Take-Home Paycheck Calculator

Estimate your net take-home pay after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state income tax, broken down by pay period.

Mathematical Audit

Take-Home Pay Formula

The calculator subtracts pre-tax deductions from your gross salary to find your federal taxable income, applies the 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deduction for your filing status, adds Social Security and Medicare (FICA) taxes on your gross wages, and applies your state income tax rate. The result is divided by your pay frequency to estimate each paycheck.

Federal Taxable Income = max(0, Gross Salary − Pre-Tax Deductions − Standard Deduction)
Federal Tax = sum of (income in each 2026 bracket × that bracket's rate)
Social Security Tax = min(Gross Salary, $184,500) × 6.2%
Medicare Tax = Gross Salary × 1.45% + max(0, Gross Salary − $200,000) × 0.9%
State Tax = (Gross Salary − Pre-Tax Deductions) × State Tax Rate
Net Pay per Paycheck = (Gross Salary − Pre-Tax Deductions − Federal Tax − Social Security − Medicare − State Tax) ÷ Pay Periods per Year

This calculator uses 2026 IRS federal tax brackets and standard deduction amounts, and the 2026 Social Security wage base of $184,500. State income tax is estimated using a single flat rate you provide, since each state has its own brackets, deductions, and credits. This is an estimate for planning purposes only and does not replace a paycheck from your employer's payroll system or professional tax advice.

Operational Guide

How to Use the Take-Home Paycheck Calculator

1

Enter your gross annual salary

Your total pay before any taxes or deductions are taken out.

2

Select your filing status

Choose Single, Married Filing Jointly, or Head of Household — this determines your standard deduction and tax brackets.

3

Choose your pay frequency

Select weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly to see your per-paycheck amount.

4

Enter pre-tax deductions

Include amounts like traditional 401(k) contributions or pre-tax health insurance premiums that reduce your taxable income.

5

Enter your estimated state income tax rate

Use your state's flat rate or an estimated effective rate (enter 0 if your state has no income tax).

6

Calculate to see your breakdown

View your estimated federal tax, FICA taxes, state tax, and net pay per paycheck and per year.

Real-World Scenario Example

"A single filer earning $70,000/year, paid biweekly, with no pre-tax deductions and a 5% estimated state income tax rate."

Inputs

annualSalary:70000
filingStatus:single
payFrequency:biweekly
pretaxDeductions:0
stateTaxRate:5

Result

Estimated annual taxes: $6,772 federal income tax, $4,340 Social Security, $1,015 Medicare, and $3,500 state tax — for a net annual pay of $54,373, or about $2,091.27 per biweekly paycheck.

Important Disclaimer

This calculator provides estimates for educational purposes only and is not tax advice. It does not account for local taxes, tax credits, additional withholding elections, or every type of pre-tax deduction. Your actual paycheck may differ. Consult your employer's payroll department or a tax professional for precise figures.

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