Frequently asked questions
- How accurate is this paycheck calculator?
- The calculator uses the IRS Publication 15-T 2026 percentage-method tables for federal income tax withholding, the current SSA wage base ($184,500) for Social Security, the 1.45% Medicare rate, the 0.9% Additional Medicare threshold ($200,000 for single filers), and each state’s 2026 withholding guidance. It is an estimate, not an exact prediction. Real paychecks can differ because of mid-year W-4 changes, multi-state nexus, garnishments, supplemental wage rules, and employer-specific benefits elections.
- Does it cover all 50 states?
- Yes, plus the District of Columbia. Flat-rate states use the published flat rate. Progressive-bracket states use the 2026 brackets. The nine no-state-income-tax states return $0 in the state line: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.
- Does it include local taxes?
- The basic Paycheck Calculator does not include city or county income tax. For NYC, Yonkers, Philadelphia, Detroit, Ohio RITA and CCA cities, and Indiana/Maryland counties, use the dedicated Local Paycheck Tax Calculator at /us/local-paycheck-taxes/.
- Why is my real paycheck different from the estimate?
- Common reasons include: extra W-4 withholding, year-to-date wages near or above the Social Security wage base, additional Medicare kicking in, mid-year benefits enrolments, pre-tax deductions you forgot to enter, garnishments, multi-state work, supplemental wages taxed at the 22% flat rate, and employer payroll software rounding. The estimate is directional; for a precise figure verify with payroll.
- Does this calculator handle pre-tax 401(k) and HSA?
- Yes. Enter pre-tax deductions per period to reduce federal-taxable wages and state-taxable wages where the state follows federal pre-tax treatment. Roth 401(k), Roth IRA, and other post-tax items go into the post-tax deductions line and come off net pay.
- Is this affiliated with the IRS, my employer, or my state?
- No. PayslipIQ is an independent educational resource. It is not affiliated with the IRS, the Social Security Administration, the Department of Labor, any state tax agency, any employer, or any payroll provider. Always verify with an official source or a qualified professional.
- Is there a Spanish version?
- Yes. /es/calculadora-de-cheque/ is the Spanish-beta version of the Paycheck Calculator.
- How does the calculator handle hourly workers?
- For hourly pay, multiply your rate by hours worked in the period and enter that as gross pay. For overtime, use the Overtime Pay page or the Gross-to-Net Calculator, which can model 1.5x overtime explicitly. For salaried-to-hourly equivalence, use /us/salary-to-hourly/.
USA · 2026 · Educational only
US Paycheck Calculator
Enter your gross pay, state, and filing status. PayslipIQ estimates federal income tax, FICA, state tax, and your take-home, and explains every line. Educational only.
In plain English
A paycheck calculator estimates your take-home pay by subtracting federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), and state income tax from your gross pay. Enter your gross, pay frequency, state, and filing status, and PayslipIQ returns each deduction with a plain-English explanation. It uses the IRS Publication 15-T 2026 method and the 2026 Social Security wage base of $184,500. Results are estimates only — your real paycheck depends on your W-4 and employer settings.
Calculator
Enter gross, state, and filing status. Estimates only.
| Gross pay | $3000.00 |
| Federal income tax (est.) | −$320.38 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$186.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | −$43.50 |
| State income tax (est.) | −$198.00 |
| Estimated take-home (net) | $2252.12 |
Tax year 2026. Federal withholding uses the IRS Pub. 15-T 2026 percentage method (Standard Withholding tables). Social Security is capped at the SSA 2026 wage base of $184,500. State tax uses the most recently verified flat or top-marginal rate and may not reflect mid-year changes, brackets, or local taxes (NYC, Yonkers, PA EIT, Ohio RITA, MD county, KY occupational, IN county, DE Wilmington, MO KC/STL, OR Multnomah). Worker contributions like CA SDI, NJ SDI/FLI/UI, NY PFL, MA PFML, OR Paid Leave, WA PFML/Cares, RI TDI/TCI, CO FAMLI are not included. Use the result as a starting point, not a final answer. Your real paycheck depends on year-to-date wages, dependents, multiple jobs, and employer-specific settings.
How this calculator works
Federal income tax withholding uses the IRS Publication 15-T 2026 percentage method. FICA uses the current SSA wage base ($184,500) and Medicare rate (1.45%, plus 0.9% Additional Medicare above $200,000 for single filers). State withholding follows each state’s published 2026 guidance.
The calculator surfaces every line with a one-paragraph explanation. We are not a payroll provider. Your employer’s actual withholding may differ because of payroll software, mid-year W-4 changes, supplemental wage rules, garnishments, and benefits elections. Use this for understanding, not for filing.
How to use it
- Enter your gross pay. Type your gross pay per period (weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly, or annual).
- Pick your pay frequency. Match the frequency to whatever your employer pays you. Bi-weekly is the most common in the US.
- Pick your state. State income tax varies. Nine states have none. The rest use flat rates or progressive brackets.
- Pick your filing status. Single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, or head of household.
- Add pre-tax and post-tax deductions. Pre-tax (401(k), HSA, Section 125 health) reduces taxable wages. Post-tax (Roth, garnishments) comes off net.
- Read the breakdown. The calculator returns federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, state tax, and net pay, with a one-line explanation for each.
Frequently asked
- How accurate is this paycheck calculator?
- The calculator uses the IRS Publication 15-T 2026 percentage-method tables for federal income tax withholding, the current SSA wage base ($184,500) for Social Security, the 1.45% Medicare rate, the 0.9% Additional Medicare threshold ($200,000 for single filers), and each state’s 2026 withholding guidance. It is an estimate, not an exact prediction. Real paychecks can differ because of mid-year W-4 changes, multi-state nexus, garnishments, supplemental wage rules, and employer-specific benefits elections.
- Does it cover all 50 states?
- Yes, plus the District of Columbia. Flat-rate states use the published flat rate. Progressive-bracket states use the 2026 brackets. The nine no-state-income-tax states return $0 in the state line: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.
- Does it include local taxes?
- The basic Paycheck Calculator does not include city or county income tax. For NYC, Yonkers, Philadelphia, Detroit, Ohio RITA and CCA cities, and Indiana/Maryland counties, use the dedicated Local Paycheck Tax Calculator at /us/local-paycheck-taxes/.
- Why is my real paycheck different from the estimate?
- Common reasons include: extra W-4 withholding, year-to-date wages near or above the Social Security wage base, additional Medicare kicking in, mid-year benefits enrolments, pre-tax deductions you forgot to enter, garnishments, multi-state work, supplemental wages taxed at the 22% flat rate, and employer payroll software rounding. The estimate is directional; for a precise figure verify with payroll.
- Does this calculator handle pre-tax 401(k) and HSA?
- Yes. Enter pre-tax deductions per period to reduce federal-taxable wages and state-taxable wages where the state follows federal pre-tax treatment. Roth 401(k), Roth IRA, and other post-tax items go into the post-tax deductions line and come off net pay.
- Is this affiliated with the IRS, my employer, or my state?
- No. PayslipIQ is an independent educational resource. It is not affiliated with the IRS, the Social Security Administration, the Department of Labor, any state tax agency, any employer, or any payroll provider. Always verify with an official source or a qualified professional.
- Is there a Spanish version?
- Yes. /es/calculadora-de-cheque/ is the Spanish-beta version of the Paycheck Calculator.
- How does the calculator handle hourly workers?
- For hourly pay, multiply your rate by hours worked in the period and enter that as gross pay. For overtime, use the Overtime Pay page or the Gross-to-Net Calculator, which can model 1.5x overtime explicitly. For salaried-to-hourly equivalence, use /us/salary-to-hourly/.
Related tools
Want to go further?
The calculators and guides here are free. If you want a closer look at one specific stub, these optional next steps go deeper.
How PayslipIQ stays free: the tools and guides are free to use. PayslipIQ offers optional paid reports and monitoring, and links to independent CPA and tax-preparer directories. It is not affiliated with the IRS, the SSA, any employer, or any payroll provider, and does not sell user data. Educational only, not tax, legal, or financial advice.
PayslipIQ provides educational information and estimated calculations only. It does not provide tax, legal, financial, accounting, employment, benefits, or payroll advice. PayslipIQ is not a CPA firm, law firm, financial advisor, payroll provider, or tax authority. Always verify your paycheck, deductions, withholdings, and tax position with your employer's payroll department, a qualified CPA, the IRS, your state tax authority, or another appropriately qualified professional. Calculations are estimates; your actual paycheck may differ based on factors specific to your employer, location, benefits elections, and personal tax situation.