Paycheck Calculator
Your gross salary looks larger on paper than the amount that reaches your bank account. This paycheck calculator walks through each deduction in order: federal income tax withholding, state tax, FICA (Social Security and Medicare), pre-tax benefits such as 401(k) and health insurance, and post-tax items. Use it to estimate net pay for weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly or monthly pay schedules.
How take-home pay is calculated
-
1
Enter gross pay
Annual salary, or hourly rate multiplied by hours per pay period.
-
2
Choose state and filing status
The state affects state income tax, while filing status sets the federal withholding bands.
-
3
Add pre-tax deductions
Include traditional 401(k), HSA and pre-tax health insurance premiums.
-
4
Apply federal, state and FICA tax
Federal withholding follows W-4 tables. FICA is usually 7.65% for employees before any Additional Medicare Tax.
-
5
Subtract post-tax items
Include Roth 401(k) contributions, garnishments, union dues or other after-tax deductions.
-
6
Read net pay
The estimate shows the amount that reaches your bank account each pay period.
FICA (payroll tax) rates
| Tax | Employee rate (2026) | Wage cap |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security (OASDI) | 6.2% | $184,500 |
| Medicare | 1.45% | None |
| Additional Medicare | 0.9% | Over $200k single / $250k married filing jointly |
| Total FICA for most employees | 7.65% | - |
Employers match the regular 7.65%, so the combined employer and employee FICA contribution is 15.3% of wages below the Social Security cap. The Additional Medicare Tax is employee-only.
2026 federal income tax brackets (single filer)
| Taxable income bracket | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to $12,400 | 10% |
| $12,401 - $50,400 | 12% |
| $50,401 - $105,700 | 22% |
| $105,701 - $201,775 | 24% |
| $201,776 - $256,225 | 32% |
| $256,226 - $640,600 | 35% |
| $640,601+ | 37% |
The brackets are marginal. Only the dollars inside each range are taxed at that rate.
State income tax variation
- No broad wage income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.
- Flat rate states: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Utah.
- Progressive or tiered states: California, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Minnesota and most others.
California’s top marginal state rate is 13.3%. New York City adds a local income tax on top of New York State tax.
Common deductions
| Item | Pre-tax? | 2026 limit or note |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional 401(k) | Yes | $24,500 employee deferral ($32,500 if 50+; higher catch-up may apply for ages 60-63) |
| Roth 401(k) | No | Shares the same employee deferral limit |
| HSA (high-deductible health plan) | Yes | $4,400 self-only / $8,750 family |
| FSA (healthcare) | Yes | $3,400 |
| Health insurance | Usually yes | Varies by plan |
| Commuter benefits | Yes | $340/month |
Effective vs marginal tax rate
- Marginal rate: the rate charged on your last dollar of taxable income.
- Effective rate: total tax divided by total income. It is usually lower because lower brackets fill first.
A $100,000 single filer may reach the 22% marginal bracket, but the effective federal rate is lower after the standard deduction and lower brackets are applied.
Paycheck vs actual tax owed
This calculator estimates withholding from each paycheck. Actual tax owed is reconciled when you file Form 1040. If too much was withheld, you may receive a refund. If too little was withheld, you may owe tax. Use this for paycheck planning, then rely on a full tax filing for the annual total.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common reasons include FICA, federal withholding based on W-4 entries, state income tax, pre-tax 401(k) and health premiums, and post-tax items such as garnishments. Compare the estimate with a recent pay stub to see where each dollar goes.
Yes for planning. It uses current payroll-tax rules and the rates you enter for federal, state and other deductions. A real pay stub can still differ because of bonuses, employer-specific benefit plans, local taxes or mid-year withholding adjustments.
Traditional contributions reduce taxable pay today and can help if you expect a lower tax rate in retirement. Roth contributions do not reduce today’s taxable pay, but qualified withdrawals can be tax-free later. Many workers split contributions across both.
Withholding is an estimate, not a final tax return. A second job, spouse income, freelance work, investment gains, local taxes or outdated W-4 entries can all create under-withholding. Use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator if you need to adjust your W-4.
Related Tools
BMI Calculator
Calculate body mass index from height and weight. Shows WHO category, healthy-weight range and limitations of BMI.
GPA Calculator
Calculate grade point average from letter grades and credit hours. Supports US 4.0 and 5.0 honors scales with the standard A/B/C/D letter table.
Inflation Calculator
Calculate the equivalent purchasing power of a dollar across any two years using historical CPI data from 1913 to today.
Scientific Calculator
Full scientific calculator with trig, log, exponents, factorial, memory, parentheses and DEG/RAD toggle. Runs in your browser.
Binomial Probability Calculator
Compute exact, cumulative and tail probabilities for a binomial distribution. Enter n trials, p success rate and k successes.
Calorie Calculator
Estimate daily calorie needs for your goal using Mifflin-St Jeor BMR and activity factors. Includes deficit and surplus targets.