Take-home pay calculator
How much of your salary reaches your account each month and each year after taxes and deductions.
- ๐บ๐ธ US federal & state rules
- 2026 federal and state rules
- See sources
Take-home pay per month
$4,699.87
$6,500.00 gross, 72.3% of it reaches your account
- Federal withholding
- $608.37
- Social Security
- $403.00
- Medicare
- $94.25
- California income tax
- $220.01
- SDI
- $84.50
- Pre-tax deductions
- $390.00
- Per year
- $56,398.39
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$7,300.44 |
| 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 | $56,398.39 |
- 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 12 = $6,500.00 |
|---|---|
| 401(k), pre-tax | โ$390.00 |
| Federal taxable wages | $6,110.00 |
| Federal withholding (W-4 single) | โ$608.37 |
| Social Security 6.2% | โ$403.00 |
| Medicare 1.45% | โ$94.25 |
| California income tax (yearly estimate รท 12) | โ$220.01 |
| SDI | โ$84.50 |
| Take-home | $4,699.87 |
What to do next
How it works
Enter your salary and state, and the calculator shows what lands in your account each pay period and over the year. Federal withholding uses the IRS 2026 tables for your W-4 settings, Social Security and Medicare are flat percentages, and state tax is estimated from your state's brackets.
Things to keep in mind
Benefits are the biggest variable. Health premiums, 401(k) and HSA contributions change both the deductions and the taxes. Enter them for a realistic number.
Local taxes and the mid-year Social Security cap are not reflected paycheck by paycheck. The yearly table is the more reliable figure.
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
What is take-home pay?
The amount deposited after taxes and deductions: gross pay minus federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare, state and local tax, and benefits. It is also called net pay.
How much of my salary do I keep?
For most single workers it is around 70% to 80% of gross, depending on the state and on benefits. A $78,000 salary in Texas keeps about 80%; the same salary in California keeps about 75% before benefits.
How can I increase my take-home pay?
Check your W-4. Withholding more than you owe means a big refund but smaller checks. Pre-tax benefits lower taxable pay. A traditional 401(k) raises take-home compared to a Roth for the same contribution, since it is taken before tax.
Is this the same as net income on my tax return?
Close, but not the same. Withholding is an estimate collected during the year. Your return settles the true federal and state tax, and the difference is your refund or balance due.