Paycheck Calculator: Take-Home Pay
See exactly what lands in your bank account each payday: federal tax, Social Security and Medicare, and state tax, all estimated with 2026 figures.
Last updated: October 2026
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Where your paycheck goes
A paycheck is your gross pay minus a stack of deductions, taken in a fixed order. Pre-tax deductions (401(k), HSA, health premiums) come off first and shrink the income everything else is measured against. Then federal income tax is withheld based on the 2026 brackets and your filing status. Then FICA taxes: Social Security at 6.2% and Medicare at 1.45%. Then state tax, which this calculator estimates with a rate you enter. What remains is your take-home pay, the number that actually hits your bank account.
How FICA works in 2026
FICA has two parts with different rules. Social Security: 6.2% of wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Earn more than that and the Social Security bite stops growing: high earners see a visible pay bump once they cross the cap mid-year. Medicare: 1.45% of all wages with no cap, plus an additional 0.9% on wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). Your employer matches the 6.2% and 1.45% but not the extra 0.9%. Note that pre-tax 401(k) contributions reduce the wages FICA is measured on, which is one more reason they beat post-tax saving.
Pay frequency matters more than you think
Annual totals do not change with pay frequency, but budgeting does. Biweekly (26 paychecks) is the most common schedule in the US: each check is smaller than semimonthly pay, but twice a year you get a magical third paycheck in a month. Semimonthly (24) pays on fixed dates (often the 15th and 30th), which lines up neatly with monthly bills. Weekly (52) gives the smallest, most frequent checks, and monthly (12) the largest. If you budget biweekly, a good trick is to budget two paychecks per month for recurring bills and treat the two three-paycheck months as automatic savings.
Worked example
A single filer earns $75,000, paid biweekly (26 paychecks), with no pre-tax deductions and a 5% state tax estimate:
- Federal: taxable income = $75,000 minus $16,100 standard deduction = $58,900. Tax = $1,240 + $4,560 + 0.22 x $8,500 = $7,670 per year.
- FICA: Social Security 6.2% x $75,000 = $4,650; Medicare 1.45% x $75,000 = $1,087.50; total $5,737.50 per year.
- State: 5% x $75,000 = $3,750 per year.
- Net annual = $75,000 minus $7,670 minus $5,737.50 minus $3,750 = $59,842.50.
- Per paycheck: $59,842.50 / 26 = $2,301.63 take-home.
Why your real check may differ
This calculator estimates your actual tax liability, while your employer withholds using IRS tables and your W-4 settings, which are an installment plan, not the final bill. A big refund means you over-withheld during the year: an interest-free loan to the government. Owing at tax time means you under-withheld. Neither changes what you owe; only timing changes. Local income taxes (common in parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York), union dues, and post-tax deductions like Roth 401(k) contributions also shrink real checks beyond what is shown here.
Paycheck FAQs
Why is my paycheck smaller than salary divided by pay periods?
Three federal-level cuts happen first: federal income tax, Social Security (6.2% up to the wage base), and Medicare (1.45%). Then state tax, plus any pre-tax deductions like 401(k) and health premiums, and post-tax deductions. This calculator estimates all of them.
What is the Social Security wage base for 2026?
For 2026 it is $184,500: you pay 6.2% Social Security tax only on the first $184,500 of wages. Earnings above that are exempt from Social Security tax but still face Medicare tax. The calculator applies this cap automatically.
How does pay frequency change my paycheck?
Your annual numbers stay the same, but each check gets smaller with more paydays: biweekly pay (26 checks) means each check is about 7.7% smaller than semimonthly pay (24 checks). Two months a year have three biweekly paychecks, which is why some people budget on two checks and treat the third as a bonus.
Is the state tax number exact?
No, it is a rough estimate on purpose. State rules vary enormously: nine states have no income tax, others have flat rates, and progressive states like California have many brackets with their own deductions. Enter your own effective state rate for the best guess.
Do pre-tax deductions really increase my take-home pay?
They shrink your paycheck by less than the contribution amount, because every pre-tax dollar also skips federal income tax (and usually FICA). A $200 401(k) contribution might only reduce your check by about $150, depending on your bracket.
What is the additional Medicare tax?
An extra 0.9% Medicare tax applies to wages above $200,000 for single filers and $250,000 for married couples filing jointly. Unlike the base 1.45%, employers do not match it. The calculator adds it once your wages cross the threshold.
Why does my actual W-2 withholding differ from this?
Your employer withholds based on your W-4 and IRS withholding tables, which are an installment plan toward your final tax bill, not the bill itself. Adjusting your W-4 changes withholding without changing the tax you ultimately owe.