Tennessee has no state income tax. Your paycheck only has federal tax (income tax + FICA) and any local taxes that apply.
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.
How a Tennessee paycheck is built
Every Tennessee worker pays federal income tax, calculated on the W-4 you submitted to your employer using the IRS Publication 15-T tables. Federal income tax is followed by FICA: 6.2 percent Social Security up to the annual wage base, plus 1.45 percent Medicare on every dollar. The 0.9 percent Additional Medicare Tax applies once year-to-date wages cross $200,000 single or $250,000 married filing jointly.
Tennessee levies no state income tax on wages. Your paycheck has only federal layers, no state line.
What changed recently in Tennessee
- Hall Tax phaseout completed 2021.
- No state income tax change planned.
- No state PFL or SDI.
Tennessee payroll quirks workers should know
- No state withholding on Tennessee paychecks.
- No local income tax.
Example breakdown
A hypothetical Tennessee worker on a $65,000 annual salary, paid bi-weekly, single filer, no extra adjustments. Educational only, your real paycheck differs.
| Gross (bi-weekly) | $2500.00 |
| Federal income tax | -$250.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$155.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$36.25 |
| Tennessee state tax | $0.00 (no state income tax) |
| Estimated take-home | $2058.75 |
Run your own numbers in the Tennessee paycheck calculator.
Authoritative sources
Frequently asked questions
- Does Tennessee have state income tax?
- No. Tennessee levies no state income tax on wages.
- Are there local income taxes in Tennessee?
- No. Tennessee does not have local income taxes on wages.
- Does Tennessee have State Disability Insurance or Paid Family Leave premiums?
- No. Tennessee does not have state-mandated SDI or PFL employee premiums.
- Does Tennessee have daily-overtime rules?
- No. Tennessee follows federal FLSA: 1.5x for hours above 40 in a workweek.
- What is FICA on a Tennessee paycheck?
- FICA is federal: 6.2 percent Social Security up to the annual wage base, plus 1.45 percent Medicare on every dollar. The 0.9 percent Additional Medicare Tax applies above $200,000 single or $250,000 married filing jointly. FICA applies in every state.
- Where do I verify Tennessee state tax withholding?
- The Tennessee Department of Revenue (https://www.tn.gov/revenue.html) is the authoritative source. For your specific paycheck, contact your employer's payroll team or a CPA.
- Did Tennessee actually become a no-income-tax state?
- For wages, always was. The Hall Tax on interest and dividends was finally phased out in 2021, making Tennessee fully no-income-tax now.