Using the calculator is straightforward. You need to enter three things: your gross income, your pay frequency (annual, monthly, bi-weekly, weekly, daily, or hourly), and your state. Optionally, you can select your filing status and add pre-tax deductions like 401(k) contributions or health insurance. Once you hit calculate, you’ll see a full breakdown of your federal tax, state tax, Social Security, Medicare, and your exact take-home pay.

Gross income is the total amount your employer pays you before any deductions — it’s the number on your job offer or employment contract. Net income, also called take-home pay, is what actually lands in your bank account after federal taxes, state taxes, Social Security, and Medicare have all been deducted. In most states, the difference between the two is 20% to 35% of your gross income.

The calculator uses the latest 2026 IRS tax brackets, standard deductions, and FICA rates. It also uses current 2026 state income tax rates for all 50 states. For most employees, the results are a very close estimate. However, the calculator does not account for tax credits, itemized deductions, investment income, self-employment tax, or local/city taxes (such as those in New York City, Philadelphia, or Detroit). For precise tax planning, always consult a CPA or tax professional.

Yes. Select “Hourly” as your pay frequency and enter your hourly rate. The calculator assumes 2,080 working hours per year (40 hours per week × 52 weeks) to calculate your annual equivalent income, then applies all taxes and shows you both the hourly and annual net figures. If you work a different number of hours, you can manually calculate by multiplying your rate by your actual hours first and entering that as a different frequency.

The calculator supports all common pay frequencies: You can enter your income in any of these formats and the calculator will convert it to an annual figure for tax calculation, then display results for every pay period simultaneously.

Yes. The calculator covers all 50 US states plus Washington D.C., each with their own 2026 tax rates. States with no income tax — including Texas, Florida, Washington, Nevada, Alaska, Wyoming, South Dakota, Tennessee, and New Hampshire — are correctly shown with $0 state tax. States with flat rates (like Pennsylvania at 3.07% or Illinois at 4.95%) and states with graduated brackets (like California or New York) are all included.

For 2026, the federal income tax brackets for single filers are: These are marginal rates — only the income within each bracket is taxed at that rate, not your entire income.

The 2026 federal standard deduction amounts are: This amount is subtracted from your gross income before federal tax is calculated. The higher your standard deduction, the less federal tax you owe.

Your marginal tax rate is the rate applied to your last dollar of income — the highest bracket you fall into. Your effective tax rate is the actual percentage of your total income paid in taxes. Because the US uses a progressive system, your effective rate is always lower than your marginal rate. For example, someone earning $100,000 might have a 22% marginal rate but only a 15% effective rate, because not all of their income is taxed at 22%.

Filing status affects both your tax brackets and your standard deduction. Married Filing Jointly generally results in the lowest tax burden for two-income households. Head of Household offers wider brackets than Single and a higher standard deduction, benefiting single parents. Single and Married Filing Separately have the same brackets. Choosing the right filing status can make a significant difference — sometimes thousands of dollars — in your annual tax bill.

Nine states currently have no state income tax on wages and salaries: Note: Washington state has a capital gains tax of 7–9.9% on long-term capital gains above $278,000, but regular wages are not taxed. New Hampshire taxes interest and dividend income but not earned wages.

The states with the highest top income tax rates in 2026 are: Keep in mind that top rates only apply to high income levels. Most middle-income earners in these states pay significantly lower effective rates.

Generally, you pay income tax to the state where you work, and you may also owe tax to the state where you live if they’re different. However, many neighboring states have reciprocity agreements that prevent double taxation — for example, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have a reciprocity agreement so commuters only file in their home state. If your states don’t have a reciprocity agreement, you typically get a credit on your resident state return for taxes paid to your work state.

A flat tax means everyone pays the same percentage regardless of income. For example, Pennsylvania charges 3.07% on all earned income, whether you make $30,000 or $300,000. A graduated income tax (also called a progressive tax) has different rates for different income levels — higher earners pay higher rates on the income above each threshold. California, New York, and New Jersey all use graduated systems. States with flat taxes include Pennsylvania (3.07%), Illinois (4.95%), Michigan (4.25%), and Colorado (4.4%).

FICA stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act. It refers to two taxes withheld from every paycheck: Social Security and Medicare. These fund the Social Security retirement and disability program and the Medicare health insurance program. FICA taxes apply to all employees regardless of which state they live in — there are no state-by-state exemptions. In 2026, the combined FICA rate for employees is 7.65% (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare).

The Social Security wage base for 2026 is $184,500. This means Social Security tax of 6.2% is only applied to the first $184,500 of your income. Any income above this amount is not subject to Social Security tax. Medicare tax, on the other hand, applies to all income with no cap — and earners above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly) also pay an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax.

The Additional Medicare Tax is an extra 0.9% tax on wages above certain thresholds: So for a single filer earning $250,000, the first $200,000 is taxed at the standard 1.45% Medicare rate, and the remaining $50,000 is taxed at 2.35% (1.45% + 0.9%). Employers are required to withhold this additional tax once your wages exceed $200,000 within the calendar year.

Yes. Your employer matches your FICA contributions dollar for dollar. You pay 6.2% Social Security and 1.45% Medicare — and your employer pays the same amounts on your behalf. The total FICA contribution is therefore 15.3% of your wages (7.65% from you, 7.65% from your employer). Self-employed individuals pay the full 15.3% themselves, though they can deduct half of it as a business expense on their tax return.

Contributing to a traditional 401(k) reduces your federal taxable income dollar for dollar. If you’re in the 22% federal bracket and contribute $5,000 to your 401(k), you’ll pay $1,100 less in federal taxes. Most states also recognize 401(k) contributions as a deduction from state taxable income. The 2026 contribution limit is $23,500 for employees under 50, and $31,000 for those 50 and older. Note that 401(k) contributions do not reduce Social Security or Medicare taxes — only federal and state income tax.

A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged account for medical expenses. Contributions reduce your federal taxable income, and unlike an FSA, HSA funds roll over indefinitely — there’s no “use it or lose it” rule. The 2026 contribution limits are $4,300 for individuals and $8,550 for families. You must be enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) to contribute to an HSA. Most states also exempt HSA contributions from state tax, though a few exceptions exist — California and New Jersey do not recognize HSA deductions at the state level.

If your health insurance premiums are paid through your employer’s Section 125 cafeteria plan (which is the case for most employer-sponsored plans), they are deducted from your gross income before taxes. This reduces both your federal and state taxable income, and also reduces your Social Security and Medicare contributions — making it one of the most tax-efficient benefits available. Premiums you pay out of pocket for individual health insurance do not automatically reduce taxable income unless you itemize deductions.

A traditional 401(k) reduces your taxable income now — you pay taxes when you withdraw the money in retirement. A Roth 401(k) does not reduce your current taxable income — you contribute after-tax dollars, but withdrawals in retirement are completely tax-free. If you expect to be in a higher tax bracket in retirement than you are now, a Roth often makes more sense. If you expect to be in a lower bracket, traditional usually wins. Both have the same contribution limits in 2026: $23,500 (under 50) or $31,000 (50 and older).

There are several common reasons your actual paycheck may differ from our estimate: your employer may withhold more or less based on your W-4 allowances and additional withholding elections; you may have local/city taxes not included in our calculator (such as NYC city tax, Philadelphia wage tax, or Detroit city tax); your employer may deduct benefits like dental or vision insurance, commuter benefits, or union dues; or you may have wage garnishments, child support orders, or other post-tax deductions. Our calculator gives you a solid estimate — your pay stub tells you the exact story.

The calculator is updated annually to reflect the latest IRS tax brackets, standard deductions, Social Security wage base, and state income tax rates. The current version uses 2026 tax rates across all 50 states and federal brackets. Tax law can change mid-year in some cases — if the IRS makes adjustments, we update the calculator accordingly. The last update was for the 2026 tax year.

Yes — completely free. No account required, no signup, no hidden fees. You can use the calculator as many times as you want for any state, any income level, and any filing status. We believe everyone should have easy access to clear information about how much of their paycheck actually belongs to them.

The calculator is designed primarily for W-2 employees. Self-employed individuals (sole proprietors, freelancers, independent contractors) have a different tax situation — they pay self-employment tax of 15.3% on net earnings (covering both the employee and employer share of FICA), rather than the 7.65% that employees pay. They can also deduct half of the self-employment tax on their federal return. If you are self-employed, our calculator will give you a rough estimate, but the results will not fully reflect your tax situation. Consulting a tax professional or using dedicated self-employment tax software is recommended.

The W-4 is a form you fill out for your employer that tells them how much federal income tax to withhold from each paycheck. The IRS updated the W-4 form in 2020, removing the old allowances system. The new form uses a five-step process where you can claim dependents, report additional income, request extra withholding, or claim exemption from withholding. If your W-4 is filled out accurately to match your situation, your withholding should be close to your actual tax liability. If too much is withheld, you get a refund in April. If too little is withheld, you owe the IRS at filing time.

Moving to a no-income-tax state like Texas, Florida, or Washington can save you several thousand dollars per year depending on your income level. However, take-home pay is only part of the equation. States without income tax often make up revenue through higher property taxes, sales taxes, or other fees. Texas, for example, has no income tax but has some of the highest property tax rates in the country. Florida has no income tax and a 6% sales tax. The right answer depends on your specific financial situation, lifestyle, housing plans, and where you want to live — not just the income tax rate. Use our calculator to compare your take-home pay across different states as a starting point.