Paycheck Calculator

Your net paycheck equals gross pay minus federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security (6.2% up to $176,100), Medicare (1.45% + 0.9% surtax over $200k), state income tax, and any pre-tax deductions like 401(k) or health insurance premiums. This calculator applies all six deductions in that order.

Gross pay is your total wages before any taxes or deductions. Net pay (take-home) is what actually hits your bank account after federal tax, FICA (Social Security + Medicare), state tax, and pre-tax benefits like 401(k), HSA, and Section 125 health premiums are subtracted.

Nine states have no state income tax on wages in 2026: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Living in these states typically means a higher net paycheck than in California, Oregon, or New York.

Every dollar contributed to a traditional 401(k) reduces both federal and state income tax (but not FICA). If you're in the 22% federal bracket and California's 9.3% bracket, a $500 monthly contribution saves roughly $156/month in taxes while building retirement savings.

FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) funds Social Security and Medicare. Employees pay 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $176,100 (2026 wage base) and 1.45% Medicare on all wages. High earners pay an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax on wages over $200,000.

The calculator uses the projected 2026 top marginal or flat rate for each state as a conservative estimate. Your actual state tax may be lower because of progressive brackets, personal exemptions, and standard deductions. For exact figures, consult your state's Department of Revenue.

No. City-level taxes (like New York City's 3.876%, Philadelphia's 3.75% wage tax, or Ohio municipal taxes) are not included. Add them separately if applicable — they can reduce your net pay by 1–4%.

Legitimate options: (1) maximize pre-tax 401(k) or HSA contributions to lower taxable income, (2) claim accurate W-4 allowances so you're not over-withholding, (3) move to a no-income-tax state, (4) contribute to Section 125 health premiums pre-tax, and (5) if eligible, claim the 2026 overtime tax deduction under PL 119-21.

The calculator assumes: (1) you claim the 2026 standard deduction ($15,000 single / $30,000 married / $22,500 head of household), (2) no additional W-4 Step 4 withholding, (3) no dependent credits, (4) FICA applies to gross wages minus Section 125 health premiums but not 401(k), (5) state tax is applied at the projected 2026 top marginal or flat rate, and (6) no local, city, or school-district taxes. Results are estimates — your actual paycheck may differ by ±5% depending on your W-4 entries and employer's withholding tables.

Your Form W-4 tells your employer how much federal tax to withhold. Key entries: Step 1 (filing status), Step 2 (multiple jobs / spouse works), Step 3 ($2,000 per qualifying child + $500 per other dependent), and Step 4 (extra income, deductions above standard, extra withholding). This calculator uses the equivalent of a 'simple W-4' — Step 1 filing status only. If you filled out Steps 2–4, your actual take-home will differ.

Social Security has an annual 'wage base limit' — $176,100 in 2026 — because benefits are also capped. Once you earn above the base, the 6.2% employee tax stops for the year. Medicare has no cap and instead adds a 0.9% surtax on employee wages over $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly) to fund the Affordable Care Act.

Not directly. States like California (1.2% SDI, no wage cap), New York (~0.5% PFL), New Jersey (SUI + SDI + FLI ~1%), Washington (PFML 0.74%), and Oregon (Paid Leave 0.6%) deduct additional employee-side amounts. For those states, subtract another 0.5%–1.2% from the net pay figure shown here.

The IRS treats bonuses, commissions, and severance as 'supplemental wages.' Employers can withhold either at your regular rate or at a flat 22% federal rate (37% on amounts over $1 million). Overtime premium pay (the 0.5× on top of regular rate) may qualify for a federal deduction of up to $12,500 single / $25,000 married in 2026 under PL 119-21 — see our No Tax on Overtime Calculator.

No — it's designed for W-2 employees. Self-employed workers owe SECA (15.3% self-employment tax = both halves of FICA) plus quarterly estimated federal and state tax on Schedule SE. You also can't rely on employer withholding. If you're 1099, budget roughly 25%–30% of gross for federal + FICA + state combined.

Common reasons: (1) your employer uses IRS Publication 15-T percentage-method tables that round differently, (2) you have W-4 Step 4(c) extra withholding, (3) court-ordered garnishments or child support, (4) union dues or post-tax benefits, (5) state disability/PFL not modeled here, (6) local city or school district taxes, or (7) you crossed a Social Security wage-base threshold mid-year. The calculator is accurate within ±5% for the average W-2 worker.

No. Roth 401(k) contributions are post-tax — they reduce your net pay but not your federal or state taxable wages. This calculator only models traditional (pre-tax) 401(k). If you contribute to a Roth 401(k), leave the 401(k) field at $0 and simply subtract your Roth contribution from the calculated net pay.