2026 Paycheck Calculator
See your take-home pay per paycheck for 2026. Enter your salary or hourly rate, pay frequency, filing status and state to get your net pay after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax — with a full line-by-line breakdown per check and per year.
$2,368.94 take-home / paycheck
Gross: $2,884.62 · Federal: $295.00 · Social Security: $178.85 · Medicare: $41.83
Annual take-home: $61,593 on $75,000 gross · 82% of gross
Full breakdown (per paycheck & annual)
| Line | Per paycheck | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,884.62 | $75,000 |
| Federal income tax | −$295.00 | −$7,670 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$178.85 | −$4,650 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | −$41.83 | −$1,088 |
| Take-home (net) | $2,368.94 | $61,593 |
Federal & FICA: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 + SSA 2026 (SS wage base $184,500). State: Tax Foundation 2026. Assumes constant pay. How we calculate →
How your take-home pay is calculated
Your paycheck starts at your gross pay and is reduced by four things: pre-tax deductions, federal income tax, FICA (Social Security and Medicare), and state income tax. What's left is your take-home (net) pay. The calculator above shows every line — per paycheck and per year — so you can see exactly where each dollar goes instead of just the final number.
Two paychecks with the same salary can differ a lot depending on your filing status, your state, and how much you put into a 401(k) or health plan. Change any input above and the full breakdown updates instantly.
FICA: Social Security and Medicare (2026)
FICA is two flat taxes on your wages. Social Security is 6.2% of pay up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500 — once your year-to-date wages pass that cap, Social Security stops for the rest of the year (a maximum of $11,439). Medicare is 1.45% on all wages with no cap. Together that's the 7.65% most workers see.
High earners pay an extra 0.9% Additional Medicare tax on wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). The calculator applies the wage-base cap and the additional Medicare threshold on an annual basis, so the numbers stay correct no matter how often you're paid.
Federal income tax withholding
Federal income tax withholding is based on your annual pay, not a single paycheck. The calculator annualizes your gross pay, subtracts your pre-tax contributions and the 2026 standard deduction, applies the federal brackets, then divides back down to your pay period — the same way an employer's payroll system works. That's why entering a 401(k) contribution lowers your withholding.
This is an estimate of your withholding under a standard 2020+ W-4. Your actual paycheck withholding can differ if you claim extra dependents or adjustments on your W-4; add any extra per-paycheck withholding above to match your real check.
State income tax: none, flat, or progressive
Nine states take no income tax from wages at all — Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Fifteen states use a single flat rate (for example Pennsylvania at 3.07% or Colorado at 4.4%), and the rest use their own progressive brackets. Pick your state above and the calculator applies the correct treatment.
Flat and no-tax states are computed exactly; states with their own brackets are an estimate that doesn't model every local tax, credit or deduction (for example city taxes in New York City or Ohio municipalities). Your federal and FICA figures are always exact.
Pre-tax 401(k) and HSA: the FICA difference
Pre-tax deductions lower your take-home pay now but cut your taxes. There's an important difference: traditional 401(k) contributions reduce your income tax but are still subject to Social Security and Medicare. Health, HSA and Section 125 plan contributions reduce both your income tax and your FICA. The calculator models the two separately, which most simple tools get wrong.
So a dollar into your health plan saves you slightly more per paycheck than a dollar into your 401(k) — though the 401(k) is building retirement savings. Enter each separately above to see your exact net.
Pay frequency: weekly vs bi-weekly vs semi-monthly
Your annual taxes are the same regardless of how often you're paid — only the size of each check changes. Weekly is 52 checks a year, bi-weekly is 26, semi-monthly is 24, and monthly is 12. Bi-weekly and semi-monthly look similar but aren't: bi-weekly gives you two 'extra' paychecks in some years. Switch the frequency above to see your per-check take-home for each.
Your W-4 and extra withholding
The W-4 you give your employer controls how much federal tax is withheld. The redesigned (2020+) W-4 uses dependents and adjustments rather than 'allowances'. If you want a bigger refund or to avoid owing at tax time, you can add a fixed dollar amount of extra withholding per paycheck — enter it above and the calculator subtracts it from your take-home.
How bonuses and overtime are taxed
Overtime is just extra wages and is taxed like the rest of your pay. Bonuses are 'supplemental wages' and are usually withheld at a flat 22% federal rate, separate from your normal paycheck — so a bonus check often looks more heavily taxed than it really is; any over-withholding comes back at tax time. This calculator models your regular salary or hourly pay; for a one-off bonus, treat the 22% flat rate as a quick estimate.
Frequently asked questions
How much will my paycheck be after taxes?
Your take-home is gross pay minus pre-tax deductions, federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%) and any state income tax. For most workers take-home is roughly 70–85% of gross depending on income, state and 401(k) contributions. Enter your pay above for an exact per-paycheck figure.
How do I calculate my take-home pay?
Start with gross pay, subtract pre-tax 401(k)/health contributions, then subtract federal withholding, FICA (7.65%) and state tax. The calculator above does all of it per pay period and shows each line, so you can see exactly how your gross becomes your net.
How much is taken out of my paycheck for taxes?
FICA takes a flat 7.65% (6.2% Social Security up to $184,500 of wages in 2026, plus 1.45% Medicare). On top of that, federal income tax depends on your bracket and state tax depends on where you live. Together that's commonly 15–30% of gross for a typical worker.
How much Social Security and Medicare is withheld (FICA)?
Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to the 2026 cap of $184,500 (a maximum of $11,439); Medicare is 1.45% with no cap, plus an extra 0.9% on wages above $200,000 single / $250,000 married filing jointly. The calculator applies the cap and the surcharge automatically.
What is the Social Security wage base for 2026?
$184,500. You pay 6.2% Social Security tax only on wages up to that amount; earnings above it are not subject to Social Security tax (Medicare still applies to all wages). That's a maximum Social Security tax of $11,439 for 2026.
Which states have no income tax?
Nine states take no tax on wage income: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Select one above and the state line is zero; your federal and FICA taxes still apply.
How do 401(k) and HSA contributions change my take-home pay?
Both lower your taxes, but differently: traditional 401(k) contributions reduce your income tax but not Social Security/Medicare, while health and HSA contributions reduce both income tax and FICA. The calculator models them separately, so each dollar is applied correctly to your net pay.
How does my W-4 affect my paycheck?
Your W-4 tells your employer how much federal tax to withhold, based on filing status, dependents and any adjustments. Claiming dependents or adding extra withholding changes your per-check federal tax. Set your filing status and any extra withholding above to match your real paycheck.
Is a paycheck different if I'm paid bi-weekly vs semi-monthly?
Your annual tax is identical, but the per-check amount differs: bi-weekly is 26 checks a year, semi-monthly is 24, so semi-monthly checks are slightly larger. Switch the pay frequency above to compare your take-home for each schedule.
Paycheck calculator by state (2026 take-home)
See estimated take-home pay and how state income tax affects your paycheck in your state:
Researched & verified by the Calcuris Data & Research Team. How we build and check our tools →