Paycheck Calculator — Gross pay minus federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state income tax equals your take-home pay. The federal calculation uses the 2024 percentage-method brackets from IRS Publication 15-T, annualised and divided by your pay periods, with the standard deduction subtracted. FICA (Social Security + Medicare) is calculated exactly as payroll systems do it: 6.2% on gross up to the $168,600 wage base for Social Security, 1.45% on all gross for Medicare, plus 0.9% on amounts above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married) for the additional Medicare tax.
All tax math runs locally. No salary data leaves your device.
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What is paycheck calculator?
Gross pay minus federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state income tax equals your take-home pay. The federal calculation uses the 2024 percentage-method brackets from IRS Publication 15-T, annualised and divided by your pay periods, with the standard deduction subtracted. FICA (Social Security + Medicare) is calculated exactly as payroll systems do it: 6.2% on gross up to the $168,600 wage base for Social Security, 1.45% on all gross for Medicare, plus 0.9% on amounts above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married) for the additional Medicare tax.
State tax is approximated with a flat marginal rate. Real state brackets vary (some are progressive like the federal system, some are flat, some states have no income tax at all), but a flat rate gives a reasonable estimate for planning purposes. For a more accurate number for your state, look up your state's withholding tables or use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator at irs.gov/W4app.
How to use it
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Enter gross pay
Type your pre-deduction gross pay per pay period — what your employer reports on your pay stub before any deductions.
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Pick your pay period
Weekly, biweekly (most common in the US), semimonthly, monthly, or annual.
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Set filing status and deductions
W-4 allowances, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), and your state tax rate. The standard deduction defaults to 2024 IRS values; toggle the override to model married-joint, additional deductions, or a different year.
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Read the breakdown
Per-period take-home plus a full breakdown of federal, FICA, state, and pre-tax. Annual figures are extrapolated.
Examples
$5,000 biweekly, single, no deductions
A common W-2 employee setup.
Result: ~$3,540 take-home per period; ~$92,000 annual net
$80,000 salary, married filing jointly, 5% 401k
A household with one earner and a 401k contribution.
Result: ~6.2% into 401k pre-tax; ~$3,077 take-home biweekly; ~$80,000 annual net
Frequently asked questions
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Last reviewed: 2026-08-23