Paycheck Calculator
Enter your gross pay, filing status, and deductions to see your net take-home pay broken down by tax — all calculated in your browser.
How to use Paycheck Calculator
This paycheck calculator estimates your take-home pay after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax, so you can see exactly how much lands in your bank account each pay period. Enter your gross pay and frequency, pick your filing status, and add pre-tax deductions like a 401(k) to see your net pay per paycheck and per year, plus a full breakdown of where every dollar of withholding goes.
- Enter your gross pay for one paycheck and choose how often you are paid.
- Select your federal filing status (single, married, or head of household).
- Add any pre-tax deductions such as 401(k) or health premiums.
- Enter an approximate state income-tax rate for your location.
- Review your net pay per paycheck and the annual tax breakdown.
Your data never leaves your device — 100% private processing.
How take-home pay is calculated
Your net pay starts from annual gross income, then subtracts pre-tax deductions to find taxable wages. Federal income tax is applied to taxable income after the standard deduction using progressive brackets, while FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare) are charged on gross wages before the standard deduction. State tax is applied to wages after pre-tax deductions. Whatever remains after all of these is your take-home pay, which this tool divides back across your pay periods.
| Withholding | Rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security | 6.2% | Wages up to $168,600 |
| Medicare | 1.45% | All wages |
| Additional Medicare | 0.9% | Wages over $200,000 |
| Federal income tax | 10%–37% | Taxable income after deductions |
Why pre-tax deductions boost your net pay efficiency
Contributions to a traditional 401(k), HSA or pre-tax health plan come out of your pay before income tax is calculated, lowering your taxable income. That means each dollar you save reduces your tax bill, so the true cost to your paycheck is less than the amount contributed. This is why financial planners encourage capturing at least your full employer match — it is effectively tax-advantaged money you would otherwise hand to the government.
Worked examples
Single, $60k/yr
Inputs: $60,000 · single · no deductions
Result: ~$47k net · ~$13k taxes
Bi-weekly
Inputs: $2,500/paycheck · 5% state
Result: Net shown per paycheck and per year
Glossary
- Gross pay
- Your total earnings for a pay period before any taxes or deductions.
- Net pay
- Your take-home amount after all taxes and deductions are withheld.
- FICA
- Federal payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare, split between you and your employer.
- Standard deduction
- A fixed amount subtracted from income before federal tax brackets apply.
- Pre-tax deduction
- An amount withheld before income tax is calculated, lowering taxable income.
Related reading
Frequently Asked Questions
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Why use Paycheck Calculator?
- Transparent formulas so you understand every calculation
- Supports multiple currencies and regional tax rules
- Saves you from spreadsheet errors with validated inputs
- Shareable results for discussions with advisors or partners
Common use cases
- Calculate how long to pay off a credit card balance
- Model different mortgage scenarios before house hunting
- Forecast investment growth with compound interest
- Break even analysis for a new product or service
- Compare net salary after tax across different countries
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