Paycheck Calculator 2026
Estimate your 2026 net pay so you can plan bills, savings and spending around the amount that reaches your bank account.
- 2026 figures, checked October 26, 2026
- 5 official sources
- Private: runs in your browser
- How we check our work
Result
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Verify before you act: review these results with a CPA or payroll professional before making any decision based on them.
Suggestions for your numbers
Updated as you type, from your inputs only. General information, not personal advice; confirm any change with a qualified professional.
See it over time
Hover over or tap the chart to see the numbers for any point.
What is a paycheck calculator?
A paycheck calculator estimates what remains from your gross pay after taxes and paycheck deductions. It is a take-home pay calculator, net pay calculator and after-tax calculator: each helps you estimate your income after tax and understand how your pay changes when you adjust withholding or benefits.
This pay calculator estimates federal income tax, state income tax, local income tax, Social Security and Medicare. It can also account for a traditional 401(k), pre-tax health, dental and HSA deductions, and extra federal withholding. The estimate is annualized, then divided by your pay frequency.
Why your take-home pay matters
Your gross salary is not the amount available for rent, loan payments, groceries or savings. An estimate of net pay helps you set a realistic budget, compare a job offer with your current pay, or decide whether a benefits change fits your cash flow.
The result can also help you plan a change before it appears on a paycheck. If you are considering a higher 401(k) contribution or adding health benefits, compare the estimated take-home amounts with and without the deduction. For tax and retirement decisions, confirm your choices with a qualified tax or financial professional.
How to use this paycheck calculator
- Choose whether you are paid a salary or hourly. Enter your annual salary or the pay information requested for hourly work.
- Select your pay frequency. This tells the calculator how many paychecks to use when dividing estimated annual pay and taxes.
- Choose your filing status and enter the number of children under 17, if applicable. These details affect the federal estimate and child tax credit.
- Select your state. Add a local income tax rate if one applies to you; leave it at zero if you do not have local income tax to enter.
- Enter your 401(k) contribution and pre-tax health, dental and HSA deductions per paycheck. Use the amounts that apply to your own pay rather than an estimate from an offer letter.
- Add extra federal withholding per paycheck if you have asked your employer to withhold more. Review the result as an estimate, then compare it with your pay stub and current withholding elections.
Paycheck calculator example
Worked example
With the sample inputs—salary of $65,000, paid every two weeks, single, no children under 17, Texas, and zero for the 401(k), pre-tax benefits, local tax and extra withholding—the estimated take-home pay is $2,092.60 per paycheck. The summary shows $54,408 a year and says taxes take 16.3% of gross. Gross pay per paycheck is $2,500.00; federal income tax is $216.15; FICA is $191.25; state income tax is none; and the marginal federal rate is 12%. The result follows the calculator’s method: estimate annual taxes and deductions, then divide by the number of paychecks.
How to read your paycheck results
Take-home pay per paycheck is the estimated amount left after the listed taxes and deductions. Compare this figure with your regular bills and savings plans, not just with your annual salary.
Gross pay is your earnings before deductions. Federal income tax and FICA are shown separately because they are calculated differently. FICA includes Social Security and Medicare. State income tax appears when the estimate includes it; employee-paid state disability and paid-leave programs may also affect the calculation where applicable. Local income tax depends on the rate you enter and the calculator’s estimate for your situation. A deduction shown as none does not mean every possible paycheck deduction has been included.
How to improve your take-home pay
- 01
Check your withholding elections
Review your W-4 and any extra withholding with your employer. If the calculator estimate and your pay stub differ, check the information entered and ask payroll how your elections are being applied. Consider asking a tax professional to review your situation before changing withholding.
- 02
Review benefit deductions
Look at the cost of your health, dental and HSA choices alongside the effect on take-home pay. Compare available plans and your expected needs before changing coverage. Confirm insurance choices with a qualified professional when you need advice.
- 03
Set a retirement contribution you can sustain
If you want to save more, model a higher traditional 401(k) contribution and see how the estimated paycheck changes. Review the plan’s rules and your household budget first. Ask a qualified tax or financial professional about retirement choices.
- 04
Use the estimate when comparing compensation
When weighing a new salary or a change in pay frequency, compare estimated take-home pay and benefits rather than gross pay alone. Include the value and cost of benefits in your decision, and check the offer details with the employer.
Common paycheck calculator mistakes
Entering annual benefits as per-paycheck amounts
The health, dental and HSA field asks for deductions per paycheck. Check your benefits paperwork so you do not enter an annual total in the wrong field.
Leaving out local income tax
If local income tax applies, omitting its rate can make the estimate too high. Check your work location and payroll information before entering a rate.
Treating the estimate as your exact deposit
The result is an estimate, not a payroll statement. Employer withholding, bonuses, mid-year pay changes and benefit updates can change your actual deposit.
Confusing marginal tax rate with tax on all your pay
The marginal federal rate is the rate on the last portion of taxable income under the estimate. It is not the percentage charged on every dollar you earn.
The paycheck calculator formula
Gross pay is annualized, then reduced by 401(k) and pre-tax benefit deductions. Federal income tax applies the 2026 brackets after the standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 joint, $24,150 head of household) and the $2,200 per-child credit.
Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Medicare is 1.45% of all wages plus 0.9% above $200,000.
State income tax uses each state's 2026 brackets, standard deduction, exemptions and personal credits. State disability and paid-leave programs are deducted where they are employee-paid. The annual total is divided by the number of paychecks.
Key terms
- Gross pay
- Pay before taxes and paycheck deductions.
- Take-home pay
- Estimated pay remaining after the taxes and deductions included in the calculation.
- FICA
- Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld from wages.
- Marginal federal rate
- The federal income tax rate applied to the last portion of taxable income in the estimate.
- Pre-tax deduction
- An eligible deduction taken from pay before certain income taxes are calculated. Treatment depends on the deduction and tax rules.
Paycheck calculator questions
Why is my actual paycheck different?
Employers withhold using your W-4 and the IRS percentage-method tables, which approximate the annual tax this calculator estimates. Bonuses, mid-year raises and benefit changes also shift withholding.
Does a 401(k) contribution lower my taxes?
Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce federal and most state income tax, but not Social Security or Medicare. Pennsylvania taxes them.
Does this calculator include state disability or paid-leave deductions?
It includes employee-paid state disability and paid-leave programs where applicable. Review your pay stub and state payroll information to confirm which deductions apply to you.
What does the marginal federal rate mean?
It is the federal tax rate applied to the last portion of taxable income in the estimate. Your total federal income tax is calculated across the applicable brackets, so the marginal rate is not your overall tax rate.
Why does the calculator ask for a local income tax rate?
Some locations impose local income taxes. Enter the rate that applies to you if you know it, and check local payroll or tax information if you are unsure.
Sources
- IRS, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 tax tables and amounts)
- SSA, 2026 Social Security wage base
- Tax Foundation, state income tax rates and brackets, 2026
- EY Tax News, 2026 state disability and paid leave rates
- IRS, Publication 15-T (federal income tax withholding)
Before you act on this result. Cordwell calculators and guides are educational estimates, not legal, tax, investment, lending or other professional advice. They rely on the numbers you enter and on simplified rules, and they can't see your full situation. Before you file, sign, borrow, invest, hire, change your withholding or form a business based on anything here, meet with a CPA or payroll professional who can review your specific facts and confirm the numbers. Rules change, and official agency guidance always controls.