Paycheck Take-Home Calculator
Estimate your take-home pay. Enter your gross salary, pay frequency, tax rates, and pre-tax deductions for an approximate net paycheck. This is a rough estimate, not exact payroll withholding.
Where your paycheck goes
How you compare
The median household income over time
U.S. median household income, 1990–2024 (current dollars, not inflation-adjusted).
U.S. Census Bureau, CPS ASEC historical income tables; 2024 = $83,730.
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Check it outWhere your paycheck goes
Take-home pay is your gross (plus any other taxable income) minus FICA (Social Security at 6.2% up to the wage base, plus Medicare at 1.45%, plus an extra 0.9% on income above $200,000 single / $250,000 joint), federal and state income tax, and any pre-tax deductions like 401(k), HSA, or health premiums. This uses simple estimated rates for a quick approximation — your real withholding depends on brackets, filing status, and allowances, so treat it as a ballpark and check a pay stub for exact figures.
Pre-tax deductions aren't all treated the same for FICA. A traditional 401(k) contribution skips federal and state income tax, but it's still counted as FICA wages (you still pay Social Security and Medicare on it). HSA contributions and health-insurance premiums paid through a payroll Section 125 (cafeteria) plan typically skip income tax and FICA, which is why they save slightly more tax per dollar than a 401(k) does.
How it’s calculated
Take-home = (gross + other taxable income) − FICA − federal income tax − state income tax − all pre-tax deductions. FICA is calculated on gross pay minus HSA contributions and insurance premiums only (both typically FICA-exempt) — 6.2% Social Security up to the $184,500 wage base, plus 1.45% Medicare, plus the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax above $200,000 single / $250,000 joint. Federal and state taxable income is gross plus other income, minus 401(k), HSA, insurance, other pre-tax deductions, and other above-the-line deductions (2026 brackets and standard deduction for your filing status; state tax uses either the flat rate you enter or, if you pick a state, that state's real 2026 progressive brackets). A simplified dependent credit of $2,000 per dependent is then subtracted from the federal tax estimate, floored at $0 — this approximates the Child Tax Credit's rough size without modeling its income phase-outs or qualifying-child rules. City/local income tax is not modeled.
Results update as you type and are estimates, not professional advice — verify important decisions with a qualified professional.
Sources: IRS; Social Security Administration; Tax Foundation (state rates).
Worked example
A $60,000 salary, bi-weekly, with $5,000 pre-tax deductions nets roughly $1,684 per paycheck. Add 2 dependents, $10,000 to a traditional 401(k), $3,000 to an HSA, and $2,000 in payroll health-insurance premiums, and select California as the state: take-home per paycheck becomes roughly $1,348. Federal tax drops to about $0 after the dependent credit, since the much larger pre-tax deductions and the credit combine to erase the (now-smaller) federal liability, but the added $20,000/yr in pre-tax deductions and California's state tax mean take-home per paycheck is lower overall than the simpler baseline example.
Common mistakes
- Using a flat rate as if it were exact withholding.
- Forgetting FICA and pre-tax deductions.
Frequently asked questions
Is this my exact paycheck?
Close, but no — federal tax uses the real 2026 brackets and standard deduction for your filing status, while state tax is either the flat rate you enter or, if you pick a state from the dropdown, that state's real 2026 brackets. Actual withholding also depends on your W-4, credits, and local taxes.
What is FICA?
Social Security (6.2% up to the annual wage base) and Medicare (1.45%, no cap). Employers pay a matching share.
Why do pre-tax deductions help?
They lower your taxable income, so you owe less income tax — though the money still leaves your paycheck for that benefit.
Do 401(k) and HSA contributions reduce FICA too?
It depends on the account. A traditional 401(k) contribution is exempt from federal and state income tax but is still subject to FICA (Social Security and Medicare) — it reduces your income-tax bill but not your FICA bill. HSA contributions and health-insurance premiums made through a payroll (Section 125 cafeteria) plan are typically exempt from both income tax and FICA, which is why they save slightly more tax per dollar.
How are dependents handled?
This calculator applies a simplified approximate credit of $2,000 per dependent against your estimated federal tax liability, floored at $0. It does not model the full Child Tax Credit phase-outs, qualifying-child rules, or the separate credit for other dependents — treat it as directional, not exact.
Can I select my state instead of entering a flat rate?
Yes — choose a state from the dropdown to apply its actual 2026 progressive tax brackets, or leave it on "Custom rate" to use the flat percentage you enter. City or local income taxes are not modeled since they're highly localized; check your city's rules separately if applicable.
How does the state median comparison work?
Pick a state and the calculator also benchmarks your gross pay against that state’s median household income (Census CPS ASEC via FRED, 2024) — a second compare bar shows where you land within your state. Your state choice is remembered in your browser only. You can also type your county for a county-level comparison (Census ACS).