Paycheck Calculator (Take-Home Pay)
Estimate your net take-home pay per paycheck after 2026 federal income tax, FICA (Social Security & Medicare), state income tax, and pre-tax payroll deductions.
Itemized Paycheck Deductions Breakdown
Bi-Weekly Pay CycleEquivalent Net Pay Across Frequencies
Federal Marginal Tax Bracket Distribution
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The Mechanics of Paycheck Withholding
Knowing how payroll taxes are calculated helps you avoid a surprise balance due — or an unnecessarily large refund — at tax time.
- Social Security wage cap: the 6.2% Social Security tax applies only to the first $184,500 of wages in 2026. Medicare (1.45%) has no cap.
- Additional Medicare Tax: employers withhold an extra 0.9% on wages above $200,000 in a year, whatever your filing status.
- Pre-tax isn't all the same: traditional 401(k) deferrals cut income tax but not FICA; Section 125 health premiums, payroll HSA contributions and commuter benefits cut both.
- Form W-4 (2020+): allowances are gone. You adjust withholding with dollar amounts — credits for dependents in Step 3 and extra withholding in Step 4(c).
Gross vs Net vs Total Compensation
Your gross salary is only part of what your employer spends to employ you.
- Employer FICA match: your employer pays its own 7.65% on top of yours — — a year at your pay.
- Employer health contributions: employers often pay most of the health insurance premium; your benefits statement shows the exact amount.
- Total cost before benefits: salary plus employer FICA comes to about — a year, before health, retirement match and unemployment insurance.
How this calculator works
Federal income tax withholding is estimated by annualizing your pay: annual wages minus pre-tax deductions minus the 2026 standard deduction for your filing status, run through the 2026 IRS tax brackets, less any Form W-4 Step 3 credits, then divided by your number of paychecks. Social Security (6.2% up to $184,500) and Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% above $200,000) are applied to wages after Section 125 deductions. State tax uses a flat rate on your wages after pre-tax deductions. Real employer withholding follows IRS Publication 15-T, so individual paychecks can differ by a few dollars.
By Suhaib Hassan · 2026 figures verified 27 Sep 2026 against IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 and the SSA 2026 fact sheet · How CalculatePilot verifies formulas →
What counts as a pre-tax deduction
Pre-tax deductions reduce your taxable income before tax is calculated — common examples include traditional 401(k) contributions, health insurance premiums, and health savings account (HSA) contributions. Post-tax deductions, like Roth 401(k) contributions or wage garnishments, don't reduce taxable income, so they're entered separately.
Getting this distinction right matters for accuracy — including a post-tax deduction as pre-tax would understate your taxable income and therefore your estimated tax, throwing off the final take-home figure. For a federal-only estimate on a known taxable income, use the Tax Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Which tax figures does this calculator use?
2026 federal tax brackets and standard deductions from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, the 2026 Social Security wage base of $184,500, and Medicare at 1.45% plus 0.9% on wages above $200,000. State income tax uses a flat rate you choose, since state rules vary widely.
Where can I find my actual effective tax rate?
Divide the total tax withheld on a recent pay stub or tax return by your gross income for that period — that gives a reasonably accurate personal effective rate to use here.
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