What this calculator does
Find out how much of your pay actually reaches your bank account each payday. Your paycheck starts as gross pay, your pay before anything is taken out. Then several layers of tax and deductions come off. This calculator estimates each layer for tax year 2026.
Those layers are federal income tax, worked out from the 2026 tax brackets and standard deduction, and Social Security and Medicare (together called FICA). Any pre-tax and after-tax deductions you enter come off too, plus an optional state income tax at a flat rate you choose. You'll see your take-home pay for each paycheck and for the whole year.
The detailed math covers federal taxes only. State and local income taxes vary too much to model one by one. So you can enter your state's rate as a single percent, or leave it blank if your state has no income tax. The result is an estimate for planning, not tax advice. Your employer's payroll figures may differ slightly.
Where it's used
Why this math matters outside the classroom:
- Take-home pay. Workers estimate net pay by subtracting federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare from gross pay.
- FICA withholding. On $2,000 of gross pay, the 7.65% employee share of Social Security and Medicare is $153.
- Pay frequency. A $52,000 salary is $2,000 per biweekly check or about $2,166.67 per semimonthly check, before deductions.
- Pretax deductions. Employees see how a retirement contribution taken before tax lowers the income that federal tax is figured on.
Grade level and standards: Grades 7–8; Common Core State Standards for Mathematics 7.RP.A.3. © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.
How to use it
- Choose whether you're paid a salary or by the hour, and enter the amount. For hourly pay, also enter your weekly hours.
- Pick how often you're paid and your 2026 filing status.
- If you like, add your pre-tax retirement percent, other pre-tax deductions per paycheck and after-tax deductions. You can also add W-4 credits, extra withholding and a state tax rate.
- Read your take-home pay per paycheck. Then check the breakdown table to see where every dollar of your gross pay goes.
What the inputs mean
- Hours per week
- Paid every week of the year (52 weeks).
- Pay frequency
- Weekly means 52 paychecks a year, every two weeks means 26, twice a month means 24 and monthly means 12. The yearly totals stay the same. Only the size of each check changes.
- Filing status (2026)
- Use the status you expect to file for 2026. A qualifying surviving spouse uses the married-filing-jointly figures. Your status sets the standard deduction and how wide each tax bracket is.
- Pre-tax retirement contribution (optional)
- Traditional (not Roth) 401(k), 403(b) and 457 contributions come out before income tax, so they lower your federal and state tax. Social Security and Medicare still apply to them.
- Other pre-tax deductions per paycheck (optional)
- Health, dental and vision premiums, plus HSA and FSA contributions, taken through your employer's benefits plan (a cafeteria plan). These usually skip both income tax and FICA. Enter the total per paycheck.
- After-tax deductions per paycheck (optional)
- Deductions taken after tax, such as Roth 401(k) contributions, some insurance, union dues or wage garnishments. They lower your take-home pay without changing any tax.
- Yearly tax credits on your W-4 (optional)
- If you filled in Step 3 of your W-4 for dependents or other credits, enter that yearly dollar amount. It lowers your income tax, but never below zero.
- Extra federal withholding per paycheck (optional)
- Step 4(c) of the W-4 lets you ask your employer to hold back an extra flat amount from every paycheck for tax. People with side income often use it.
- State income tax rate (optional)
- One flat percent applied to your taxable wages. Many states use brackets, deductions or local taxes instead, so treat this as a rough figure.
Formula and method
annual gross = salary (or hourly wage × hours per week × 52) income-tax wages = annual gross − pre-tax retirement − other pre-tax deductions taxable income = income-tax wages − 2026 standard deduction federal income tax = 2026 bracket tax on taxable income − credits + extra withholding Social Security = 6.2% × min(FICA wages, $184,500); Medicare = 1.45% × FICA wages (+ 0.9% over $200,000) take-home per paycheck = (annual gross − taxes − deductions) ÷ paychecks per year
In the formulas, gross means your pay before anything is taken out. The calculator works out a whole year first, then spreads it evenly over your paychecks. Income tax uses the 2026 brackets, which are bands of income taxed at different rates. Each rate applies only to the slice of your taxable income inside its band. So moving into a higher bracket never lowers your take-home pay.
The 2026 standard deduction, the part of your income that isn't taxed at all, is $16,100 for single filers and married people filing separately. It's $24,150 for heads of household and $32,200 for married couples filing jointly.
FICA wages, the pay that Social Security and Medicare are charged on, are your gross pay minus cafeteria-plan deductions. Retirement contributions stay in. Social Security stops at the 2026 wage base, a cap of $184,500. Medicare has no cap, and it adds 0.9% on wages over $200,000, which is when employers must start withholding that extra. Amounts aren't rounded until they're shown, so a row may differ from your pay stub by a cent.
Worked example
You earn a $60,000 salary, paid every two weeks. You file as single, and have no deductions or state income tax.
- Gross pay per paycheck: $60,000 ÷ 26 = $2,307.69.
- Taxable income: $60,000 − $16,100 standard deduction = $43,900.
- Federal income tax: 10% × $12,400 + 12% × $31,500 = $1,240 + $3,780 = $5,020 a year, or $193.08 per paycheck.
- Social Security: 6.2% × $60,000 = $3,720 ($143.08 per paycheck). Medicare: 1.45% × $60,000 = $870 ($33.46 per paycheck).
- Take-home pay: $60,000 − $9,610 of tax = $50,390 a year, or $50,390 ÷ 26 = $1,938.08 per paycheck.
Result: Your estimated take-home pay is $1,938.08 every two weeks. That's about 84% of your gross pay.
Understanding the result
The share of your pay going to tax (16.02% in the example) is usually far below your tax bracket (12% federal plus 7.65% FICA). That's because the standard deduction and the lower brackets protect the first part of your income. Use your bracket to judge the tax on a raise or a bonus. Use the overall share to plan your budget.
If your real paycheck shows clearly more or less federal tax than this estimate, look at your W-4. A second job, a working spouse, the Step 2 checkbox or a large Step 3 credit all change how much is held back. A big refund means you lent the government money for free. A big balance due can bring a penalty.
In real life, high earners see bigger paychecks late in the year, once Social Security stops at the wage base. The calculator shows the yearly average instead.
Assumptions and limitations
- Tax year 2026 federal figures: the brackets, standard deduction, $184,500 Social Security wage base and Medicare rates, as published by the IRS and SSA.
- You take the standard deduction, have no other income, and your pay is the same every pay period. Hourly pay assumes 52 paid weeks.
- Income tax is your estimated tax for the year, spread evenly. That's what W-4 withholding aims for. The IRS withholding tables can differ by a few dollars per check.
- The state rate is a single flat percent of taxable wages.
- This is an estimate for planning, not tax advice. It doesn't replace your pay stub, your employer's payroll system or a tax professional.
- Some things aren't included: local and city income taxes, and state disability or family-leave programs. Also left out are itemized deductions, and the 2026 deductions for qualified tips, overtime premium pay and seniors. Bonuses taxed at the special supplemental rate aren't covered either.
- The extra Medicare tax is shown the way employers withhold it, on wages over $200,000. What you actually owe depends on your filing status and is settled on your tax return.
Frequently asked questions
How is take-home pay calculated?
Start with your gross pay and take out pre-tax deductions. Then take out federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and any state or local tax. Finally, take out after-tax deductions. What's left is your net, or take-home, pay.
What are the 2026 Social Security and Medicare rates?
In 2026, employees pay 6.2% for Social Security on wages up to $184,500, and 1.45% for Medicare on all wages. Employers hold back another 0.9% of Medicare tax on wages above $200,000. Your employer also pays a matching 6.2% and 1.45% on top, which doesn't come out of your check.
Does a 401(k) contribution lower my paycheck by the full amount?
No. A traditional 401(k) contribution comes out before income tax, so it lowers your tax too. In a 12% federal bracket, each $100 you put in lowers your take-home pay by about $88, before any state tax savings. Social Security and Medicare still apply to it.
Why is my paycheck different from this estimate?
Common reasons include your W-4 settings (Step 2, Step 3 or Step 4 entries) and benefit deductions you didn't enter. Local taxes, or a state with brackets instead of a flat rate, can also explain it. Some payroll systems use the IRS withholding tables instead of a yearly estimate. And bonuses are often taxed at a flat 22%.
Which filing status should I choose?
Use the status you expect on your 2026 return. Single is for unmarried people without qualifying dependents. Head of household is for unmarried people who pay most of the cost of a home for a qualifying person. Married couples choose jointly or separately. Filing jointly gives the widest brackets and the largest standard deduction.
How this calculator is checked
Method: Annualized estimate using the 2026 tax rate tables and standard deduction from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, FICA rates and the $184,500 wage base from IRS Topic 751, and the Additional Medicare withholding rule from IRS Topic 560 (figures in src/lib/finance/tax-2026.ts). The calculation is covered by automated tests with known reference values and edge cases. Last updated 2026-10-18. Found a problem? Tell us.
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