguinaldo, or paying it late, exposes the employer to penalties from the labour authority (PROFEDET handles worker complaints). This calculator shows the gross aguinaldo as a share of monthly salary; for the exact figure use your daily wage and number of days, prorate if you joined partway through the year, and account for the ISR withheld above the exempt threshold.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the aguinaldo calculated?
Take your daily wage times the number of days of aguinaldo. The legal minimum is 15 days, which equals half a month's salary (50%). On a $12,000 monthly salary, 15 days is $6,000. Many employers pay more — 20 or 30 days — as a superior benefit.
What is the aguinaldo?
A mandatory year-end bonus under Mexico's Ley Federal del Trabajo. Every employee is entitled to at least 15 days of salary, paid before 20 December each year. It's a legal right, not a discretionary gift, and applies regardless of contract type.
What if I didn't work the whole year?
You're entitled to a proportional aguinaldo for the days actually worked during the year. Someone employed for six months receives roughly half the days. The proration is based on time worked, so partial-year employees still receive a bonus.
Is the aguinaldo taxed?
Partly. A portion is exempt from income tax (ISR) up to 30 days of the UMA reference unit, with any excess taxable. So for larger bonuses the net amount received is slightly below the gross. This calculator shows the gross aguinaldo before ISR is withheld.
When must the aguinaldo be paid?
Before 20 December each year. Paying late or not at all exposes the employer to penalties from the labour authority, and workers can file a complaint with PROFEDET. The minimum is 15 days' salary; employers may pay more but not less.
Related Calculators
Methodology & Review
The aguinaldo is the bonus share applied to monthly salary; 15 days of pay equals 50% of a month's salary. Enter the share as a percentage of monthly salary (15 days = 50%, 30 days = 100%). It assumes a full year worked and does not prorate for partial years or compute the ISR income tax withheld on the bonus.
Written by Ugo Candido · Last updated May 22, 2026.