Salary & Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your real take-home pay after federal and state taxes, 401(k) and insurance, and see exactly where each dollar of your paycheck goes.
Income Details
Federal tax uses the 2026 IRS brackets and standard deduction.
Your state’s effective rate: use 0 in states with no income tax.
Paycheck Breakdown
Gross Monthly:$5,000
Federal Tax (Federal bracket 12%):-$358
State Tax:-$225
Social Security & Medicare (FICA):-$367
401(k):-$300
Health Insurance:-$200
Net Monthly Pay
$3,549
Bi-weekly
$1,638
Weekly
$819
Hourly
$20/hr
Effective Tax Rate
19.0%
Where your gross pay goes
Annual take-home: $42,594Take-homeFederal TaxState TaxSocial Security & Medicare (FICA)401(k)Health Insurance
You keep 71% of your gross pay.
Estimate for tax year 2026: standard deduction only (no credits or itemized deductions), traditional 401(k) and pre-tax health premiums, and a flat state rate. Married figures assume one earner. Not tax advice.
Related guides
Methodology
How this calculator works
Built by Andrés Soler · Updated
Formula
- Taxable income = gross − pre-tax health premiums − traditional 401(k) − standard deduction ($16,100 single · $32,200 married filing jointly, 2026)
- Federal tax = progressive 2026 brackets (10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, 37%) applied slice by slice to taxable income
- FICA = 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $184,500 + 1.45% Medicare on all wages + 0.9% Additional Medicare above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married)
- State tax = your effective state rate × (gross − pre-tax premiums − 401(k))
- Net = gross − federal − state − FICA − 401(k) − health premiums · biweekly = annual net ÷ 26 · hourly = ÷ 2,080
Assumptions & limits
- Standard deduction only: no tax credits (e.g. Child Tax Credit), itemized or other above-the-line deductions.
- 401(k) contributions are traditional (pre-tax) and health premiums are paid through a pre-tax (Section 125) plan.
- Married filing jointly assumes a single earner; with two incomes, run each paycheck and note that brackets are shared.
- State and local taxes use one flat effective rate you enter; actual state brackets and credits vary.
- Shows the tax owed for the year, which can differ from what your employer withholds on each paycheck.
Sources
- IRS: Federal income tax rates and brackets
- IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32: 2026 inflation adjustments (brackets and standard deduction)
- Social Security Administration: 2026 contribution and benefit base ($184,500)
Educational estimates, not financial advice. Check important decisions with your lender or a licensed advisor.
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