Skip to main content
Simple Calculators

Take-Home Pay Calculator

Convert your hourly wage or salary into your expected net paycheck with 2026 federal tax brackets and FICA

Income

Paid at 1.5×

Taxes & Pre-Tax Deductions

Effective rate — 0 for no-income-tax states

Pre-tax Section 125 premium

Estimate only: Uses 2026 federal tax brackets, the standard deduction, and FICA rates, with your annual liability spread evenly across paychecks. Actual withholding depends on your W-4, local taxes, and other benefits. Not tax advice.

Related calculators

All finance

Quick summary

Enter your hourly rate or salary, pay frequency, filing status, state tax rate, and pre-tax deductions to estimate your net paycheck. The calculator uses 2026 federal brackets, the standard deduction ($16,100 single / $32,200 married filing jointly / $24,150 head of household), 6.2% Social Security up to $184,500, and 1.45% Medicare. It spreads annual tax evenly across paychecks, so actual withholding under your W-4 can differ.

Reviewed by Simple Calculators TeamLast reviewed

For planning only — not financial or tax advice. Results are estimates based on your inputs and the stated assumptions. Confirm important decisions with a qualified professional.

How to use this calculator

  1. Choose a Pay Type (Hourly or Annual Salary) and your Pay Frequency (weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, or monthly).
  2. For hourly pay, enter your Hourly Rate ($), Hours / Week, and Overtime Hours / Week (paid at 1.5×); for salary, enter your Annual Salary ($).
  3. Select your Filing Status so the right standard deduction and tax brackets apply.
  4. Enter your State Tax Rate (%) as a flat estimate; use 0 if your state has no wage income tax.
  5. Enter your Traditional 401(k) (%) and your Health Insurance ($ / paycheck) premium if it is deducted pre-tax.
  6. Read Take-Home Pay per Paycheck at the top, then check Net Monthly, Net Annual, Total Tax (Annual), and the line-by-line breakdown of each tax and deduction.

Take-Home Pay Formulas

Net (Take-Home) Pay

Net=G−H−K−Fed−SS−Med−State\text{Net} = G - H - K - \text{Fed} - SS - \text{Med} - \text{State}
G
Annual gross pay (salary, or hourly rate × hours × 52 with overtime at 1.5×)
H
Pre-tax (Section 125) health premiums: per-paycheck amount × paychecks per year
K
Traditional 401(k) contribution: G × your 401(k) %
Fed
Federal income tax on G − H − K − standard deduction, using 2026 brackets
SS, Med
Social Security and Medicare (see FICA formula below)
State
Your state rate × (G − H − K)

Worked example

$60,000 salary, single, paid biweekly, 5% to a traditional 401(k), $100 per paycheck health premium, 4% state rate (2026 tax year)

Given
G = $60,000
H = $2,600 ($100 × 26)
K = $3,000 (5%)
Fed = $4,348 (taxable income $38,300)
SS + Med = $4,391.10
State = $2,176 (4% × $54,400)
Calculation
Net=60,000−2,600−3,000−4,348−3,558.80−832.30−2,176\text{Net} = 60{,}000 - 2{,}600 - 3{,}000 - 4{,}348 - 3{,}558.80 - 832.30 - 2{,}176
Result
Net ≈ $43,484.90 per year, or $1,672.50 per biweekly paycheck

FICA (Social Security + Medicare)

SS=6.2%×min⁡(G−H, 184,500)Med=1.45%×(G−H)+0.9%×max⁡(0, G−H−T)SS = 6.2\% \times \min(G - H,\ 184{,}500) \qquad \text{Med} = 1.45\% \times (G - H) + 0.9\% \times \max(0,\ G - H - T)
G − H
FICA wages: gross pay minus Section 125 premiums (401(k) deferrals are not subtracted)
184,500
2026 Social Security wage base
T
Additional Medicare threshold: $200,000 single or head of household, $250,000 married filing jointly, $125,000 married filing separately

Worked example

FICA for the same $60,000 salary with $2,600 of pre-tax health premiums

Given
G − H = $57,400
T = $200,000 (not reached)
Calculation
SS=0.062×57,400=3,558.80Med=0.0145×57,400=832.30SS = 0.062 \times 57{,}400 = 3{,}558.80 \qquad \text{Med} = 0.0145 \times 57{,}400 = 832.30
Result
FICA = $4,391.10 per year

Frequently asked questions

How much of my paycheck do I take home?

With no state income tax and no pre-tax benefits, a single filer keeps about 85% of gross pay at $50,000 and about 79% at $100,000 under 2026 federal rules, according to this calculator. State tax, 401(k) deferrals, and health premiums lower the share that lands in your account. Enter your own figures to get an estimate for your situation.

How is take-home pay calculated?

Take-home pay is gross pay minus pre-tax deductions, federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state tax. This calculator first subtracts Section 125 health premiums and traditional 401(k) contributions, applies the 2026 standard deduction and brackets to what is left, adds FICA on wages after health premiums, and applies your state rate. The annual result is then divided by your number of paychecks.

What are the 2026 federal tax brackets?

For 2026, single filers pay 10% on taxable income up to $12,400, 12% to $50,400, 22% to $105,700, 24% to $201,775, 32% to $256,225, 35% to $640,600, and 37% above that. Married filing jointly thresholds are roughly double. The standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for head of household.

Does a 401(k) contribution reduce my taxes?

Yes, traditional 401(k) contributions reduce your federal taxable income, and in this calculator they also reduce the income your state rate applies to. They do not reduce Social Security or Medicare tax. Pre-tax health premiums under a Section 125 cafeteria plan reduce income tax and FICA, which is why they save slightly more per dollar than 401(k) deferrals.

Why is my actual paycheck different from this estimate?

Your actual paycheck differs because employers withhold using IRS Publication 15-T tables and your W-4 entries, not an even split of your annual tax. Withholding per check can run higher or lower, and the difference is settled as a refund or balance due when you file. This calculator also uses a flat state rate and does not include local taxes or other deductions.

Is overtime taxed more?

No, overtime is ordinary wage income and is taxed under the same brackets as the rest of your pay. A large overtime check can have more withheld at the time because withholding tables treat each check as if you earned that much every period. Your actual tax depends on total annual income, and any over-withholding comes back when you file.

What is the difference between my marginal and effective tax rate?

Your marginal rate is the tax rate on your next dollar of income, while your effective rate is your total tax divided by your total income. Because brackets apply only to the income inside each band, the effective rate is always lower than the top bracket you reach. A raise that pushes you into a higher bracket only taxes the extra dollars at that higher rate.

Key terms

Gross vs Net Pay
Gross is pay before anything is taken out; net (take-home) is what lands in your bank account after taxes and deductions.
FICA
Social Security (6.2% up to $184,500 in 2026) plus Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% on wages over $200,000 single / $250,000 married filing jointly).
Standard Deduction
Income shielded from federal tax before brackets apply — $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household for 2026.
Section 125 Plan
A cafeteria plan letting employees pay health premiums pre-tax, exempt from both income tax and FICA.

Methodology, sources & limitations

This page shows the formula, assumptions, and limitations used for this estimate. Rates, thresholds, and other time-sensitive inputs can change, so verify them against the relevant official source before relying on a result.

For our review approach and the primary sources we consult, see the methodology and source policy. If you spot an outdated figure or formula, please contact us with a correction.

Understanding Your Paycheck: The 2026 Guide

The gap between your salary and your bank deposit follows exact, published rules. This guide walks through every deduction using 2026 federal figures, shows real take-home percentages at common salaries, and ranks the levers that legally increase your net pay.

Where the money goes, in order

Pre-tax deductions come out first (Section 125 health premiums, traditional 401(k), HSA/FSA), shrinking the income that taxes apply to. Then FICA: 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $184,500 (2026) and 1.45% Medicare on everything, plus 0.9% Additional Medicare above $200,000 single / $250,000 married filing jointly. Then federal income tax through the progressive brackets, then any state and local tax. What's left is take-home.

The single most misunderstood fact: brackets apply to slices of income, not the whole amount. Crossing into the 22% bracket does not make all your income taxed at 22% — only the dollars above the threshold. A raise can never reduce your net pay through income tax.

Real take-home at common salaries (2026, single filer)

Notice the pattern: doubling gross from $50k to $100k raises the total tax rate by only about 5.5 points, because the standard deduction and lower brackets shield the same amount of income for everyone. State income tax (0% in nine states, up to ~10%+ in California) is the biggest variable this table omits.

Standard deduction ($16,100), no state tax, no pre-tax benefits. Computed from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 brackets — your state and benefits will shift these.
Gross salaryFederal income taxFICANet (federal only)Take-home %
$50,000$3,820$3,825$42,35584.7%
$75,000$7,670$5,738$61,59282.1%
$100,000$13,170$7,650$79,18079.2%
$150,000$24,734$11,475$113,79175.9%

The pre-tax hierarchy: which deductions save the most

  • Section 125 health/dental/vision premiums — exempt from income tax AND FICA. Every $100 saves roughly $20–$30 in the 12–22% brackets. The most tax-efficient dollar in payroll.
  • HSA contributions through payroll — the same double exemption, plus tax-free growth and withdrawals for medical costs. The only triple-tax-advantaged account in the code.
  • Traditional 401(k) — exempt from income tax but NOT FICA. Still powerful: $500/month at the 22% margin defers about $110/month in tax.
  • Roth 401(k) — no tax break today; the payoff is tax-free withdrawals later. Choose Roth when you expect higher future rates, traditional when you're in your peak-earning bracket.

Marginal vs effective rate — the number that matters for decisions

Your marginal rate is what the next dollar loses to tax; your effective rate is total tax ÷ total income. At $100,000 single in 2026, the marginal federal rate is 22% but the effective federal income tax rate is about 13.2% (plus 7.65% FICA). Use marginal for decisions — is overtime worth it, how much does a 401(k) contribution really cost — and effective to sanity-check whether your withholding is roughly right.

A common trap: at $100k (taxable income $83,900) you're $21,800 below the 24% bracket. That doesn't mean avoid raises — it means each additional dollar keeps 76¢ federally instead of 78¢. The cliff people fear does not exist in the bracket system.

Why your actual withholding differs from this calculator

Employers withhold per IRS Publication 15-T tables driven by your W-4, which annualizes each individual paycheck. Bonuses and overtime spikes get over-withheld (the table assumes you earn that much every period); multiple jobs get under-withheld unless you check the W-4's Step 2 box. The differences settle at filing as a refund or balance due.

A large refund means you gave the IRS an interest-free loan all year. If yours is consistently over ~$2,000, adjusting your W-4 moves that money into every paycheck — the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator maps your situation onto exact W-4 entries.