Paycheck Calculator
Calculate your exact paycheck after federal income tax, state tax, Social Security, Medicare, 401(k), health insurance, and all other deductions. All 50 states, 2026 tax brackets.
Annual Take Home
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Monthly Income
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Effective Tax Rate
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State Tax
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Calculator
Key Takeaways
What You Should Know
- Annual take-home updates live as you change inputs
- Monthly income reflects your pay frequency
- Tax rate includes federal, FICA, and state withholding
- All calculations run privately in your browser
Visual Breakdown
Charts & Projections
Tax Breakdown
How your gross pay splits across taxes and net income.
State Comparison
Take-home pay across selected states at the same salary.
Lifetime Wealth Projection
Illustrative growth of invested take-home pay over time.
In This Guide
Overview
How Your Paycheck Is Calculated
Your paycheck goes through a specific deduction sequence every pay period. Understanding the order matters — pre-tax deductions reduce your taxable income before any tax is applied, which is why a traditional 401(k) contribution is worth more than its face value.
Deduction Order: Pre-Tax First
| Priority | Deduction | Tax Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Traditional 401(k) / 403(b) | Reduces federal + state taxable income |
| 2 | Health Insurance (employer plan) | Pre-tax under Section 125 |
| 3 | HSA Contributions | Triple tax-free |
| 4 | FSA Contributions | Reduces FICA and income tax |
| 5 | Federal Income Tax | Applied to reduced taxable income |
| 6 | State Income Tax | Applied after federal adjustments |
| 7 | Social Security (6.2%) | Applied to gross, not reduced income |
| 8 | Medicare (1.45%) | Applied to gross |
| 9 | Roth 401(k) / Post-tax items | No upfront tax benefit |
2026 FICA Details
Social Security tax applies to the first $176,100 of wages (2026 wage base). Medicare applies to all wages at 1.45%, plus an additional 0.9% on wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married). Your employer pays a matching amount — the total FICA cost is 15.3% of your wages up to the SS wage base.
States With No Income Tax
Nine states have no state income tax in 2026: Texas, Florida, Nevada, Washington, Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska, Tennessee, and New Hampshire. Moving from California (top rate 13.3%) to Texas on a $150,000 salary saves roughly $15,000–$18,000 per year in state income tax alone — before accounting for cost of living differences.
For a complete breakdown of annual take-home pay by state, use our Take-Home Pay Calculator.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Methodology
Sources & Methodology
Rates and limits reflect 2026 IRS publications, SSA wage bases, and official federal guidance. Calculators use progressive federal brackets and standard deductions unless noted.