Paycheck Calculator
Enter your salary to see take-home pay after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Built on the 2026 IRS tax tables, with the working shown below.
| 2026 estimate | Per paycheck | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,307.69 | $60,000 |
| Pre-tax retirement | $0.00 | $0 |
| Pre-tax benefits | $0.00 | $0 |
| Federal income tax | -$193.08 | -$5,020 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$143.08 | -$3,720 |
| Medicare | -$33.46 | -$870 |
| State and local tax | $0.00 | $0 |
| After-tax deductions | $0.00 | $0 |
| Take-home pay | $1,938.08 | $50,390 |
Federal bracket on your last dollar: 12%. Taxable income after the standard deduction: $43,900. State tax is set to 0%.
Take-home pay at common salaries
Single filer, paid every two weeks, no pre-tax deductions and no state tax. Your own figures will differ, so use the calculator above.
| Yearly salary | Federal tax | Social Security + Medicare | Take-home, per year | Take-home, every 2 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $1,420 | $2,295 | $26,285 | $1,010.96 |
| $45,000 | $3,220 | $3,443 | $38,338 | $1,474.52 |
| $60,000 | $5,020 | $4,590 | $50,390 | $1,938.08 |
| $80,000 | $8,770 | $6,120 | $65,110 | $2,504.23 |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $7,650 | $79,180 | $3,045.38 |
| $150,000 | $24,734 | $11,475 | $113,791 | $4,376.58 |
How a paycheck is calculated
- Start with gross pay, the amount before anything is taken out.
- Subtract pre-tax deductions. Retirement contributions such as a 401(k) lower the pay your income tax is based on. Health premiums and similar benefits also lower the pay Social Security and Medicare are based on.
- Subtract the standard deduction to get taxable income ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household in 2026).
- Apply the tax brackets. Each rate applies only to the slice of income inside its bracket, not to all of it.
- Add Social Security and Medicare (together called FICA).
- Add state and local tax, then any after-tax deductions. What is left is take-home pay.
2026 federal income tax brackets
The rate applies to taxable income inside each range. These are the figures the IRS published for 2026 in Revenue Procedure 2025-32.
| Rate | Single or married filing separately | Married filing jointly | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 to $12,400 | $0 to $24,800 | $0 to $17,700 |
| 12% | $12,400 to $50,400 | $24,800 to $100,800 | $17,700 to $67,450 |
| 22% | $50,400 to $105,700 | $100,800 to $211,400 | $67,450 to $105,700 |
| 24% | $105,700 to $201,775 | $211,400 to $403,550 | $105,700 to $201,750 |
| 32% | $201,775 to $256,225 | $403,550 to $512,450 | $201,750 to $256,200 |
| 35% | $256,225 to $640,600 | $512,450 to $768,700 | $256,200 to $640,600 |
| 37% | Over $640,600 | Over $768,700 | Over $640,600 |
Social Security and Medicare
- Social Security: 6.2% of wages, up to $184,500 a year in 2026. Pay above that is not charged Social Security tax.
- Medicare: 1.45% of all wages, plus an extra 0.9% on wages above $200,000.
- Your employer pays a matching share on top. It does not come out of your check.
State income tax
State rules differ, so this is the part to check against your own state. 9 states do not tax wages: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming. 15 states charge one flat rate, and the calculator fills those in when you pick the state. The rest use graduated rates, so enter your own percentage. Many cities and counties add a local tax, which you can include in the same box.
| State with a flat rate | 2026 rate |
|---|---|
| Arizona | 2.5% |
| Colorado | 4.4% |
| Georgia | 5.19% |
| Idaho | 5.3% |
| Illinois | 4.95% |
| Indiana | 2.95% |
| Iowa | 3.8% |
| Kentucky | 3.5% |
| Louisiana | 3% |
| Michigan | 4.25% |
| Mississippi | 4% |
| North Carolina | 3.99% |
| Ohio | 2.75% |
| Pennsylvania | 3.07% |
| Utah | 4.5% |
What this estimate leaves out
Real withholding depends on the Form W-4 you gave your employer and on IRS Publication 15-T, so a paycheck can differ from this estimate by a few dollars. The calculator does not include the child tax credit or other credits, extra income, overtime or bonuses, state standard deductions or exemptions, or payroll taxes some states add (such as state disability insurance). Use it to plan, and your pay stub for the exact figure.
Sources
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (brackets and standard deduction), checked 4 November 2026.
- Social Security Administration: contribution and benefit base, checked 4 November 2026.
- IRS Topic 751: Social Security and Medicare withholding rates.
- Tax Foundation: state income tax rates for 2026, checked 4 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my paycheck after taxes?
Take your gross pay, subtract pre-tax deductions such as a 401(k), subtract the standard deduction to find taxable income, and apply the federal brackets. Then add Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%), state and local tax, and any after-tax deductions. What remains is take-home pay. This calculator does all of it from your salary.
How much is taken out of a paycheck?
For a single filer earning $60,000, about 16 percent goes to federal tax, Social Security and Medicare combined, before any state tax. The share rises with income because the brackets are marginal, and falls with pre-tax deductions such as a 401(k).
Why is my real paycheck different from the estimate?
Employers withhold using your Form W-4 and the IRS payroll method in Publication 15-T, not your final tax bill. A different W-4, extra income, credits, local taxes or benefits not entered here all change the real figure. Your pay stub is the exact number.
Does a 401(k) contribution lower my tax?
A traditional 401(k) contribution lowers the pay your income tax is based on, so your take-home pay falls by less than the amount you contribute. It does not lower Social Security or Medicare tax. A Roth 401(k) is taken after tax and does not lower income tax today.
Which states have no income tax?
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming do not tax wages. Pick one of them in the calculator and the state tax is set to zero.
Is bonus or overtime pay taxed differently?
Not at a special rate. They are added to your income and taxed through the same brackets, but employers often withhold a flat percentage from a bonus, which can make the check look smaller than the final tax owed.