Paycheck calculator
Your take-home pay after federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare and state tax, with a page for every state.
- ๐บ๐ธ US federal & state rules
- 2026 IRS Publication 15-T and state rates
- See sources
Take-home pay per 2 weeks
$2,169.18
$3,000.00 gross, 72.3% of it reaches your account
- Federal withholding
- $280.78
- Social Security
- $186.00
- Medicare
- $43.50
- California income tax
- $101.55
- SDI
- $39.00
- Pre-tax deductions
- $180.00
- Per year
- $56,398.55
This is an example. Enter your numbers above and press the button to see your own result.
A full year
| Gross pay | $78,000.00 |
|---|---|
| Pre-tax deductions | โ$4,680.00 |
| Federal income tax (9.4%) | โ$7,300.28 |
| Social Security and Medicare | โ$5,967.00 |
| California income tax (3.4%) | โ$2,640.17 |
| State payroll deductions | โ$1,014.00 |
| Take-home | $56,398.55 |
- Federal withholding follows IRS Publication 15-T for a 2020 or later W-4. State tax is a yearly estimate from your state's brackets divided by pay periods, so it can differ by a few dollars from the withholding table your employer uses.
- Social Security stops after $184,500 of wages in 2026. The calculator spreads that evenly across the year, while your real paychecks grow once you cross the cap.
Show the math
| Gross per paycheck | $78,000.00 รท 26 = $3,000.00 |
|---|---|
| 401(k), pre-tax | โ$180.00 |
| Federal taxable wages | $2,820.00 |
| Federal withholding (W-4 single) | โ$280.78 |
| Social Security 6.2% | โ$186.00 |
| Medicare 1.45% | โ$43.50 |
| California income tax (yearly estimate รท 26) | โ$101.55 |
| SDI | โ$39.00 |
| Take-home | $2,169.18 |
What to do next
How it works
Gross pay for the period is your salary divided by the number of pay periods, or your hourly rate times hours. Pre-tax deductions come off. Federal withholding is computed with the Publication 15-T percentage method for a current W-4, Social Security and Medicare at their flat rates, and state income tax as a yearly estimate from your state's brackets divided by pay periods.
Pick your state for state tax and any payroll deductions such as disability or paid leave insurance. Each state also has its own page with the brackets and rules.
Things to keep in mind
This is an estimate. Payroll systems round differently, apply the Social Security cap as it is reached, and withhold state tax from tables rather than a yearly projection. Local income taxes in places like New York City, Philadelphia and much of Ohio are not included.
The W-4 inputs matter. Checking the Step 2 box, adding dependents in Step 3 or extra withholding in Step 4(c) changes federal withholding exactly as it would on your real paycheck.
Sources
Rules applied as of 2026-01-01. See the sources below for details.
- IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Worksheet 1A + Annual Percentage Method tables (p.10-12), dated Dec 3, 2025Checked 2026-10-19
- IRS Publication 15 (2026), What's New, dated Dec 15, 2025Checked 2026-10-19
- IRS Topic no. 751 (reviewed 24-Sep-2026)Checked 2026-10-19
- SSA, Federal Register 90 FR (2025-19763) 'Cost-of-Living Increase and Other Determinations for 2026' (Nov 3, 2025)Checked 2026-10-19
- Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026Checked 2026-10-19
Frequently asked questions
How is federal withholding calculated?
Employers use the IRS percentage method from Publication 15-T. Your pay is annualized, adjusted for your W-4 (filing status, the Step 2 checkbox, dependents and extra withholding), run through a rate table, then divided back to one paycheck.
What is FICA?
Social Security at 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 in 2026, and Medicare at 1.45% with no cap. An extra 0.9% Medicare applies above $200,000. Your employer pays a matching amount that never shows on your stub.
Why is my take-home lower than my friend's on the same salary?
State tax is the usual reason. Nine states have no income tax on wages, and California's top rate is over 13%. Pre-tax benefits, W-4 choices and local taxes also change the number.
Does 401(k) reduce Social Security tax?
No. Traditional 401(k) contributions lower federal and most state income tax, but Social Security and Medicare are figured on pay before the contribution. Health premiums under a cafeteria plan reduce all of them.
Which pay frequency gives me more money?
None. The yearly total is the same. Biweekly means 26 checks a year and two months with three checks, while semimonthly means 24 slightly larger checks.