Paycheck Calculator
This paycheck calculator estimates your take-home pay after federal income tax withholding, FICA (Social Security and Medicare) and an estimate of state income tax. Federal withholding follows the 2026 IRS Publication 15-T percentage method, the same formula payroll systems use for a Form W-4 from 2020 or later. For state income tax we use the state's own 2026 rates where we could read them on its official page, and otherwise the Tax Foundation's 2026 table as a labeled backup. Nine states are confirmed on their official pages as not taxing wages.
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Results are estimates based on the rates shown. Your actual fees depend on your agreement with the provider.
How to use it
- Enter your gross pay for one paycheck and choose how often you are paid.
- Choose the filing status and fill in any Step 2, 3 and 4 entries from your Form W-4.
- Add pre-tax and after-tax deductions, then pick your state.
- Read the federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare and the estimated take-home pay.
How the federal withholding is calculated
Federal income tax uses the Worksheet 1A percentage method in IRS Publication 15-T (2026). Annual wages are the taxable pay per check times the number of pay periods. Add Step 4(a) other income, subtract Step 4(b) deductions, and subtract the standard amount built into the tables ($12,900 for married filing jointly, $8,600 for everyone else, or $0 if the Step 2 box is checked). The result is looked up in the annual percentage table for the filing status, divided by the pay periods, reduced by Step 3 credits divided by the pay periods (never below zero), and increased by any Step 4(c) extra withholding.
Social Security tax is 6.2% of wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Medicare tax is 1.45% of all wages. Employers must also withhold an Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% on wages above $200,000 in the calendar year. These figures come from IRS Publication 15 (2026).
Worked example: a single employee paid $2,000 every two weeks with no other W-4 entries. Annual wages are $52,000. After the $8,600 standard amount, $43,400 is taxed with the Single table, giving $4,060.00 a year, or $156.15 per paycheck. Social Security is $124.00 and Medicare is $29.00, so take-home pay before any state tax is $1,690.85.
We checked the formula against the IRS's own printed wage bracket tables in Publication 15-T for weekly, biweekly, semimonthly and monthly pay and all three filing statuses, with and without the Step 2 box. The calculator's result matches the printed table within $1 in every row we tested, the difference being the table's rounding.
State tax is an estimate. We take annual taxable wages, subtract the state standard deduction and personal exemption, and apply the state's bracket table. Where an official 2026 state page confirmed the rates and brackets (or we read them from it directly), the result says so. For the other states the result says "Estimate: state rates per Tax Foundation 2026; check with [state]" and links to both the Tax Foundation table and the state. Credits, local taxes and your state withholding form are not modeled.
Where to go next
Related tools and guides
Frequently asked questions
How is state income tax calculated?
As a labeled estimate. Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming do not tax wages, confirmed on each state's official page. For states that do, we use the state's official 2026 rates and brackets where we could read them, and the Tax Foundation's 2026 table otherwise, with the source linked next to the result.
Are city, county or local taxes included?
No. City, county, school district and other local taxes, and state programs such as disability or paid family leave, are never included.
Which Form W-4 does it support?
Forms W-4 from 2020 or later, which use Steps 1 to 4. It does not support the older allowance-based W-4. If your employer has an older W-4 on file, your withholding may be calculated differently.
Why is my real paycheck different?
Payroll systems may round differently, use your exact W-4, withhold state and local taxes, and take other deductions. This is an estimate to help you plan, not a payroll record.
Are 401(k) contributions taxed for Social Security?
Yes. Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce federal income tax wages but not Social Security and Medicare wages. Health insurance premiums paid through a Section 125 plan reduce both.
What is the Additional Medicare Tax?
An extra 0.9% on Medicare wages above $200,000 in a calendar year. Enter the wages you were already paid this year to include it.
Is this the amount my employer pays?
No. It shows only what is withheld from your pay. Employers pay their own share of Social Security and Medicare and other payroll taxes on top.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
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