Estimate your 2026 take-home pay after federal tax, FICA, state tax and deductions.
How your paycheck is calculated
Your gross salary is only the starting point. Before money reaches your bank account, several layers are removed: pre-tax deductions (like 401(k) contributions and HSA deposits), FICA payroll taxes, federal income tax, state income tax, and any post-tax deductions. What remains is your take-home pay. For 2026, the standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married couples filing jointly, and $24,150 for heads of household.
Pre-tax vs. post-tax deductions
Pre-tax deductions lower both your taxable wages and your FICA wages, so every $1,000 into a traditional 401(k) saves roughly $220 in federal tax (at the 22% bracket) plus $76.50 in FICA. Post-tax deductions come out after taxes with no tax benefit.
Why take-home differs from salary ÷ pay periods
The gap comes from progressive taxation plus flat payroll taxes of 7.65% on the first $184,500 of wages. High earners face 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (joint). State taxes widen the gap further.
Why is my take-home pay so much less than my salary?
Federal income tax, 7.65% FICA payroll taxes, state income tax, and benefit deductions combine to 25–35% of gross pay for typical earners.
What is FICA?
6.2% for Social Security (on wages up to $184,500 in 2026) plus 1.45% for Medicare on all wages.
Does state income tax really matter?
Yes — nine states have no income tax while others charge over 10%. A 5% rate on $80,000 costs $4,000 a year.
How do pre-tax deductions help?
They reduce wages subject to income tax and FICA. A $5,000 401(k) at the 22% bracket saves about $1,483 a year.
Is this accurate for 2026?
It uses verified 2026 IRS figures. It is an estimate — your employer’s payroll system determines exact withholding.
How to use this calculator
Enter your pay details top to bottom; each layer is subtracted in the order your employer’s payroll system applies them.
- Gross salary. Your annual pay before anything is removed. Hourly workers: multiply your hourly rate by hours per week × 52.
- Pay frequency. Weekly (52), biweekly (26), semi-monthly (24), or monthly (12). This only changes the per-check figures — annual totals are identical — but it determines the number you actually see hit your bank account.
- Filing status. Used for the federal income-tax calculation: single, married filing jointly, or head of household. It selects your standard deduction ($16,100 / $32,200 / $24,150 for 2026) and bracket thresholds.
- State income tax rate. Enter your state’s flat rate as a percentage (0 if your state has none). Nine states levy no income tax at all; others charge over 10%. On an $80,000 salary, a 5% state rate costs $4,000 a year — the single biggest geographic swing in take-home pay.
- Pre-tax deductions. Traditional 401(k) contributions, HSA deposits, and pre-tax health premiums. These reduce the wages subject to both income tax and FICA, so they are the highest-value line on the form: $5,000 into a 401(k) at the 22% bracket saves about $1,100 in federal tax plus $382.50 in FICA — $1,482.50 a year.
- Post-tax deductions. Roth 401(k) contributions, union dues, or garnishments taken after taxes. They reduce take-home dollar for dollar with no tax benefit.
Understanding your results
- Gross pay per paycheck. Salary divided by pay periods — the starting line before any subtraction.
- Federal income tax. Withholding computed from your taxable wages through the 2026 brackets. Note this is withholding, an estimate of your annual liability divided across checks; the final reckoning happens at filing time.
- FICA — Social Security & Medicare. A flat 7.65% on wages up to the $184,500 Social Security wage base (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare on all wages). Unlike income tax, there is no standard deduction — FICA starts on dollar one.
- State income tax. Your state’s share, the most variable line on the stub.
- Net (take-home) pay. Per paycheck and annualized: the number your budget should actually be built on. For typical earners the combined bite of federal tax, FICA, state tax, and deductions lands between 25–35% of gross.
Worked example
A single filer earning $100,000, paid biweekly (26 checks), in a state with no income tax and no extra deductions:
- Gross per paycheck: $100,000 ÷ 26 = $3,846.15
- Federal income tax: $13,170/year (13.17% effective, per our 2026 figures) → $506.54 per check
- FICA: Social Security 6.2% × $100,000 = $6,200 ($238.46/check) + Medicare 1.45% × $100,000 = $1,450 ($55.77/check) → $294.23 per check
- Take-home: $79,180/year → $3,045.38 per paycheck
Now add a $5,000 pre-tax 401(k): taxable wages fall to $95,000, federal tax drops by about $1,100, FICA drops by $382.50 — the saver keeps $1,482.50 more of the $5,000 than it cost in take-home pay.
Frequently asked questions
Do bonuses get taxed at a higher rate?
Bonuses face a flat 22% federal supplemental withholding rate (not your marginal bracket), which is why a bonus check can feel heavily taxed. At filing time the bonus is simply part of your total income — if 22% was too much, you get the difference back as a refund.
What is the Additional Medicare Tax — will I owe it?
An extra 0.9% on wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (joint), withheld automatically once your pay crosses the threshold. There is no employer match on it, and unlike regular FICA it is not capped — very high earners pay it on every additional dollar.
Can I adjust my W-4 to change my take-home pay?
Yes. The W-4 controls withholding, not your actual tax: claiming the right adjustments (or adding extra withholding per pay period) tunes each check toward your true liability. Owing a small amount in April means you gave the IRS an interest-free loan of zero — the efficient outcome, as long as you avoid underpayment penalties.
What is the difference between salary and hourly inputs here?
None in the math — the calculator annualizes hourly pay (rate × hours × 52) before running the same tax layers. The only caveat: overtime and variable hours make any single paycheck an estimate, so hourly workers should treat the annual figure as the planning number.
Are HSA contributions really triple tax-free?
Yes, when used correctly: contributions avoid income tax and FICA, growth is tax-free, and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are tax-free — the only account with all three. The catch is you must be enrolled in a qualifying high-deductible health plan to contribute.