Calculation & Conversion / Calculators
Paycheck Calculator
A paycheck calculator turns a gross salary or hourly wage into an after-tax net pay by layering three separate taxes: federal income tax (progressive brackets), FICA (Social Security plus Medicare), and state income tax, then subtracting any pre-tax 401(k) contribution.
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Estimated net take-home
$4,711.11 / month
$2,174.36 / biweekly · effective tax rate 18.62%
| Gross pay | $75,000.00 |
| Traditional 401(k) (pre-tax) | $4,500.00 |
| Federal income tax | $6,680.00 |
| State income tax (est.) | $1,893.40 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | $4,371.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | $1,022.25 |
| FICA total | $5,393.25 |
| Net take-home (annual) | $56,533.35 |
State figures are 2026 estimates from public sources; verify with your state agency. This calculator is an estimator, not tax advice.
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How to use
- 1
Enter your pay
Choose annual salary or hourly wage. For hourly, also enter hours per week and weeks per year; the tool converts it to an annual gross.
- 2
Pick your state and filing status
Select your state and whether you file single, married joint, or married separate. The state list covers all 50 states and DC with their 2026 rate structure.
- 3
Add a 401(k) percentage
Enter the percent of gross you contribute to a traditional 401(k). The tool caps the dollar amount at the 2026 employee limit and shows that limit for your age.
- 4
Read the breakdown
The summary shows net pay per month and per biweekly plus your effective tax rate; the table breaks down gross, 401(k), federal, state, Social Security, Medicare, and FICA line by line.
Key facts
- Federal top rate (2026)The U.S. federal income tax is progressive, with a top marginal rate of 37% for tax year 2026 (IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32).Source:IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32
- FICA total (2026)FICA is 15.3% of wages — 6.2% Social Security plus 1.45% Medicare — split evenly between employee and employer; an extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax applies above $200,000 (single).Source:SSA / IRS
- 401(k) limit (2026)The 2026 employee elective-deferral limit for a 401(k) is $24,500, with an $8,000 catch-up for age 50+ and an $11,250 super catch-up for age 60–63.Source:IRS COLA Notice 2025-67
How this calculator works
Federal income tax is computed by subtracting the 2026 federal standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married joint) from gross pay after any traditional 401(k) deferral, then walking the IRS progressive bracket schedule for the chosen filing status. State income tax is computed on the same post-deferral, post-standard-deduction base using each state's 2026 rate structure: zero in the nine no-tax states, a single flat rate in the flat-tax states, and graduated brackets elsewhere.
FICA is calculated on wages after the 401(k) deferral. Social Security is 6.2% up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500; Medicare is 1.45% on all wages; the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax applies above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married joint). State-specific standard deductions, local income taxes, itemized deductions, credits, and bonus-withholding mechanics are not modeled, so state figures are estimates and the tool is an estimator, not tax advice.
Sources and standards
Disclaimer
This is an educational calculator, not financial advice. The result is an arithmetic projection of the figures you enter: it does not know your full circumstances, the terms of a specific offer, or the tax and regulatory rules that apply where you live. Confirm any figure against the terms of the product itself, or with a licensed professional, before acting on it.
Last reviewed:
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between federal and state income tax?
Federal income tax is levied by the IRS using the same progressive brackets for everyone in the country, while state income tax is set by each state and varies widely: nine states tax no wages at all, about fifteen use a single flat rate, and the rest use their own graduated brackets. They are calculated separately and both reduce your take-home pay, but only the federal return uses the federal standard deduction as modeled here.
What is FICA tax?
FICA funds Social Security and Medicare. For 2026 the employee pays 6.2% Social Security tax on wages up to $184,500 and 1.45% Medicare tax on all wages, which together are the 7.65% employee share; the employer pays a matching 7.65%. A 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax applies above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). Traditional 401(k) deferrals are excluded from FICA wages.
Why does my take-home differ from this calculator?
This is an annual estimate that assumes the federal standard deduction, a traditional 401(k), and single-state wages with no other income, credits, or itemized deductions. It does not model state-specific standard deductions, local city or county income taxes (for example New York City), bonus or overtime timing, or mid-year changes. Your pay stub also reflects per-paycheck withholding, which can differ from the year-end tax.
How is a year-end bonus taxed?
A bonus is supplemental income and is usually withheld at a flat 22% federal rate (or aggregated with regular pay by some employers), but it is still taxed at your ordinary rates when you file. This calculator models regular wages, not the separate bonus-withholding mechanism, so treat bonus numbers as approximate.
How do self-employed people calculate it?
Self-employed workers pay self-employment tax of 15.3% on 92.35% of net earnings (both the employee and employer halves of Social Security and Medicare), and they deduct the employer half above the line. They also pay federal and state income tax on the remaining profit. This W-2 paycheck tool does not compute self-employment tax; use a dedicated self-employment estimator for that.
How the three paycheck taxes stack
Three taxes, three unrelated rulebooks
Federal income tax is progressive. It is charged on income above the standard deduction, and each bracket applies only to the slice of income that falls inside it. The top bracket rate is a marginal rate on the last dollar earned, not a rate on the whole salary.
FICA is neither progressive nor reduced by the standard deduction. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to an annual wage base, Medicare is 1.45% with no ceiling, and a traditional 401(k) deferral lowers FICA wages. That is one reason the 401(k) is the cheapest first dollar of tax planning most employees have.
State income tax is a third, independent rulebook. Nine states tax no wage income at all, roughly fifteen apply a single flat rate, and the rest run their own graduated brackets with their own allowances.
Why a raise moves take-home pay less than the raise
Only the dollars inside a bracket are taxed at that bracket rate, so the marginal rate on your next dollar is always higher than the average rate you actually pay. Splitting a raise between federal tax, FICA and state tax typically leaves you with roughly 60 to 75 cents of each extra dollar.
Two effects are sharper than intuition suggests. Social Security contributions stop entirely above the wage base, so the effective FICA rate falls for the highest earners. The Additional Medicare Tax does the opposite, adding 0.9% above the threshold with no matching employer share.
What an annual estimate cannot tell you
An employer withholds by projecting your pay forward, so the figure on a pay stub and the figure in a year-end calculator can differ for reasons that have nothing to do with error: a mid-year raise, a bonus, a second job, or a change of filing status partway through the year.
This model covers federal income tax, FICA, one state income tax and a single traditional 401(k) deferral. It excludes state-specific standard deductions, local city and county income taxes, itemised deductions, credits, pre-tax health premiums, HSA contributions and bonus withholding. Treat the result as a good estimate of the shape of a paycheck, not as the number payroll will deposit.
| Tax | Charged on | 2026 rate | Ceiling or threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | Wages after 401(k) and the standard deduction | 10% to 37%, progressive | $16,100 single / $32,200 joint standard deduction |
| Social Security | Wages after 401(k) | 6.2% | First $184,500 of wages |
| Medicare | Wages after 401(k) | 1.45% | No ceiling |
| Additional Medicare | Wages above the threshold | 0.9% | $200,000 single / $250,000 joint |
| State income tax | Same base as federal, under state rules | 0%, flat, or graduated | Set by each state |
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