Take-Home Pay Calculator
See what actually lands in your bank account each payday. This calculator applies the 2026 federal tax brackets, Social Security and Medicare taxes, your state tax, and pre-tax deductions like your 401(k) and health insurance - all in your browser, nothing sent to a server.
Your Pay & Deductions
Pre-Tax Deductions
Percent of salary, traditional (pre-tax) contributions
Your share of the premium
Enter 0 for no-income-tax states (TX, FL, WA, NV, TN, SD, WY, AK, NH). Most others fall between 3% and 7%.
Your Paycheck
Per-Paycheck Breakdown
Reading Your Results
- • A 401(k) contribution doesn't reduce your paycheck dollar-for-dollar - the tax deduction gives some of it back
- • Try bumping your 401(k) by 1% and watch how little the paycheck actually drops
- • Your effective tax rate is almost always far below your bracket - see the breakdown
- • If your real paycheck differs a lot from this, check your W-4 withholding settings
- • Moving states? Rerun with the new state rate - it can be a four-figure difference
Where Your Paycheck Goes
The Path From Gross to Net
Your salary takes four hits before it reaches you. First, pre-tax deductions come off the top: 401(k), HSA, and health insurance premiums. Then federal income tax applies to what's left, minus the standard deduction, through the progressive brackets. FICA - Social Security and Medicare - takes its flat cut. Finally, your state takes its share, anywhere from nothing to double digits.
The order matters, and it's what makes pre-tax deductions powerful: every dollar into your 401(k) skips federal and state income tax entirely. At a 22% federal bracket plus 4.5% state, a $100 contribution only shrinks your paycheck by about $73. HSA and health premiums do even better - they typically skip FICA too.
Brackets Don't Work the Way People Think
Landing "in the 22% bracket" doesn't mean you pay 22% on everything - only on the dollars above that bracket's threshold. Your first dollars are taxed at 10%, the next slice at 12%, and so on. That's why the effective rate this calculator shows is always well below your top bracket, and why a raise can never leave you with less take-home pay.
This calculator uses the standard deduction, which most taxpayers take. If you itemize - large mortgage interest, big charitable giving - your federal tax will be somewhat lower than shown. For the full federal-plus-state picture, our Income Tax Calculator goes deeper on the annual numbers.
Making Your Paycheck Work Harder
The Cheapest Raise: Pre-Tax Savings
If your employer matches 401(k) contributions, contribute at least enough to capture the full match before anything else - it's an instant 50-100% return no investment can beat. Beyond the match, each additional percent costs less than it looks, because the tax savings subsidize it. Use the calculator above to find the contribution level where your budget still works.
An HSA, if you're on a high-deductible health plan, is the most tax-advantaged account that exists: deductible going in, tax-free growth, tax-free out for medical costs - and through payroll it skips FICA as well.
When Your Withholding Is Wrong
A big tax refund means you overpaid all year - an interest-free loan to the IRS. Owing a scary amount in April means the opposite. Either way, the fix is your W-4: adjust it with the IRS withholding estimator after any job change, marriage, or new dependent, and your paycheck will track your real tax bill more closely.
Common Paycheck Surprises
- • Bonuses are typically withheld at a flat 22% federal rate - you settle up to your real rate at tax time
- • High earners see Social Security tax stop mid-year once wages pass the annual cap - paychecks jump
- • An extra 0.9% Medicare tax kicks in on wages above $200,000
- • Twice-a-month pay (24 checks) gives bigger checks than biweekly (26), but two biweekly months a year bring three checks
- • Local/city income taxes (NYC, Philadelphia, many Ohio cities) aren't in this estimate
Budgeting From Net, Not Gross
Every budgeting rule works better applied to take-home pay. Once you know your real monthly number, put it through the 50/30/20 Budget Calculator to split it into needs, wants, and savings - or build a line-item plan with the Budget Planner.
Keep Exploring
Now that you know your real number:
- • Get the full annual picture with the Income Tax Calculator
- • See what those 401(k) dollars become with the 401(k) Calculator
- • Turn take-home pay into a plan with the Budget Planner Calculator
- • Read Income Planning: How to Build a Reliable and Tax-Efficient Income Stream
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my paycheck so much smaller than my salary?
Between federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), state tax, and deductions like health insurance and retirement contributions, most workers take home roughly 70-80% of gross pay. The breakdown above shows exactly where each dollar of the gap goes for your situation.
How much tax comes out of a $75,000 salary?
For a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions, roughly $8,000-$9,000 in federal income tax plus about $5,700 in FICA, before state tax - a total effective rate around 18-20% of gross in a typical state. Pre-tax 401(k) and health deductions lower it further; enter your own numbers above for a precise figure.
Does contributing to a 401(k) reduce my paycheck dollar-for-dollar?
No - that's the best part. Traditional 401(k) contributions come out before income tax, so a $100 contribution at a 22% federal + 5% state rate only shrinks your check by about $73. The other $27 is tax you didn't pay. You're saving $100 at a cost of $73.
What is FICA and can I avoid it?
FICA is Social Security (6.2% up to an annual wage cap) plus Medicare (1.45%, uncapped, plus 0.9% extra above $200,000). It funds your future benefits and applies to nearly all wages. 401(k) contributions don't escape it, but health premiums and payroll HSA contributions typically do.
Why does my actual paycheck differ from this calculator?
Employers withhold based on your W-4 elections, which may not match your true tax bill - plus this estimate can't see local city taxes, itemized deductions, tax credits, or benefits like dental, vision, and life insurance premiums. Treat it as a close estimate of your true net, not a prediction of the withholding line.
How are bonuses taxed?
Most employers withhold a flat 22% federal on bonuses (plus FICA and state), which is why bonus checks feel heavily taxed. But bonuses are ultimately taxed as ordinary income - at tax time it all settles to your real rate, so you may get some of that withholding back as a refund.
Which states have no income tax?
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming have no state income tax on wages, and New Hampshire taxes only certain investment income. Enter 0% for these. Keep in mind no-tax states often make it up elsewhere - property and sales taxes tend to run higher.
How can I increase my take-home pay?
Fix over-withholding via your W-4 if you get large refunds; that's money you can collect each payday instead of next April. Beyond that, the honest levers are raising income and lowering taxes: pre-tax 401(k) and HSA contributions cut your tax bill while building wealth - a better outcome than a slightly bigger check spent.