Payroll estimate tool
Paycheck Calculator
Use this paycheck calculator to estimate take-home pay from salary or hourly wages after pre-tax deductions, federal withholding, state tax, local tax, Social Security, Medicare, and post-tax deductions.
Income and Pay Schedule
Deductions and Income Tax Withholding
FICA Settings
How to Use the Paycheck Calculator
Choose annual salary or hourly wage, then enter your pay frequency. Add pre-tax deductions, post-tax deductions, estimated federal income tax withholding, state tax, and local tax. The paycheck calculator estimates gross pay, taxable wages, employee FICA taxes, total withholding, and take-home pay for one paycheck.
This take-home pay calculator is designed for planning and comparison. It does not replace payroll software, Form W-4 instructions, or professional tax advice. Use your real paystub or HR payroll settings whenever possible.
What the Results Mean
- Gross paycheck: pay before taxes and deductions for the selected pay period.
- Net paycheck: estimated take-home pay after taxes and deductions.
- Tax withholding: federal, state, and local income tax based on your custom percentage inputs.
- FICA taxes: Social Security, Medicare, and optional Additional Medicare withholding.
What This Take-Home Pay Calculator Includes
The calculator includes the most common paycheck items: salary or hourly earnings, overtime, pay frequency, pre-tax deductions, income tax withholding percentages, Social Security tax, Medicare tax, Additional Medicare tax, and post-tax deductions. This makes it useful for comparing a job offer, planning a raise, estimating a new schedule, or checking how a benefit deduction changes take-home pay.
The federal, state, and local income tax fields are intentionally editable percentages. Actual income tax withholding depends on your Form W-4, filing status, dependents, extra withholding, taxable benefits, state rules, local rules, and payroll method. Instead of hard-coding tax brackets that can become outdated, this paycheck calculator lets you enter the withholding rate that best matches your paystub or planning scenario.
The default FICA settings use 2026 employee payroll tax values: 6.2% Social Security up to a $184,500 wage base, 1.45% Medicare on covered wages, and optional 0.9% Additional Medicare tax above $200,000. You can edit every FICA field if your situation or year is different.
Paycheck Planning Tips
- Use pre-tax deductions for items such as traditional 401(k), HSA, FSA, and some health insurance premiums.
- Use post-tax deductions for Roth contributions, wage garnishments, after-tax benefits, or other deductions taken after tax.
- If your paystub shows federal income tax as a dollar amount, divide that amount by taxable pay to estimate a percentage.
- If you are near or above the Social Security wage base, enter year-to-date taxable wages before this check.
- For a contractor or self-employed estimate, do not use this as a full self-employment tax calculator.
Related Calculators
Use these tools with the paycheck calculator when comparing income, debt, savings, and job offers.
Payroll Tax References
For official payroll tax details, compare this estimate with the IRS Social Security and Medicare withholding rates and the SSA contribution and benefit base.
Paycheck Calculator FAQ
How do I calculate take-home pay?
Start with gross pay, subtract pre-tax deductions, subtract estimated income tax withholding and employee FICA taxes, then subtract post-tax deductions. The remaining amount is estimated take-home pay.
Does this paycheck calculator use federal tax brackets?
No. Federal income tax is entered as an estimated withholding percentage. This keeps the calculator flexible for different Form W-4 settings, filing situations, and tax years.
What is FICA on a paycheck?
FICA is the combination of employee Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes. The calculator can include Social Security, Medicare, and optional Additional Medicare tax.
Why is my real paycheck different from this estimate?
Your real paycheck may include benefits, retirement elections, taxable fringe benefits, employer payroll settings, state-specific rules, local tax rules, unpaid time, bonuses, commissions, or W-4 adjustments.
Can I use this for hourly overtime pay?
Yes. Select hourly wage, enter regular hours, overtime hours, overtime multiplier, paid weeks per year, and pay frequency. The calculator annualizes the hourly pay and converts it into the selected paycheck schedule.