How the paycheck calculator works
The calculator estimates a full year of 2026 taxes, then divides by your number of paychecks. Federal income tax uses the 2026 standard deduction and brackets from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32, the same figures as our income tax calculator.
Social Security = 6.2% of pay up to $184,500
Medicare = 1.45% of all pay (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 joint)
State = your flat % × (pay − pre-tax deductions)
Take-home = pay − deductions − all taxes
Traditional 401(k) and 403(b) contributions lower federal income tax but not Social Security or Medicare. State tax is a simple flat rate you enter, because state rules vary widely; leave it at 0 for states with no wage income tax. Real withholding follows your W-4 and IRS Publication 15-T, so paychecks can differ by a few dollars.
Worked example
A single filer paid $65,000 a year every two weeks, putting $100 a paycheck into a 401(k), earns $2,500.00 per paycheck. The $2,600 of yearly 401(k) savings and the $16,100 standard deduction leave $46,300 of taxable income, so federal tax is $1,240 + 12% of $33,900 = $5,308, or $204.15 a paycheck. Social Security is $155.00 and Medicare $36.25. Take-home is about $2,004.60 per paycheck, or $52,119.50 a year.
Frequently asked questions
How is take-home pay calculated?
Gross pay minus pre-tax deductions, federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and any state or local tax. This estimate uses 2026 federal rules and an optional flat state rate.
What is the 2026 Social Security wage base?
$184,500. Social Security tax of 6.2% stops once your 2026 wages pass that amount, according to the Social Security Administration. Medicare has no wage cap.
Why does my real paycheck differ from the estimate?
Employers withhold using your W-4 and the IRS Publication 15-T tables, and your pay may include benefits, credits or state rules this estimate does not model.
Do 401(k) contributions reduce FICA?
No. Traditional 401(k) contributions lower federal income tax but are still subject to Social Security and Medicare tax.
Updated October 2026. Results are estimates for education, not financial or medical advice. All math runs in your browser; nothing you type is sent anywhere.