Paycheck Calculator

Your paycheck starts with gross pay—your salary before anything is withheld. From there, pre-tax deductions (like health premiums) and retirement contributions come out first. What remains is roughly your taxable income for federal and state income tax. Payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare (together called FICA) are calculated on wages as well.

This free paycheck calculator estimates those pieces, then divides annual take-home pay by how often you get paid. Use it as a planning tool when comparing offers, budgeting for rent, or checking whether a raise actually moves the needle on your bank deposit.

Federal income tax uses progressive brackets—higher slices of income are taxed at higher rates. Filing as single or married changes those brackets. This tool uses simplified 2026 federal brackets for a quick estimate.

FICA is separate: Social Security at 6.2% (up to an annual wage base) and Medicare at 1.45% of wages. These fund Social Security and Medicare benefits and appear on almost every U.S. paycheck.

State income tax varies by where you live. Some states have no income tax; others use brackets. Here you enter a flat state tax percent so you can model a simple estimate. Local taxes, credits, and exact withholding methods are not included.

Suppose you earn $60,000 a year, file as single, pay about 5% state tax, and have no extra pre-tax deductions or retirement contributions. A simplified run of this take-home pay calculator lands near $44,500 annual net—roughly $1,710 every biweekly paycheck—after federal tax, FICA, and state tax.

Want the hourly view of that salary? Use our salary to hourly calculator or read $60,000 a year is how much an hour. Pairing gross hourly rate with take-home pay gives a clearer picture of what a job really pays.