Take-Home Pay Calculator

How the paycheck estimate works

Start with the gross amount shown for one pay period, select how often you are paid, and choose your federal filing status. The calculator annualizes that paycheck, applies a 2026 standard deduction and progressive federal income-tax brackets, then divides estimated annual tax across pay periods. It separately estimates employee Social Security and Medicare taxes and a user-entered state withholding rate.

This is not a payroll withholding engine. A real paycheck depends on your Form W-4, other jobs, dependent credits, bonuses, pretax retirement contributions, health premiums, and your employer's payroll method. Treat the net figure as a budget estimate; compare it with your actual pay stub to understand a difference.

What federal and FICA deductions mean

Federal income tax is progressive: only the portion of taxable income in each bracket is taxed at that bracket's rate. The standard deduction used here is $16,100 for single filers or married filing separately, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for heads of household in tax year 2026. These are federal values; this tool does not subtract itemized deductions or special deductions.

Social Security is estimated at 6.2% of annual wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Medicare is 1.45% of wages with no wage cap. The tool also estimates employee Additional Medicare tax of 0.9% on wages above the applicable filing-status threshold. It spreads annual amounts evenly across checks; actual withholding can vary during the year, especially when you cross a threshold.

State tax and budgeting

State income taxes differ widely. Select a zero-income-tax state if appropriate, or choose Custom rate to enter your own estimated effective state withholding percentage. This simple estimate does not reproduce a state's tax brackets, credits, exemptions, or local income taxes. A state with income tax may still have an effective rate different from its headline marginal rate.

For example, a worker with $60,000 in gross annual pay paid biweekly earns $2,307.69 before deductions each check. In the single-filer example, federal tax and FICA total $9,610 annually before state tax. A custom state estimate of 4% would subtract another $2,400 annually, or about $92.31 per check. The resulting estimate is useful for deciding how much housing or savings your income can support.

If your paycheck includes a 401(k) contribution or medical insurance, subtract those separately when building your budget. Some deductions reduce federal taxable income, some reduce FICA wages, and others are after-tax; simply subtracting them from this tool's output will not reproduce a precise payroll calculation. Check your pay stub or consult a qualified tax professional for personalized guidance.

When setting a custom state rate, look at the state income-tax withholding on a recent stub and divide it by that check's gross pay to find a rough withholding percentage. This may be a better personal starting point than guessing from the state's top marginal bracket. If you have local wage taxes, you can include a rough allowance in the custom rate, but keep a note that it is an approximation rather than a statutory combined rate.