Paycheck Calculator 2026
Calculate your take-home pay after federal & state taxes, Social Security, Medicare, and deductions. Updated with 2026 federal withholding, FICA, 401(k), and HSA reference limits.
💵 Salary Information
📉 Pre-Tax Deductions
2026 limit: $24,500 ($32,500 if 50+)
2026 limit: $4,400 individual / $8,750 family
⚙️ Additional Options
💰 Your Take-Home Pay
📊 Bi-Weekly Paycheck Breakdown
2026 Federal Withholding Rate Schedule
Single Filers
| Income Range | Tax Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 - $7,500 | 0% |
| $7,500 - $19,900 | 10% |
| $19,900 - $57,900 | 12% |
| $57,900 - $113,200 | 22% |
| $113,200 - $209,275 | 24% |
| $209,275 - $263,725 | 32% |
| $263,725 - $648,100 | 35% |
| $648,100 - + | 37% |
Married Filing Jointly
| Income Range | Tax Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 - $19,300 | 0% |
| $19,300 - $44,100 | 10% |
| $44,100 - $120,100 | 12% |
| $120,100 - $230,700 | 22% |
| $230,700 - $422,850 | 24% |
| $422,850 - $531,750 | 32% |
| $531,750 - $788,000 | 35% |
| $788,000 - + | 37% |
2026 FICA Tax Rates
Social Security
- Employee Rate:6.2%
- Employer Rate:6.2%
- Wage Base Limit:$184,500
- Max Employee Tax:$11,439
Medicare
- Employee Rate:1.45%
- Employer Rate:1.45%
- Additional Medicare:0.9%
- Additional Threshold:$200K (Single)
🌴 States with No Income Tax
These 9 states don't tax your wages, potentially saving you thousands per year:
Note: While these states don't have income tax, they may have higher property taxes, sales taxes, or other fees. New Hampshire and Tennessee previously taxed investment income but have phased out those taxes.
What Is a Paycheck Calculator?
A paycheck calculator estimates the net pay you may receive after federal withholding, FICA taxes, state wage tax, and the pre-tax deductions you enter. Use it for salary planning, offer comparison, withholding checks, and state-to-state take-home pay estimates.
The 2026 version references IRS Publication 15-T withholding schedules, the 2026 Social Security wage base, Medicare tax rates, and published 401(k) and HSA contribution limits. It remains a planning calculator, not a replacement for employer payroll records.
How to Calculate Take-Home Pay
- Start with annual salary and divide it by the selected pay frequency.
- Subtract pre-tax deductions such as 401(k), HSA, and health insurance.
- Annualize taxable wages and apply the 2026 IRS Pub. 15-T standard withholding schedule.
- Apply Social Security tax up to the $184,500 wage base and Medicare tax to covered wages.
- Subtract simplified state wage tax and any extra withholding entered by the user.
Worked Examples
$75,000 salary, biweekly pay: gross pay is about $2,884.62 per paycheck before taxes and deductions. A 5% 401(k) contribution lowers taxable wages before federal withholding is estimated.
High-earner FICA check: Social Security tax stops after $184,500 of 2026 covered wages, but Medicare tax continues on all covered wages and may include Additional Medicare Tax above the IRS threshold.
State comparison: moving from a high-income-tax state to a no-income-tax state may raise take-home pay, but the calculator does not measure housing, sales tax, property tax, insurance, or local payroll taxes.
Gross Pay vs. Net Pay
Gross pay is earnings before deductions. Net pay, or take-home pay, is what remains after withholding, FICA, state wage taxes, and deductions.
Pre-Tax vs. Post-Tax Deductions
Pre-tax deductions such as traditional 401(k), HSA, and many health insurance premiums reduce taxable wages. Post-tax deductions come out after taxes are calculated.
Official Payroll Tax Sources
State and local withholding rules are simplified on this page. Use employer payroll records, official state tax guidance, or a payroll professional for exact withholding.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is this paycheck calculator?
It provides a planning estimate using 2026 federal withholding schedules, FICA rates, simplified state income tax rates, and the deductions you enter. Actual paychecks can differ because employers use exact Form W-4 settings, local taxes, benefit rules, garnishments, and year-to-date payroll data.
What is the Social Security wage base for 2026?
For 2026, the Social Security wage base is $184,500. Employees pay 6.2% Social Security tax up to that wage base, while Medicare tax applies to all covered wages with no wage base cap.
What 401(k) contribution limit does this calculator reference?
For 2026, the employee elective deferral limit for 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal Thrift Savings Plan is $24,500. The general age 50+ catch-up limit is $8,000, for a total of $32,500.
Why does my actual paycheck differ from the estimate?
Common differences include local taxes, exact Form W-4 elections, pre-tax benefit ordering, post-tax deductions, bonuses, commissions, stock compensation, garnishments, and employer-specific payroll rounding.
Should I compare states using only income tax?
No. A no-income-tax state can still have higher property tax, sales tax, insurance, housing, or other costs. Use the state comparison as a wage-tax estimate, not a full cost-of-living decision.
Is this calculator affiliated with a payroll provider?
No. This is an independent educational estimator. It does not connect to an employer payroll system and does not provide tax, legal, payroll, or financial advice.
Disclaimer: This independent calculator provides educational estimates only and is not tax, legal, payroll, or financial advice. It uses simplified state rates and annualized federal withholding assumptions, so it may not match your employer payroll system. Verify exact withholding with your HR/payroll team, official tax forms, or a qualified tax professional.
About This Calculator
Estimate take-home pay from salary, pay frequency, filing status, state, 401(k), HSA, health insurance, and extra withholding. Uses 2026 federal withholding references, FICA rates, and simplified state wage-tax assumptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is this paycheck calculator?
It provides a planning estimate using 2026 federal withholding schedules, FICA rates, simplified state income tax rates, and the deductions you enter. Actual paychecks can differ because employers use exact Form W-4 settings, local taxes, benefit rules, garnishments, and year-to-date payroll data.
What is the Social Security wage base for 2026?
For 2026, the Social Security wage base is $184,500. Employees pay 6.2% Social Security tax up to that wage base, while Medicare tax applies to all covered wages with no wage base cap.
What 401(k) contribution limit does this calculator reference?
For 2026, the employee elective deferral limit for 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal Thrift Savings Plan is $24,500. The general age 50+ catch-up limit is $8,000, for a total of $32,500.
Why does my actual paycheck differ from the estimate?
Common differences include local taxes, exact Form W-4 elections, pre-tax benefit ordering, post-tax deductions, bonuses, commissions, stock compensation, garnishments, and employer-specific payroll rounding.
Should I compare states using only income tax?
No. A no-income-tax state can still have higher property tax, sales tax, insurance, housing, or other costs. Use the state comparison as a wage-tax estimate, not a full cost-of-living decision.
Is this calculator affiliated with a payroll provider?
No. This is an independent educational estimator. It does not connect to an employer payroll system and does not provide tax, legal, payroll, or financial advice.
Alex specializes in personal finance modeling with experience in investment analysis and tax optimization. He reviews calculator logic, source notes, and assumptions so finance and tax pages explain their limits clearly.
- CFA Level II Candidate
- B.S. in Finance, University of Michigan
- 8 years in financial planning tools