# Paycheck calculator

> Calculate US take-home pay per paycheck and per year: 2026 federal withholding (IRS Pub. 15-T), Social Security, Medicare, state tax and deductions.

Interactive version: https://www.calcopenly.com/finance/paycheck-calculator
Subject: Finance calculators

Take-home pay is gross pay minus pre-tax deductions, taxes and after-tax deductions. Federal income tax follows the 2026 percentage method in IRS Publication 15-T: taxable wages per paycheck are multiplied by the number of paychecks, the Form W-4 adjustments are applied, the annual withholding table gives a yearly amount, and that is divided back by the paychecks. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 and Medicare is 1.45%, plus 0.9% on wages above $200,000.

With the defaults, a $75,000 salary paid every two weeks to a single filer who puts 5% into a 401(k) and $100 into health premiums nets $2,186.09 a paycheck, $56,838.22 over the year. Federal withholding is $241.27 a check.

Each paycheck is worked out in turn, so the table shows the checks that grow once the 401(k) limit or the Social Security wage base is reached. State and local tax are flat rates you enter.

## Inputs

- **Enter pay as** (options: Salary per year, Per paycheck, Hourly)
- **Gross salary per year**
- **Gross pay per paycheck**
- **Hourly wage**
- **Hours per week**: Yearly pay is the wage × hours × 52 weeks, the 2,080-hour year the Bureau of Labor Statistics uses at 40 hours.
- **Pay frequency** (options: Weekly (52), Every two weeks (26), Twice a month (24), Monthly (12), Quarterly (4), Twice a year (2), Daily (260))
- **Filing status on Form W-4** (options: Single or married filing separately, Married filing jointly, Head of household)
- **Traditional 401(k), % of gross pay**: Pre-tax for federal income tax, still subject to Social Security and Medicare. Deferrals stop at the 2026 limit of $24,500; age-50 catch-up contributions are not included.
- **Health premiums and HSA, per paycheck**: Pre-tax deductions through a Section 125 cafeteria plan (health, dental and vision premiums, HSA): exempt from federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
- **After-tax deductions, per paycheck**: Roth 401(k), union dues, wage garnishments and other deductions taken after tax.
- **State income tax rate**: A flat rate on wages after pre-tax deductions. Leave 0 in states without a wage income tax, such as Texas, Florida and Washington; flat-tax states include Illinois (4.95%) and Pennsylvania (3.07%) for 2026 (Tax Foundation). For a state with brackets, enter your average rate.
- **Local income tax rate**: City or county wage tax, as a flat rate on the same wages as the state tax.
- **Form W-4 Step 2 box checked (two jobs)**: Uses the Step 2 checkbox withholding schedules, which halve the brackets and skip the $8,600 or $12,900 subtraction.
- **Form W-4 Step 3: credits for dependents, per year**
- **Form W-4 Step 4(a): other income, per year**
- **Form W-4 Step 4(b): deductions, per year**: Deductions beyond the standard deduction that you claimed on Form W-4, including the 2026 worksheet's tips, overtime and car-loan interest deductions.
- **Form W-4 Step 4(c): extra withholding per paycheck**

## Results

- Take-home pay per paycheck — main result
- Gross pay per paycheck
- Federal income tax per paycheck
- Social Security per paycheck
- Medicare per paycheck
- State income tax per paycheck
- Local income tax per paycheck
- 401(k) per paycheck
- Health and HSA per paycheck
- After-tax deductions per paycheck
- Take-home pay per year
- Gross pay per year
- Federal income tax per year
- Social Security per year
- Medicare per year
- State income tax per year
- 401(k) per year
- All taxes per year
- Taxes as a share of gross pay

## Formula

$$
\text{Net} = G - \text{401(k)} - \text{S125} - \underbrace{\frac{C + (W - A)\,D}{n}}_{\text{federal}} - 6.2\%\,(G - \text{S125}) - 1.45\%\,(G - \text{S125}) - (s + \ell)\,(G - \text{401(k)} - \text{S125}),\quad W = n\,(G - \text{401(k)} - \text{S125}) - 8{,}600
$$

## Worked examples

### $75,000 salary, biweekly, single, 5% 401(k)

- Enter pay as: Salary per year
- Gross salary per year: 75,000
- Pay frequency: Every two weeks (26)
- Filing status on Form W-4: Single or married filing separately
- Traditional 401(k), % of gross pay: 5%
- Health premiums and HSA, per paycheck: 100
- After-tax deductions, per paycheck: 0
- State income tax rate: 0%
- Local income tax rate: 0%
- **Take-home pay per paycheck: 2,186.09**
- **Federal income tax per paycheck: 241.27**
- **Social Security per paycheck: 172.65**
- **Medicare per paycheck: 40.38**
- **Take-home pay per year: 56,838.22**
- **Federal income tax per year: 6,273.02**
- **401(k) per year: 3,749.98**
- Checked against: Python decimal model of Pub. 15-T (2026) Worksheet 1A: (2,884.62 − 144.23 − 100) × 26 − 8,600 = 60,050.02; 5,800 + 22% × 2,150.02 = 6,273.00 ÷ 26 = 241.27; FICA on wages less the Section 125 deduction

### IRS wage bracket table: $2,990 biweekly, single

- Enter pay as: Per paycheck
- Gross pay per paycheck: 2990
- Pay frequency: Every two weeks (26)
- Filing status on Form W-4: Single or married filing separately
- Traditional 401(k), % of gross pay: 0%
- Health premiums and HSA, per paycheck: 0
- After-tax deductions, per paycheck: 0
- State income tax rate: 0%
- Local income tax rate: 0%
- **Federal income tax per paycheck: 318.18**
- Checked against: Hand calculation, 2026 percentage method: 2,990 × 26 − 8,600 = 69,140; 5,800 + 22% × 11,240 = 8,272.80 ÷ 26 = 318.18. Pub. 15-T (2026) biweekly Wage Bracket table, row $2,975–$3,005, Single: $318

### IRS wage bracket table: $2,990 biweekly, head of household

- Enter pay as: Per paycheck
- Gross pay per paycheck: 2990
- Pay frequency: Every two weeks (26)
- Filing status on Form W-4: Head of household
- Traditional 401(k), % of gross pay: 0%
- Health premiums and HSA, per paycheck: 0
- After-tax deductions, per paycheck: 0
- State income tax rate: 0%
- Local income tax rate: 0%
- **Federal income tax per paycheck: 233.72**
- Checked against: Hand calculation: 77,740 − 8,600 = 69,140; 1,770 + 12% × 35,890 = 6,076.80 ÷ 26 = 233.72. Pub. 15-T (2026) biweekly Wage Bracket table, row $2,975–$3,005, Head of household: $234

### IRS wage bracket table: Step 2 box checked

- Enter pay as: Per paycheck
- Gross pay per paycheck: 2990
- Pay frequency: Every two weeks (26)
- Filing status on Form W-4: Single or married filing separately
- Traditional 401(k), % of gross pay: 0%
- Health premiums and HSA, per paycheck: 0
- After-tax deductions, per paycheck: 0
- State income tax rate: 0%
- Local income tax rate: 0%
- Form W-4 Step 2 box checked (two jobs): yes
- **Federal income tax per paycheck: 500.95**
- Checked against: Hand calculation, Step 2 checkbox schedule: 77,740 (nothing subtracted); 8,983 + 24% × 16,840 = 13,024.60 ÷ 26 = 500.95. Pub. 15-T (2026) biweekly Wage Bracket table, row $2,975–$3,005, Single with the Step 2 checkbox: $501

### $25 an hour, 40 hours, weekly

- Enter pay as: Hourly
- Hourly wage: 25
- Hours per week: 40 hours
- Pay frequency: Weekly (52)
- Filing status on Form W-4: Single or married filing separately
- Traditional 401(k), % of gross pay: 0%
- Health premiums and HSA, per paycheck: 0
- After-tax deductions, per paycheck: 0
- State income tax rate: 0%
- Local income tax rate: 0%
- **Gross pay per paycheck: 1,000.00**
- **Federal income tax per paycheck: 78.08**
- **Social Security per paycheck: 62.00**
- **Medicare per paycheck: 14.50**
- **Take-home pay per paycheck: 845.42**
- **Gross pay per year: 52,000.00**
- Checked against: Hand calculation from the Pub. 15-T (2026) single table: 52,000 − 8,600 = 43,400; 1,240 + 12% × 23,500 = 4,060 ÷ 52 = 78.08

### Head of household, credits, extra withholding, state and local tax

- Enter pay as: Per paycheck
- Gross pay per paycheck: 6000
- Pay frequency: Monthly (12)
- Filing status on Form W-4: Head of household
- Traditional 401(k), % of gross pay: 6%
- Health premiums and HSA, per paycheck: 200
- After-tax deductions, per paycheck: 25
- State income tax rate: 3.07%
- Local income tax rate: 1%
- Form W-4 Step 3: credits for dependents, per year: 4400
- Form W-4 Step 4(c): extra withholding per paycheck: 50
- **Federal income tax per paycheck: 65.13**
- **State income tax per paycheck: 167.01**
- **Local income tax per paycheck: 54.40**
- **Take-home pay per paycheck: 4,684.76**
- **Take-home pay per year: 56,217.12**
- Checked against: Hand calculation, Pub. 15-T (2026) Worksheet 1A: 5,440 × 12 − 8,600 = 56,680; 1,770 + 12% × 23,430 = 4,581.60 ÷ 12 = 381.80; − 4,400 ÷ 12 = 15.13; + 50 = 65.13

## Questions

### How is federal income tax withholding calculated in 2026?

With the percentage method in IRS Publication 15-T. Taxable wages per paycheck are multiplied by the paychecks per year, and $8,600 ($12,900 if married filing jointly) is subtracted unless the Form W-4 Step 2 box is checked, along with any Step 4(b) deductions. The 2026 annual table turns that amount into a yearly tax, which is divided back by the paychecks. For a single filer at $60,050, the table gives $5,800 plus 22% of the $2,150 above $57,900: $6,273 a year, $241.27 every two weeks.

### What are the Social Security and Medicare tax rates for 2026?

Employees pay 6.2% Social Security on wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500, at most $11,439, and 1.45% Medicare on all wages. Employers also withhold a 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on wages above $200,000 in the calendar year, whatever the filing status (IRS Publication 15, 2026). On a $75,000 salary the two taxes are 7.65% × $75,000 = $5,737.50 a year, before any cafeteria-plan deductions.

### Do 401(k) contributions reduce Social Security and Medicare tax?

No. Traditional 401(k) deferrals are exempt from federal income tax withholding but still subject to Social Security and Medicare, according to IRS Publication 15. Health, dental and vision premiums and HSA contributions paid through a Section 125 cafeteria plan are exempt from all three. The 2026 limit on employee 401(k) deferrals is $24,500, plus an $8,000 catch-up from age 50.

### How much is $75,000 a year after taxes?

$61,592.32 for a single filer paid every two weeks in a state without income tax, with no pre-tax deductions: 2026 federal withholding of $7,670 and $5,737.68 of Social Security and Medicare leave $2,368.94 a paycheck. Putting 5% into a 401(k) and $100 a paycheck into health premiums cuts take-home pay to $56,838.22, but $6,349.98 of that goes to savings and coverage and federal withholding falls by $1,396.98.

### Why is my paycheck bigger late in the year?

Social Security tax stops once your wages for the year pass the $184,500 wage base (2026), and 401(k) deferrals stop at the $24,500 limit. On a $260,000 salary paid twice a month, Social Security ends in the 18th paycheck, adding $656.17 to each later check, while the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax starts in the 19th and takes $95.25 a check from the 20th.

### How accurate is the paycheck calculator?

Accuracy depends on your inputs and the method's assumptions. Decimal arithmetic uses 50 significant digits, but estimates, numerical methods and source data can be less precise; the displayed rounding does not remove those limits. It is checked against 8 worked examples whose answers come from independent sources; for example, “$75,000 salary, biweekly, single, 5% 401(k)” is checked against Python decimal model of Pub. 15-T (2026) Worksheet 1A: (2,884.62 − 144.23 − 100) × 26 − 8,600 = 60,050.02; 5,800 + 22% × 2,150.02 = 6,273.00 ÷ 26 = 241.27; FICA on wages less the Section 125 deduction.

### Where does the method come from?

IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods: Worksheet 1A and the Annual Percentage Method tables; IRS Publication 15 (2026), Employer's Tax Guide: Social Security and Medicare rates, $184,500 wage base, Additional Medicare Tax, exempt payments; IRS: Questions and answers for the Additional Medicare Tax; IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026; Tax Foundation: State individual income tax rates and brackets, 2026.

## Sources

- [IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods: Worksheet 1A and the Annual Percentage Method tables](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15t.pdf)
- [IRS Publication 15 (2026), Employer's Tax Guide: Social Security and Medicare rates, $184,500 wage base, Additional Medicare Tax, exempt payments](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15.pdf)
- [IRS: Questions and answers for the Additional Medicare Tax](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/questions-and-answers-for-the-additional-medicare-tax)
- [IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/401k-limit-increases-to-24500-for-2026-ira-limit-increases-to-7500)
- [Tax Foundation: State individual income tax rates and brackets, 2026](https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-income-tax-rates-2026/)

_Note: financial information, not professional advice._