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Paycheck Calculator (Take-Home Pay)

Calculate US take-home pay after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state income tax. Supports pre-tax 401(k), HSA, and health insurance.

FINANCE

Calculate US take-home pay using 2026 federal brackets, Social Security (6.2% on wages to $184,500), Medicare, and state income tax. Supports pre-tax 401(k), HSA, and health insurance.

Uses official 2026 IRS brackets and the standard deduction by filing status (Single, MFJ, MFS, HoH). State tax is modeled as an effective rate per state, with a Custom option for accuracy. Outputs gross and net per pay period (weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly), the annual breakdown, and the effective total tax rate.

Disclaimer: Estimate. Actual paycheck depends on W-4 withholding, local city taxes (e.g. NYC, San Francisco), garnishments, and post-tax benefits. Consult a CPA for accurate tax planning.
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Calculator information

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter your annual gross salary - the top-line number on your job offer or W-2 box 1 plus any pre-tax 401(k).
  2. Pick your pay frequency: weekly (52/year), bi-weekly (26/year, most common in the US), semi-monthly (24/year), or monthly (12/year).
  3. Choose your federal filing status (Single, MFJ, MFS, Head of Household) - drives both bracket thresholds and standard deduction.
  4. Select your state for state income tax. Nine states have no wage income tax: AK, FL, NV, NH (wages), SD, TN, TX, WA (wages), WY.
  5. Enter annual pre-tax contributions: Traditional 401(k), HSA, FSA, and employer health insurance premium. These reduce taxable wages.
  6. Result splits your gross pay across pre-tax deductions, FICA (Social Security + Medicare), federal income tax, state tax, and net take-home per pay period.

US Take-Home Pay (2026 IRS)

Net = Gross - PreTax - FICA - Federal - State
  • PreTax = 401(k) + HSA + FSA + Health insurance (employer pre-tax portion)
  • FICA = 6.2% Social Security (capped at the 2026 wage base of $184,500) + Medicare
  • Federal tax = progressive brackets on (Gross - PreTax - Standard Deduction)
  • Standard Deduction 2026: $16,100 Single/MFS / $32,200 MFJ / $24,150 HoH
  • State tax = state's effective rate on (Gross - PreTax)
  • Net per period = Net annual / pay periods per year

Calculator uses 2026 federal brackets and standard deductions. It does not include every credit, new deduction, or local city tax.

Worked example: Single Filer in California, $85,000 salary, bi-weekly pay

Given:
  • Annual gross: $85,000
  • Filing: Single
  • State: California (~8.0% effective)
  • Pre-tax 401(k): $5,000/year
  • Pre-tax HSA: $0
  • Pre-tax health insurance: $1,800/year
  • Pay frequency: bi-weekly (26 paychecks)
Steps:
  1. FICA wages = $85,000 - $1,800 (HSA + health pre-tax exempt from FICA) = $83,200
  2. Social Security = 6.2% x min($83,200, $184,500) = $5,158
  3. Medicare = 1.45% x $83,200 = $1,206. Additional 0.9% Medicare: not triggered (below $200k)
  4. Total FICA = $5,158 + $1,206 = $6,364
  5. Taxable wages for income tax = $85,000 - $5,000 (401k) - $1,800 (health) = $78,200
  6. Federal taxable = $78,200 - $16,100 = $62,100
  7. Federal tax = 10% x $12,400 + 12% x $38,000 + 22% x $11,700 = $8,374
  8. State tax (CA effective ~8%) = $78,200 x 0.08 = $6,256
  9. Net annual = $85,000 - $6,800 - $6,364 - $8,374 - $6,256 = $57,206
  10. Net per bi-weekly paycheck = about $2,200

Result: Estimated take-home is about $2,200 per bi-weekly paycheck and $57,206 annually under these assumptions.

Frequently asked questions

Which US states have no income tax on wages?
Nine states levy zero income tax on wages: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wyoming, plus New Hampshire and Washington (which tax investment income but not wages). California (13.3% top), Hawaii (11%), New York (10.9%), New Jersey (10.75%), and Oregon (9.9%) have the highest top marginal rates. Moving to a no-income-tax state can save high earners $5,000-$30,000+ annually, though property tax, sales tax, and cost of living vary widely.
Why is my actual paycheck slightly different from this estimate?
Employers withhold based on W-4 elections, which round to the nearest tax bracket and can over- or under-withhold compared to the annual reconciliation. Cities like NYC, San Francisco, and Detroit add local income tax (1-4%) not modeled here. Post-tax deductions (Roth 401(k), garnishments, after-tax health benefits) reduce take-home further. Compare your pay stub year-to-date against the calculator's annual figures rather than per-period.
How does a $5,000 pre-tax 401(k) contribution affect my paycheck?
Pre-tax contributions reduce taxable income for both federal and state tax (in most states), but NOT for FICA. For a single filer in the 22% federal bracket plus 6% state plus 7.65% FICA, the effective cost of $5,000 in 401(k) is: $5,000 - ($5,000 x 28% income tax savings) = $3,600. You save $1,400 in current tax. FICA still applies to the full $5,000 because Social Security and Medicare are based on gross wages.
What is FICA and why is it a separate line?
FICA funds Social Security (6.2% on wages up to $184,500 in 2026) and Medicare. Employers pay a matching base amount. Self-employed people generally pay both shares through self-employment tax.
Should I increase pre-tax contributions to lower my paycheck taxes?
Pre-tax 401(k) and HSA contributions can reduce current taxable income. For 2026, the employee 401(k) limit is $24,500, plus applicable catch-up contributions. Consider the employer match, liquidity needs, and expected future tax rate.

Last updated: May 13, 2026

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