This is a made-up 12-agent brokerage. Four of its desks cost more than they bring in — and its GCI report would show every one of those agents producing.

Gross commission hides it. Once the rent, staff and software are shared out per agent, and each agent's split is applied, the picture changes. Three of those four turn out to be fine — new, capped, or quietly paying their way. For the other one, the figures don't explain themselves — which is a question, not a verdict.

Industry-wide, median brokerage gross margin fell from 19.07% to 18.14% last year, and median EBITDA was just 1.68% (AccountTECH, 157 firms, February 2026).

Change any number to see how it moves. Nothing you type leaves your browser, and nothing is saved.

What-if

Model a different commission split before you offer it. Nothing here is saved.

Agent reference

What the figures say about this agent, in one place — to prepare for a terms conversation. It states figures; it doesn't judge, and it doesn't recommend.

Alice Johnson·Senior·Split 20.0%·Started 2018-08-10Profitable

GCI

$18,000

Broker keeps

$3,600

Overhead

$1,000

Net profit

$2,600

Margin

14.4%

Net profit over time

Break-even split share

5.6%

The brokerage share at which they cover their overhead.

Value of one split point

$2,160/year

At their current production. A figure, not a suggestion.

Allocated financial results only. This reference knows nothing about tenure beyond a start date, market conditions, an agent's circumstances, or what they contribute beyond production — and it should not be the sole basis for a decision about anyone's contract.

3 renewals in the next 90 days

A one-point move across these is worth $5,400 a year. Terms are only genuinely on the table at renewal — this is when.

  • Alice Johnsonin 2 weeks
    on 20.0% today$2,160/yr per point
  • Brian Kimin 8 weeks
    on 25.0% today$1,800/yr per point
  • Carla Mendesin 2 months
    on 30.0% today$1,440/yr per point

Dates are the anniversary of each agent's start date, which is the usual cycle for both contract renewal and cap reset. If yours run differently, treat these as a prompt rather than a calendar.

1

Build your scenario

Adjust the inputs to see how the outcome changes. Nothing here touches your real numbers.

You can't change an agent's split unilaterally — it's a signed contract. This is for the moments when terms are genuinely on the table: an annual renewal, a cap or tier reset, or when an agent asks to renegotiate.
20.0%

Current: 20.0%

Agent keeps everythingBrokerage keeps everything
$18,000

Current: $18,000

$0

Costs that specifically affect this desk — an assistant, a marketing budget. Optional.

All other agents and inputs stay exactly as your current data.

2

Scenario results

How your changes move the numbers. Positive is better for the brokerage.

Scenario net profit · Alice Johnson

$2,600

Today: $2,600

Move an input above to model a change

$Brokerage keeps

$3,600

vs today

$Overhead + desk costs

$1,000

allocated

$Net profit

$2,600

vs today

%Margin

14.4%

net ÷ GCI

Side by side

A clear view of how the numbers move.

Current (20.0%)Scenario (20.0%)Difference
GCI (production)$18,000$18,000
Brokerage keeps$3,600$3,600
Overhead + desk costs$1,000$1,000
Net profit$2,600$2,600
Margin14.4%14.4%

Where the change comes from

Each lever, adding up to the scenario net.

Model a change to see the breakdown.

3

Across every split

The whole curve, so you see the shape — not just one point.

How profit changes as the split changes

Based on $18,000 GCI and $1,000 overhead for Alice Johnson. The brokerage keeps more the larger its share — there's no hidden peak.

Brokerage shareNet profitBreak-even GCI
15.0%$1,700$6,667
20.0%current$2,600$5,000
25.0%$3,500$4,000
30.0%$4,400$3,333
35.0%$5,300$2,857
40.0%$6,200$2,500

Net profit across brokerage share

15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%

Reference point

At $18,000 of production, Alice Johnson covers their $1,000 of overhead at a brokerage share of 5.6%. Above that they contribute; below it they cost you.

What a point of split is worth here

One percentage point of Alice Johnson's split is about $2,160/year to the brokerage at their current production. They break even at a 5.6% share.

A reference, not a recommendation — what the number should be is your call, and a worse split for the agent is a conversation, not a setting.

Beyond what a split can cover

Even at a 50.0%brokerage share, these desks wouldn't cover their overhead at current production — so the question is production, not terms.

Karen Novakwould need $2,000 GCI/month
Liam O'Brienwould need $2,000 GCI/month300% more
Jack Thompsonwould need $2,000 GCI/month100% more
4

Impact on the brokerage

How this scenario moves the bigger picture.

Net profit impact

annual:

Brokerage total net

$10,825

was $10,825

Other agents

Unchanged. This scenario only affects Alice Johnson's desk.

Ripple across the roster

A split or cost change to one desk leaves the others exactly where they were.

Nothing to show — the rest of the roster is unchanged.

Thinking beyond the numbers?This shows the financial impact only. Tenure, pipeline, market conditions and team dynamics all belong in the decision — and none of them are in this figure. It's a model, not a commitment.

What a point of split is worth

At current production, before anyone changes anything. A point of split on a producer moves more money than the per-head costs on a low one.

One percentage point on Alice Johnson, your biggest producer, is worth $2,160 a year. They're on 20.0% today.

Contracts that can't cover their overhead

These agents' splits sit below the level that would cover the overhead they consume. That sits in the terms rather than in how they're working — production moves month to month; a split only moves at renewal.

AgentMonthly GCISplit todayBreakevenGapWorth closing
Isabel Cruz$2,00040.0%50.0%+10.0 pts$2,400/yr

Breakeven is a reference point, not a recommendation. What the split should be depends on things this tool can't see — what the agent could get elsewhere, what they bring beyond production, how hard they'd be to replace. And a split can only change when terms are genuinely on the table: a renewal, a tier reset, or when the agent asks.

Beyond what a split can cover

Covering their overhead would need a brokerage share above 50.0% — more than any renewal would produce. Terms aren't the lever here; production is.

  • Liam O'Brien$500 GCI · would need more than the whole commission