Paycheck Calculator
Estimate take-home pay with the 2026 IRS Pub. 15-T withholding tables, Social Security, Medicare, real tax brackets for all 50 states, 401(k) and health premiums.
Paycheck Calculator: with the default inputs, take-home pay per paycheck is $2,309.72.
Before any deductions. Use the salary calculator to convert an annual figure.
Traditional (pre-tax) deferrals reduce income-tax withholding but not Social Security or Medicare.
Pre-tax (Section 125) premiums, which reduce both income tax and FICA wages.
Uses that state's own rate schedule and standard deduction on your annualized wages. Pick the last option to type a flat rate instead.
Only used when State is set to “Not listed”. A flat estimate applied to taxable wages.
- Annual take-home pay
- $60,053
- Federal income tax withheld
- $280.78
- Social Security (6.2%)
- $186.00
- Medicare (1.45%)
- $43.50
- State income tax
- $0.00From the selected state's rate schedule, or your flat rate.
- Pre-tax deductions (401(k) + health)
- $180.00
- Total taxes as % of gross
- 17%
Assumptions
- 2026 Publication 15-T percentage-method tables (automated payroll systems) with a 2020-or-later Form W-4 and no Step 4(a)/4(b) entries.
- Social Security at 6.2% up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500 and Medicare at 1.45% plus 0.9% over $200,000 (IRS Topic 560), both averaged evenly across the year.
- State tax uses each state's published rate schedule, standard deduction and personal exemption for the tax year shown with the results — annualized, then divided by your pay periods rather than run through that state's own withholding formula. The source URL, year and per-state simplifications are printed above the results.
- No local or city income taxes, state disability insurance, HSA/FSA deductions or supplemental-wage withholding. A state that isn't listed falls back to the flat rate you enter.
- Take-home$2,31077%
- Federal income tax$2819%
- Social Security$1866%
- Medicare$441%
- 401(k)$1806%
| Item | Per two weeks | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $3,000.00 | $78,000 |
| 401(k) (pre-tax) | -$180.00 | -$4,680 |
| Health premium (pre-tax) | -$0.00 | -$0 |
| Federal income tax | -$280.78 | -$7,300 |
| Social Security | -$186.00 | -$4,836 |
| Medicare | -$43.50 | -$1,131 |
| State income tax | -$0.00 | -$0 |
| Take-home pay | $2,309.72 | $60,053 |
How this is worked out
The formula
Federal (Pub. 15-T, Worksheet 1A, 2020+ W-4): Adjusted annual wage = taxable pay × periods − $8,600 ($12,900 if married filing jointly; $0 if Step 2(c) checked) Tentative = table base + rate × (adjusted − bracket floor); per paycheck = tentative ÷ periods − credits ÷ periods + extra State = that state's own rate schedule applied to annualized taxable wages, less its standard deduction, ÷ periods Social Security = 6.2% × FICA wages (up to $184,500 in 2026) Medicare = 1.45% × FICA wages, + 0.9% on wages over $200,000 Take-home = gross − pre-tax deductions − federal − Social Security − Medicare − state
Open How it’s calculated above to see this worked through with your own numbers.
What you enter
- Gross pay per paycheck
- Before any deductions. Use the salary calculator to convert an annual figure.in dollars · 0 or more · defaults to 3000
- Pay frequency
- Choose one of 4 options.Weekly (52) · Every two weeks (26) · Twice a month (24) · Monthly (12)
- Filing status on Form W-4
- Choose one of 3 options.Single or married filing separately · Married filing jointly · Head of household
- Pre-tax 401(k) contribution
- Traditional (pre-tax) deferrals reduce income-tax withholding but not Social Security or Medicare.a percentage · from 0 to 100 · defaults to 6
- Health premium per paycheck
- Pre-tax (Section 125) premiums, which reduce both income tax and FICA wages.in dollars · 0 or more · defaults to 0
- State
- Uses that state's own rate schedule and standard deduction on your annualized wages. Pick the last option to type a flat rate instead.Alabama · Alaska — no income tax · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida — no income tax · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada — no income tax · New Hampshire — no income tax · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota — no income tax · Tennessee — no income tax · Texas — no income tax · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington — no income tax · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming — no income tax · Not listed / enter a flat rate below
- Flat state income tax rate
- Only used when State is set to “Not listed”. A flat estimate applied to taxable wages.a percentage · from 0 to 20 · defaults to 0
- W-4 Step 2(c) box checked (two jobs / working spouse)(under More options)
- Turn this on or off.defaults to off
- W-4 Step 3: annual dependent credits(under More options)
- $2,200 per qualifying child under 17, $500 per other dependent, as entered on your W-4.in dollars · 0 or more · defaults to 0
- W-4 Step 4(c): extra withholding per paycheck(under More options)
- A number.in dollars · 0 or more · defaults to 0
What you get back
- Take-home pay per paycheckmain answer
- Annual take-home pay
- Federal income tax withheld
- Social Security (6.2%)
- Medicare (1.45%)
- State income tax
- From the selected state's rate schedule, or your flat rate.
- Pre-tax deductions (401(k) + health)
- Total taxes as % of gross
What this assumes
- 2026 Publication 15-T percentage-method tables (automated payroll systems) with a 2020-or-later Form W-4 and no Step 4(a)/4(b) entries.
- Social Security at 6.2% up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500 and Medicare at 1.45% plus 0.9% over $200,000 (IRS Topic 560), both averaged evenly across the year.
- State tax uses each state's published rate schedule, standard deduction and personal exemption for the tax year shown with the results — annualized, then divided by your pay periods rather than run through that state's own withholding formula. The source URL, year and per-state simplifications are printed above the results.
- No local or city income taxes, state disability insurance, HSA/FSA deductions or supplemental-wage withholding. A state that isn't listed falls back to the flat rate you enter.
About this calculator
The gap between your salary and your bank deposit is four things: federal income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare (together, FICA), state tax where it applies, and whatever you've elected to have taken out before tax — usually 401(k) contributions and health premiums. This calculator applies the same 2026 IRS percentage-method tables your employer's payroll system uses, so the federal figure should match your stub closely if your W-4 inputs match.
How to use it
Enter gross pay for one paycheck and how often you're paid. Pick the filing status you chose on your Form W-4 (this drives the withholding table, not your actual tax return). Add your pre-tax 401(k) percentage and any health premium. Then pick your state: the calculator annualizes your taxable wages, runs them through that state's published rate schedule and standard deduction, and spreads the result back across your paychecks. If your state isn't listed, or your situation is unusual, choose "Not listed" and type a flat rate instead. Under More options, mirror the rest of your W-4 — the Step 2(c) checkbox for two-earner households, Step 3 dependent credits, and any Step 4(c) extra withholding.
Reading the results
- Take-home per paycheck is the deposit. The annual figure multiplies it out.
- Federal income tax withheld is an estimate of what's withheld, not what you'll owe — the final bill is settled on your tax return, and the withholding tables are designed to land near it for a simple situation.
- Social Security stops for the year once wages pass $184,500 (2026); Medicare never stops and adds 0.9% above $200,000. The calculator spreads both evenly across the year, so high earners will see real paychecks jump late in the year.
- State income tax is the annual liability from your state's rate schedule divided by your pay periods, not that state's own withholding formula, so it can differ from your stub by a few dollars a period. The source, tax year and any simplifications for your state are printed above the results.
- The donut shows where each dollar goes; the table lines everything up per period and annually.
Why your stub might differ
Pre-tax items the calculator doesn't list (HSA, FSA, commuter benefits) lower taxable wages further. Bonuses and commissions are often withheld at a flat 22% supplemental rate. Local and city income taxes aren't included — and in Maryland, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and New York City they are a large part of the bill. State disability insurance and union dues aren't included either. If you're paid hourly with overtime, each check is annualized on its own, so a big week withholds as though you earned it every week. A few states (notably Pennsylvania and New Jersey) tax 401(k) deferrals that the federal side exempts, which this doesn't model. The 2026 tables reflect the post-2025 law's standard deduction; the method is unchanged from prior years.
Cross-check with the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator (linked below) if you want to fine-tune your W-4 so April holds no surprises.
Frequently asked questions
▸How is federal withholding calculated?
Your employer annualizes the paycheck's taxable wages, subtracts a standard-deduction-like amount ($8,600, or $12,900 for married filing jointly, unless the W-4 Step 2 box is checked), applies the IRS Publication 15-T percentage-method table for your filing status, then divides by the number of pay periods and adjusts for W-4 credits and extra withholding.
▸Why is my take-home lower than this estimate?
Common reasons: HSA or FSA deductions, local taxes, state disability insurance, Roth 401(k) or after-tax contributions, garnishments, or a state rate higher than the flat estimate you entered.
▸Does a 401(k) contribution reduce Social Security tax?
No. Pre-tax 401(k) deferrals reduce federal and (in most states) state income tax withholding, but Social Security and Medicare are still calculated on the full wage. Pre-tax health premiums under a Section 125 plan do reduce FICA wages.
▸What's the Social Security wage base for 2026?
$184,500. Wages above that aren't subject to the 6.2% Social Security tax for the rest of the year. Medicare's 1.45% has no cap, and an extra 0.9% applies to wages over $200,000.
▸Which states take nothing out of my paycheck?
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming levy no individual income tax on wages. Everywhere else does, from Ohio's 2.75% above $26,050 to California's graduated schedule topping out at 13.3%.
▸Should I check the Step 2(c) box on my W-4?
If you and your spouse both work (or you hold two jobs) with roughly similar pay, checking it on both W-4s withholds at higher rates that account for the combined income, which avoids under-withholding.
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