Paycheck Calculator
Free take-home pay estimator · 2026 federal tax rates · Select your state for state income tax
$
Gross per paycheck $2,500.00
Federal income tax −$0.00
Social Security (6.2%) −$0.00
Medicare (1.45%) −$0.00
State income tax $0.00 ✓ No state tax
Take-home pay $0.00
This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. Actual withholding depends on your W-4 elections, employer payroll system, and other factors.
Select your state for a more accurate calculation
State income tax varies from 0% (Texas, Florida, Washington, and 6 other states) to over 13% (California). Pick your state for the exact calculation:
- Texas — No state income tax
- California — Progressive, up to 12.3%
- New York — Progressive, up to 10.9%
- Florida — No state income tax
- Illinois — Flat 4.95%
- Washington — No state income tax
- Ohio — Progressive, 0–3.5%
- Georgia — Flat 5.39%
- Pennsylvania — Flat 3.07%
- North Carolina — Flat 4.5%
See all 50 state calculators →
How federal paycheck withholding works
Federal income tax withholding is calculated using the annualization method from IRS Publication 15-T:
- Multiply your per-period gross pay by the number of pay periods per year to get your annual wages.
- Subtract the standard deduction based on your filing status ($15,000 for single, $30,000 for married, $22,500 for head of household in 2026).
- Apply the 2026 federal tax brackets to the remaining taxable income.
- Divide the resulting annual tax by your number of pay periods to get per-paycheck withholding.
FICA taxes: Social Security and Medicare
Social Security is withheld at 6.2% on the first $176,100 of wages in 2026. Once you hit this wage base in a calendar year, Social Security withholding stops for that year. Medicare is withheld at 1.45% with no cap. High earners also pay an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax on wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married).