Paycheck Calculator

By Frank Sterling (pen name of LifeCalc’s founder; not a licensed financial advisor). Figures on this page were computed with the same code the calculator runs. Data verified 2026-09-01.

How this paycheck calculator works

The calculator starts from your annual salary and runs three tax engines on it, then subtracts your own deductions. Federal income tax is the 2026 progressive schedule applied to salary minus the standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly). State income tax uses the bracket table for the state you pick, and nine states (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming) have no wage tax in our data. FICA is 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $184,500 plus 1.45% Medicare, with the extra 0.9% Medicare tax above $200,000.

From there the tool computes: take-home = salary − federal − state − FICA − (salary × 401(k) %) − (monthly health premium × 12). Each line is then divided by your pay frequency: 12 for monthly, 26 for bi-weekly, 52 for weekly. Every figure is rounded to the nearest dollar independently, so a pay stub can be off by a dollar when you add the rounded lines.

Assumptions and defaults

• Defaults: $75,000 salary, California, single, bi-weekly pay, 6% 401(k) contribution, $200 per month health premium.
• Filing status offers Single and Married (treated as married filing jointly). Head of household is not an option here; use the income tax calculator for it.
• Taxes are calculated on your full gross salary. The 401(k) and health premium are subtracted afterwards and are not treated as pre-tax, so they do not lower the tax figures. If your real deductions are pre-tax, as most 401(k) contributions and employer health premiums are, your actual net pay will usually be higher than the estimate.
• State tax applies the state brackets to gross salary with no state standard deduction, exemptions or credits.
• Not included: state payroll programs such as disability or paid-leave premiums, local income taxes, HSA/FSA, dependents and credits, extra W-4 withholding, bonuses and overtime.

Worked example: $75,000 in California vs Texas

Using the defaults (single, bi-weekly, 6% 401(k), $200 per month health), federal taxable income is $75,000 − $16,100 = $58,900. That is taxed at 10% on the first $12,400 ($1,240), 12% on the next $38,000 ($4,560) and 22% on the last $8,500 ($1,870), for $7,670 of federal tax. FICA is $4,650 Social Security plus $1,088 Medicare, or $5,738. California’s brackets add $3,414.

Move the same salary to Texas and the state line drops to $0, so net pay becomes $54,692 a year, about $2,104 per bi-weekly check. The gap between the two states is the $3,414 of California income tax, roughly $131 per paycheck.

For scale on the pre-tax caveat: if the $4,500 401(k) and $2,400 premium were both pre-tax, federal taxable income would fall by $6,900, which at the 22% marginal rate is on the order of $1,500 a year of federal tax the calculator counts but your employer would not withhold.

Limitations: when to talk to a professional

This is a planning estimate, not a payroll system. Your employer’s payroll software uses your W-4, the IRS withholding tables, local taxes and plan-specific rules, so real paychecks will differ. Check your first pay stub against the estimate rather than relying on it for a loan application or a tight budget. Talk to a CPA or enrolled agent if you have multiple jobs, significant side income, equity compensation, a move between states mid-year, or you are choosing between withholding strategies. For plan-specific questions such as how your employer treats health premiums, ask your HR or payroll team.

Related guides

• $75K Salary: How Much Do You Actually Take Home?
• $100K Salary: How Much After Taxes?
• States With No Income Tax: 2026 Guide
• 2026 Tax Brackets and Standard Deduction
• Hourly to Salary: What Is Your Time Worth?