PAY, TAX, DEBT, AND HOUSEHOLD PLANNING
Paycheck Calculator
Estimate a U.S. paycheck from annual salary, pay frequency, pre-tax deductions, filing status, and a state or local withholding rate you enter.
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Your result
Ready when you are.
Enter your values and select Calculate. Your result stays on this device.
How it works
Estimated net pay = gross pay − pre-tax deductions − simplified federal income tax − employee Social Security and Medicare tax − the state/local rate you enter.
Assumptions
Uses an annualized 2026 federal income-tax estimate, the 6.2% Social Security rate up to the 2026 wage base, 1.45% Medicare, and your entered state/local rate. It does not model your Form W-4, payroll tables, credits, benefit rules, additional Medicare tax, wage history, or employer deductions.
About this calculator
Use this for a transparent planning estimate of salary-based take-home pay. It annualizes the assumptions you enter; it does not reproduce your employer’s payroll system or a completed Form W-4.
How to use it
- Enter annual gross salary before deductions.
- Choose the number of paychecks you receive each year.
- Add a per-paycheck pre-tax deduction only when you know it is pre-tax.
- Use the result to compare scenarios, then verify withholding with a current pay statement or payroll provider.
Use case
paycheck calculator: a clear planning check
Estimate a U.S. paycheck from annual salary, pay frequency, pre-tax deductions, filing status, and a state or local withholding rate you enter. The stated formula, assumptions, and result limits remain visible so the calculation can be checked in context.
Use a clear paycheck calculator scenario with values you can verify before relying on the result.
Source and update
Last reviewed: 2026-08-08
IRS Topic no. 751 — 2026 Social Security and Medicare withholding ratesFrequently asked questions
Can I use this as a state paycheck calculator?
No. State and local withholding rules vary and change. This calculator only applies the rate you enter; it does not determine a state withholding obligation.
Why can my actual paycheck differ?
Actual pay can include Form W-4 elections, benefits, retirement contributions, overtime, bonus treatment, local rules, wage history, and employer payroll rounding.
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