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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 after federal income tax, Social Security (6.2% on wages to $176,100), Medicare (1.45% plus 0.9% over $200k), and state income tax. Supports pre-tax 401(k), HSA, and employer health insurance.

Uses 2024-2026 IRS brackets and the standard deduction by filing status (Single, MFJ, MFS, HoH). State tax is modeled as an effective rate per state - 0% in nine no-income-tax states, 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 (2024-2026 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 $176,100 of wages) + 1.45% Medicare (all wages) + 0.9% additional Medicare on wages > $200k single / $250k MFJ
  • Federal tax = progressive brackets on (Gross - PreTax - Standard Deduction)
  • Standard Deduction 2026: $14,600 single / $29,200 MFJ / $21,900 HoH (representative of 2024-2026 range)
  • State tax = state's effective rate on (Gross - PreTax)
  • Net per period = Net annual / pay periods per year

Calculator uses 2024-2026 representative federal brackets and standard deduction. Does not include local city taxes (NYC, SF, etc.) or post-tax deductions. Actual W-4 withholding may differ slightly because employers withhold per pay period, not annual.

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, $176,100) = $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 - $14,600 (standard deduction) = $63,600
  7. Federal tax = progressive: 10% x $11,600 + 12% x ($47,150 - $11,600) + 22% x ($63,600 - $47,150) = $1,160 + $4,266 + $3,619 = $9,045
  8. State tax (CA effective ~8%) = $78,200 x 0.08 = $6,256
  9. Net annual = $85,000 - $6,800 (pre-tax) - $6,364 - $9,045 - $6,256 = $56,535
  10. Net per bi-weekly paycheck = $56,535 / 26 = $2,174

Result: Take-home: $2,174 per bi-weekly paycheck, $56,535 annual. Effective total tax rate: 25.5% of gross.

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 stands for Federal Insurance Contributions Act. It funds Social Security (6.2% on first $176,100 of wages) and Medicare (1.45% on all wages, plus 0.9% on wages above $200k single). Your employer pays a matching amount you do not see. FICA is technically a payroll tax, not an income tax - it cannot be reduced by deductions, only by certain pre-tax benefits like HSA contributions (which uniquely escape FICA). Self-employed people pay both the employee and employer share (15.3%) as self-employment tax.
Should I increase pre-tax contributions to lower my paycheck taxes?
Generally yes, up to a point. Pre-tax 401(k) and HSA contributions are the most efficient tax shelters available to most workers. Every dollar saved at a 22% marginal federal bracket plus 6% state reduces current tax by 28 cents. Cap your 401(k) at the employer match (free money) at minimum; then add HSA (triple tax-free); then go back to 401(k) up to the IRS limit ($24,000 in 2026, $32,000 if 50+). Use a Roth IRA for additional retirement savings if your income allows.

Last updated: May 13, 2026

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