Paycheck Calculator

Estimate your take-home pay per paycheck after 2026 federal and state taxes and pre-tax deductions.

By the CalculateBright team · Updated · How we calculate

Pre-tax deductions
  

    How to use the Paycheck calculator

    1. Enter your numbers. Fill in annual salary, state, pay frequency, filing status.
    2. Enter pre-tax deductions details. Fill in 401 contribution, health insurance / paycheck.
    3. Read your results. Results update instantly. The headline shows the take-home pay per paycheck; the breakdown and table below show the details.

    What comes out of your paycheck

    • Federal income tax uses the 2026 brackets (10%–37%) after the standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household).
    • Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500.
    • Medicare is 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% on wages over $200,000.
    • State income tax varies from 0% (Texas, Florida) to progressive rates (California, New York).
    • Pre-tax deductions: 401(k) deferrals reduce income tax (not FICA); Section 125 health premiums reduce both.

    How it’s calculated

    Taxable = Salary − 401(k) − health − standard deduction
    Take-home = Salary − federal − FICA − state − 401(k) − health

    We compute your full-year 2026 tax and divide by the number of paychecks. Your employer’s withholding uses IRS Publication 15-T tables and your W-4, so actual checks can differ by a few dollars.

    State paycheck calculators

    See detailed pages for 10 states with their 2026 rates and sources.

    Paycheck calculators by state

    California paycheck calculatorTexas paycheck calculatorFlorida paycheck calculatorNew York paycheck calculatorPennsylvania paycheck calculatorIllinois paycheck calculatorOhio paycheck calculatorGeorgia paycheck calculatorNorth Carolina paycheck calculatorMichigan paycheck calculator

    Worked example

    With these inputs: annual salary (gross)$75,000; stateTexas; pay frequencyEvery 2 weeks; filing statusSingle; 401(k) contribution5%.

    The calculator gives a take-home pay per paycheck of $2,256.44 ($58,668 per year · 26 paychecks). Other results: gross pay per check$2,884.62, total tax rate16.8%, federal marginal rate22%, yearly take-home$58,668.

    What your results mean

    Take-home pay is your gross pay minus federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, state tax and deductions. Actual withholding depends on your W-4, so your paycheck can differ slightly. This calculator estimates your annual tax spread evenly across paychecks.

    Tips

    • Review your W-4 after a raise, marriage or new child.
    • Pre-tax 401(k) and health premiums lower your income tax.
    • Check your first paycheck of the year; new tax tables take effect in January.

    Frequently asked questions

    How much is $60,000 a year after taxes?

    For a single filer in a state with no income tax, about $50,400 a year in 2026, or about $1,938 every two weeks. State income tax lowers that elsewhere. Pick your state above.

    What percentage of my paycheck goes to taxes?

    For many middle-income workers, about 20–30% in total, including 7.65% for Social Security and Medicare. The calculator shows your effective rate.

    Why is my paycheck different from this estimate?

    Your W-4 choices, local taxes, other benefits and your employer’s withholding method can all change the exact amount.

    Is 401(k) taken out before taxes?

    Traditional 401(k) contributions are excluded from federal income tax but still subject to Social Security and Medicare.

    Does this include local taxes?

    No. City or county taxes (e.g. NYC, Philadelphia, Ohio municipalities) are not included.

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    Sources