Net Pay Calculator
Estimate take-home pay for each paycheck in 2026: federal income tax withholding from the IRS percentage method, Social Security and Medicare, a state income tax rate, and pre-tax and after-tax deductions.
Last updated: October 2026
Take-Home Pay per Paycheck
1,992.6 $
Formula below · 2 sources (IRS, ssa.gov) · Updated Oct 2026
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About this calculator
Take-home pay = gross pay − pre-tax deductions − federal income tax − Social Security − Medicare − state and local tax − after-tax deductions. Every figure is per paycheck.
Federal income tax
Employers withhold federal income tax with the percentage method in IRS Publication 15-T. For a 2020-or-later Form W-4 with no extra entries, that works out to: annualize the paycheck (pay minus pre-tax deductions × paychecks per year), subtract the 2026 standard deduction for the filing status ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household), apply the 2026 tax brackets (10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37%) and divide by the number of paychecks. If your W-4 claims dependents, other income, extra deductions or the two-jobs box, actual withholding will differ; enter your own rate in the override box if you know it.
Social Security and Medicare (FICA)
Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500, and Medicare is 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax that employers withhold on wages over $200,000 in the year. Pre-tax 401(k) contributions still count as FICA wages; cafeteria-plan health premiums, FSA and HSA contributions generally do not. For pay above the wage base or the $200,000 threshold the calculator spreads the limit evenly over the year's paychecks, while real payroll stops or starts the tax in the paycheck where the limit is crossed.
State and local tax
States tax income in very different ways, from no income tax to graduated brackets with their own deductions, so the calculator applies the single rate you enter to pay after pre-tax deductions. Use your state's effective rate for a closer estimate.
This is an estimate, not tax advice. Your pay stub and Form W-2 are the authority, and the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator can check your W-4.
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $12,400 | $0 – $24,800 | $0 – $17,700 |
| 12% | to $50,400 | to $100,800 | to $67,450 |
| 22% | to $105,700 | to $211,400 | to $105,700 |
| 24% | to $201,775 | to $403,550 | to $201,750 |
| 32% | to $256,225 | to $512,450 | to $256,200 |
| 35% | to $640,600 | to $768,700 | to $640,600 |
| 37% | over $640,600 | over $768,700 | over $640,600 |
How to use
Enter your gross pay for one paycheck, how often you are paid, the filing status on your W-4, any pre-tax and after-tax deductions and your state tax rate. The default $2,500 every two weeks, single, with a 4% state rate, is $65,000 a year; after the $16,100 standard deduction federal tax is $5,620 a year, or $216.15 a paycheck. Social Security and Medicare take $191.25 and state tax $100, leaving $1,992.60. Put $150 into a 401(k) each paycheck and take-home pay falls only to $1,866.60, because federal and state tax drop by $24.
Frequently asked questions
How much is taken out of my paycheck for taxes?
For most employees, 7.65% goes to Social Security and Medicare, plus federal income tax that depends on pay and W-4, plus any state and local tax. On $65,000 a year as a single filer in 2026, federal withholding is about 8.6% of gross pay, so with a 4% state tax roughly 20% of the check is withheld.
What are the 2026 federal tax brackets?
For single filers: 10% up to $12,400 of taxable income, 12% to $50,400, 22% to $105,700, 24% to $201,775, 32% to $256,225, 35% to $640,600 and 37% above. The married-filing-jointly thresholds are $24,800, $100,800, $211,400, $403,550, $512,450 and $768,700.
Does a 401(k) contribution lower my taxes?
A traditional pre-tax 401(k) contribution lowers the pay subject to federal income tax and, in most states, state income tax, so take-home pay drops by less than the contribution. It does not lower Social Security and Medicare tax.
Why is my actual paycheck different?
W-4 entries for dependents, other income, deductions or extra withholding, state-specific brackets and credits, local taxes, the timing of the Social Security wage base and benefit deductions all change the result. Compare with your pay stub and use the override box if you know your federal rate.
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