Paycheck Calculator
Use this free paycheck calculator to estimate your take-home pay after federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security, and Medicare deductions. Enter your gross pay per pay period, choose your pay frequency and state of residence, and see exactly how much you'll receive in each paycheck. The calculator covers all 50 states plus DC using the latest 2026 brackets — including flat-tax states, progressive brackets, and the nine no-income-tax states.
How This Calculation Works
Your gross pay is annualized based on the pay frequency you select. The 2026 standard deduction ($16,100 for single filers) is subtracted to determine taxable income. Federal income tax is then calculated using the progressive tax brackets. Social Security tax (6.2%) and Medicare tax (1.45%) are applied to your gross pay. The total deductions are subtracted from your gross pay to estimate your net take-home pay per period.
What Comes Out of a US Paycheck in 2026
Every paycheck issued in the United States is reduced by four separate layers of withholding before the money reaches your bank account. Understanding each layer is the fastest way to know whether your employer is withholding the right amount — and whether you are heading for a refund or a bill in April.
| Deduction | 2026 rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | 10% – 37% progressive | Taxable wages after the standard deduction |
| Social Security (OASDI) | 6.2% | Gross wages up to the $184,500 wage base |
| Medicare | 1.45% | All gross wages, no cap |
| Additional Medicare | 0.9% | Wages above $200,000 (single filers) |
| State income tax | 0% – 13.3% | Depends entirely on your state of residence |
| Local / city tax | 0% – 3.9% | A few cities such as NYC, Philadelphia, Columbus |
Social Security and Medicare together form FICA — a combined 7.65% that is deducted from the very first dollar you earn. Unlike federal income tax, FICA has no standard deduction and no brackets, which is why low earners often see FICA as their largest single deduction.
Pay Frequency Changes Your Paycheck, Not Your Tax Bill
Employers in the US use four common pay schedules, and each one produces a different-looking paycheck for exactly the same annual salary. A $78,000 salary looks like this before taxes:
| Frequency | Periods per year | Gross per paycheck |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | 52 | $1,500.00 |
| Bi-weekly (every 2 weeks) | 26 | $3,000.00 |
| Semi-monthly (15th & last day) | 24 | $3,250.00 |
| Monthly | 12 | $6,500.00 |
Bi-weekly is the most common schedule in the private sector and creates two "extra" paychecks per year — months where you receive three payments instead of two. Those months are the best time to fund an emergency account or make an extra debt payment, because your fixed bills stay the same while income rises. Semi-monthly pay is more predictable for budgeting but never produces a third check.
Worked Example: $3,000 Bi-Weekly in a No-Tax vs High-Tax State
Take a worker earning $3,000 every two weeks — $78,000 per year — filing as single with no pre-tax deductions. The federal side is identical everywhere; only the state line changes:
- Annual gross: $78,000. Standard deduction (single, 2026): $16,100. Taxable income: $61,900.
- Federal income tax: roughly $8,240 per year, or about $317 per bi-weekly check.
- Social Security: $186.00 per check. Medicare: $43.50 per check.
- Texas, Florida, Nevada, Washington, Tennessee, Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska, New Hampshire: $0 state tax — net pay near $2,453.
- Colorado (4.25% flat): about $109 per check in state tax — net pay near $2,344.
- California (progressive): roughly $126 per check — net pay near $2,327.
- New York City resident: state plus city withholding pushes the deduction past $200 per check.
The spread between the cheapest and most expensive state is more than $3,000 per year on this salary. That is the single largest variable in US take-home pay, and it is why our state-by-state salary pages exist alongside this national tool.
Pre-Tax Deductions That Increase Your Net Worth
Every dollar you route into a pre-tax account lowers your taxable wages, so the true cost of contributing is less than the amount contributed. At a 22% federal marginal rate plus 5% state, a $500 contribution reduces your paycheck by roughly $365, not $500.
Traditional 401(k) or 403(b)
Contributions reduce federal and state taxable income but not FICA. The 2026 employee limit is $24,500 with an additional $8,000 catch-up at age 50+. Always contribute at least enough to capture the full employer match — that match is an immediate, risk-free return no investment can promise.
Health insurance and HSA
Premiums paid through an employer cafeteria plan and HSA contributions made via payroll escape federal tax, state tax in most states, and FICA. That triple exemption makes payroll HSA funding the most tax-efficient dollar available to an employee.
FSA, commuter and dependent care
Health FSAs, dependent care FSAs (up to $5,000) and qualified transit benefits also come out pre-tax. The trade-off is flexibility: FSA funds are largely use-it-or-lose-it within the plan year.
Reading Your Pay Stub and Fixing Wrong Withholding
Compare the year-to-date column on your stub against this calculator's annual figures. If your withheld federal tax is tracking far above your projected liability, you are lending the government money interest-free all year; if it is far below, you may owe a penalty in April.
- Withholding is controlled by Form W-4, not by a percentage you choose. Step 4(c) adds a flat extra dollar amount per check.
- Two-income households frequently under-withhold because each employer assumes its salary is your only income — use W-4 Step 2.
- A large refund every year usually signals over-withholding: adjusting the W-4 puts that money in each paycheck instead.
- Bonuses are typically withheld at a flat 22% supplemental rate, which is often wrong for high earners — see our bonus tax tool.
- Gross-to-net differences that appear mid-year often come from hitting the Social Security wage base or a benefits change.
Salaried employees who also freelance should pair this tool with the quarterly estimated tax calculator, since side income carries no withholding at all and self-employment tax applies on top of income tax.