Paycheck Calculator

Start with gross pay, subtract pre-tax deductions like a traditional 401(k) and health premiums, then subtract federal income tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare, and any state or local taxes. Finally, subtract after-tax deductions like Roth 401(k) contributions. What's left is your net, or take-home, pay.

Employees pay 6.2% for Social Security on wages up to $184,500 and 1.5% for Medicare on all wages — 7.6% in total for most workers. Once your wages from one employer pass $200,000, your employer also withholds 0.90% Additional Medicare Tax.

Common reasons include benefits not entered here (commuter, dependent care, life insurance), bonuses or overtime withheld at a supplemental rate, local taxes, mid-year raises, or reaching the Social Security wage base partway through the year. Your employer may also use a slightly different state withholding formula.

A traditional (pre-tax) 401(k) contribution lowers the wages subject to federal income tax and, in most states, state income tax. It doesn't lower Social Security or Medicare tax. A Roth 401(k) contribution comes out after taxes, so it doesn't lower your tax now, but qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free.

Biweekly means every two weeks — 26 paychecks a year, with two months that have three paychecks. Semimonthly means twice a month, usually on set dates like the 15th and the last day — 24 paychecks a year. The same salary gives a slightly smaller biweekly paycheck than a semimonthly one.

Step 2 raises withholding if you have more than one job or your spouse works. Step 3 lowers it for credits such as the child tax credit. Step 4(a) raises it for other income, 4(b) lowers it for deductions beyond the standard deduction, and 4(c) adds a flat extra amount per paycheck. Enter the same values here to match your employer's calculation.

Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming don't tax wage income. Washington does tax some capital gains, and New Hampshire used to tax interest and dividends, but neither taxes wages.

Usually, yes. Most employer health, dental, and vision premiums are paid through a Section 125 cafeteria plan, which lowers the wages subject to federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare. Payroll HSA contributions work the same way for federal taxes. A few states, such as California and New Jersey, tax HSA contributions.

No. Your tax bracket is the rate on your last dollar of taxable income. Your effective rate is your total tax divided by your total gross pay, which is lower because the first part of your income is taxed at lower rates or not at all. This calculator's effective rate includes FICA and state taxes.

Multiply your hourly rate by your hours per week and by 52 to get annual pay, then divide by your number of pay periods. For example, $25 an hour for 40 hours a week is $52,000 a year, or $2,000 gross per biweekly paycheck before taxes.