A 2026 paycheck calculator that shows every line of your pay stub
This paycheck calculator turns gross pay into take-home pay for one paycheck and for the year. Enter a salary, a per-paycheck amount or an hourly wage, choose how often you are paid and the state you work in, and copy the boxes from your Form W-4. It works out federal income tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare, state income tax and your pre-tax deductions, the way a payroll system does.
Everything follows the 2026 tax year: the IRS percentage-method tables in Publication 15-T (2026), the $184,500 Social Security wage base from Publication 15, and the official 2026 withholding formulas of the states listed below. It runs in your browser and stores nothing. Results are estimates for planning, not tax or payroll advice.
How to use the Paycheck Calculator
- Type your pay and pick a year, a paycheck or an hour (add hours a week for hourly pay).
- Choose your pay frequency and the state you work in.
- Copy your Form W-4: filing status, the Step 2 box, and any amounts in Steps 3 and 4.
- Add pre-tax 401(k), HSA and health premiums, and any after-tax deductions.
- For your state, set allowances or a rate if asked, then read the take-home pay, the breakdown and the notes.
Paycheck Calculator features
IRS Pub. 15-T method
Worksheet 1A and the 2026 annual tables, including the Step 2 checkbox schedules and Steps 3, 4(a), 4(b) and 4(c).
FICA caps handled
Shows the paycheck in which Social Security stops at $184,500 and Additional Medicare starts above $200,000.
17 states built in
California (with SDI), Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Arizona formulas, plus the nine states with no wage tax.
Honest about the rest
For other states the tool says the tax is not included and lets you enter a rate instead of guessing.
Pre-tax done right
401(k) lowers income tax but not FICA; cafeteria-plan health premiums and HSA lower both; Pennsylvania still taxes 401(k).
How federal withholding is worked out
Pub. 15-T annualises one paycheck: wages × pay periods + Step 4(a) − Step 4(b) − $8,600 ($12,900 if married filing jointly; nothing if the Step 2 box is checked). That “adjusted annual wage” is looked up in the 2026 table for your filing status, the tax is divided back by the number of paychecks, Step 3 credits are spread the same way, and Step 4(c) is added.
Worked example: $75,000 a year, paid biweekly, single, in Texas. The adjusted annual wage is $66,400, which falls in the 22% row of the single table: $5,800 + 22% × $8,500 = $7,670, or $295.00 a paycheck. Social Security takes $178.85 and Medicare $41.83, so take-home pay is $2,368.94 every two weeks. Married filing jointly on $120,000 paid monthly withholds $836.67.
State income tax in this calculator (2026)
Local taxes (New York City, Yonkers, Philadelphia and other Pennsylvania localities, Ohio and Michigan cities, Indiana and Maryland counties) are not built in; use the local rate box. Georgia’s rate fell to 4.99% for 2026, and employers could switch to it from 11 May 2026.
| State | How withholding is figured |
|---|---|
| Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming | No state income tax on wages |
| California | Method B tables (1.1%–14.63%), standard deduction, $168.30 credit an allowance; SDI 1.3% |
| Colorado · Illinois · Indiana · Michigan | 4.40% · 4.95% · 2.95% · 4.25% after allowances |
| Georgia · North Carolina | 4.99% after $15,000/$30,000 · 4.09% after $12,750/$19,125 |
| New York | NYS-50-T-NYS exact method (3.9%–11.7% incl. recapture rates) |
| Pennsylvania · Arizona | 3.07% flat on pay incl. 401(k) · the A-4 percentage you chose |
| Other states | Not included — enter a rate |
Sources and dates
IRS Publication 15-T (2026, 3 Dec 2025) and Publication 15 (2026, 15 Dec 2025); Rev. Proc. 2025-32 for the 2026 brackets and $16,100 / $32,200 / $24,150 standard deductions. States: California Withholding Schedules for 2026 and EDD (SDI 1.3%); Colorado DR 1098 (10/21/25); Georgia Employer’s Withholding Tax Guide 2026; Illinois IL-700-T (2026); Indiana Departmental Notice #1; Michigan Form 446 (2026); New York NYS-50-T-NYS (1/26); North Carolina NC-30 (2026); Pennsylvania Department of Revenue; Arizona Form A-4 (2026). Checked 23 October 2026.
Paycheck Calculator FAQ
How do I calculate my take-home pay?
Start with gross pay, subtract pre-tax deductions, then federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), state and local tax, and after-tax deductions. This paycheck calculator does each step and shows the breakdown per paycheck and per year.
Is this a take-home pay calculator for California?
Yes — pick California. It applies the 2026 California withholding schedules (Method B) with your DE 4 allowances and the 1.3% State Disability Insurance, which has no wage cap in 2026.
What are the 2026 federal tax brackets for married filing jointly?
10% up to $24,800 of taxable income, 12% to $100,800, 22% to $211,400, 24% to $403,550, 32% to $512,450, 35% to $768,700 and 37% above, after a $32,200 standard deduction (Rev. Proc. 2025-32). Withholding tables build these in.
Why is my paycheck bigger late in the year?
Social Security is only charged on the first $184,500 of wages in 2026. Once you pass it, 6.2% stops — the notes show which paycheck that happens in.
Does a 401(k) lower my Social Security tax?
No. Traditional 401(k) deferrals lower federal (and most state) income tax, but FICA still applies. Health premiums and HSA contributions through a cafeteria plan lower both.
Why does the result differ from my pay stub?
Employers may round, use wage-bracket tables, or include benefits this tool does not know about. Check the W-4 boxes and deductions match. For hours over 40, try the overtime calculator; to convert pay periods, the salary calculator.