Paycheck Calculator guide
Estimate take-home pay per paycheck and per year. Enter gross pay, pay frequency, and deductions, then use the built-in 2026 federal income tax and FICA estimate or type your own total tax rate.
Where your gross pay goes
Take-home pay is gross pay minus pre-tax deductions, taxes, and post-tax deductions. Pre-tax deductions include traditional 401(k) contributions, HSA contributions, and most employer health premiums. Taxes include federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state and local income tax where they apply. Post-tax deductions include Roth 401(k) contributions and things like union dues.
This calculator uses a single tax percentage plus a flat deduction amount so you can get a fast estimate. The trick is choosing the right tax percentage, which is what the rest of this guide is about.
FICA: the part that never changes
Every W-2 paycheck has 6.2 percent withheld for Social Security, up to that year's wage base, and 1.45 percent for Medicare, with no cap. That is 7.65 percent combined. On a $2,500 biweekly paycheck, FICA is $191.25: $155.00 for Social Security and $36.25 for Medicare. High earners pay an extra 0.9 percent Medicare tax on wages above $200,000.
Self-employed people pay both halves, 15.3 percent, though half of it is deductible.
Marginal versus effective tax rate
People often plug their tax bracket into paycheck calculators. That overstates the tax. US brackets are progressive: only the income inside each bracket is taxed at that rate.
Worked example with 2026 IRS figures for a single filer earning $65,000: subtract the $16,100 standard deduction to get $48,900 of taxable income. The first $12,400 is taxed at 10 percent ($1,240). The remaining $36,500 is taxed at 12 percent ($4,380). Federal income tax is $5,620, an effective rate of 8.6 percent of gross pay, even though the top bracket reached is 12 percent.
Add FICA at 7.65 percent and the combined federal rate is about 16.3 percent. That is the number to enter here, plus your state rate if you have one.
State income tax
Nine states have no tax on wages: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Flat-tax states include Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Utah, with rates roughly between 2.5 and 5 percent. California, New York, New Jersey, and Oregon have progressive systems with top rates above 9 percent, and some cities, including New York City, add local tax on top.
Why your first paycheck looks off
The first check at a new job is often smaller than expected. Common reasons: a partial pay period, benefits that start on day one, or a one-time enrollment deduction. The first check after a raise can also surprise you because withholding tables are progressive, so a $5,000 raise adds less than $5,000 to take-home pay.
Bonuses are withheld differently. Employers often withhold federal tax on supplemental wages at a flat 22 percent, plus FICA and state tax. A $5,000 bonus might arrive as $3,300 to $3,600. That is withholding, not final tax; if too much was held back, you get it back when you file.
Adjusting your W-4
If you got a large refund last year, you lent the government money at zero interest. If you owed a big bill, you under-withheld. The fix for both is Form W-4. Enter dependents in Step 3, other income in Step 4(a), extra deductions in Step 4(b), or a flat extra amount per check in Step 4(c).
Two-earner households are the classic under-withholding trap: each employer withholds as if that job were the only income, so both jobs start in the lowest brackets. Checking the box in Step 2 on both W-4s, or using the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator, usually fixes it.
Worked example: a biweekly paycheck
$65,000 salary, paid biweekly: $2,500 gross per check. Contribute 6 percent to a traditional 401(k): $150. Health premium: $80. Using the effective federal rate above plus FICA and a 4 percent state rate gives roughly 20 percent total tax on the check, about $500. Net pay lands around $1,770.
Remember that 401(k) contributions reduce federal and most state income tax but not FICA. For precise numbers, compare with your employer's pay stub or the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator. Everything you enter here stays in your browser.
How we calculate: sources
Frequently asked questions
How much is $65,000 a year biweekly after taxes?
About $2,093 per check before state tax and deductions for a single filer in 2026: $2,500 gross minus roughly $216 federal income tax and $191 FICA. A 4% state tax takes it to about $1,993.
How is take-home pay calculated?
Net pay = gross pay minus taxes minus deductions. Taxes are federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), and any state or local income tax. Deductions include 401(k), health premiums, and similar items.
How accurate is the federal estimate?
It applies 2026 IRS brackets and the standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household) to your annualized pay. It ignores tax credits, W-4 adjustments, and pre-tax benefits, so treat it as a ballpark, not your exact withholding.
What is the 2026 Social Security wage base?
$184,500. Social Security tax of 6.2% stops once your year-to-date wages pass that amount. Medicare tax has no cap, and an extra 0.9% is withheld on wages over $200,000.
How much is $100,000 a year biweekly after taxes?
About $3,045 per check for a single filer in 2026 before state tax and deductions: $3,846 gross minus about $507 federal income tax and $294 FICA. That is an effective federal-plus-FICA rate of about 20.8%.
Do 401(k) contributions lower my taxes?
Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce federal and most state income tax, but not Social Security or Medicare tax. Roth 401(k) contributions are taken after tax and do not reduce the current tax bill.
Is this calculator tax advice?
No. It is an educational estimate. For exact withholding, use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator or check your pay stub.
Is data uploaded?
Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded to a server or stored by us.
What percent of my paycheck goes to taxes?
For many middle-income earners, 15 to 25 percent once federal income tax, FICA (7.65 percent), and state tax are combined. It depends heavily on income, filing status, and state.
Why are there 26 paychecks instead of 24?
Biweekly pay means every two weeks, which is 26 checks a year. Semi-monthly pay means twice a month, which is 24.