Paycheck Calculator 2026 (Take-Home Pay After Tax)
Enter your salary, pay frequency and deductions to see your take-home pay per paycheck.
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Paycheck Calculator 2026 (Take-Home Pay After Tax) by TheCalcTools
How the Paycheck Calculator 2026 (Take-Home Pay After Tax) works
Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce wages for federal and most state income tax, but not for Social Security and Medicare. Pre-tax health premiums (section 125) reduce all of them.
Federal tax uses 2026 brackets on annual wages minus the standard deduction, spread evenly over your paychecks. Social Security is 6.2% up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500; Medicare is 1.45%, plus 0.9% on wages above $200,000.
State tax is a flat estimate you enter, because each state has its own brackets and rules. Actual withholding follows your W-4, so paychecks can differ slightly from this estimate.
The formula
Worked example
Using the default values shown in the calculator:
| Annual gross salary | $72000 |
|---|---|
| Pay frequency | Every two weeks |
| Filing status | Single |
| 401(k) or other pre-tax contribution | 5 % of pay |
| Pre-tax health insurance per paycheck | $120 |
| State and local income tax rate (flat estimate) | 4.5 % |
- 401(k): 5% × $72,000 = $3,600. Health: $120 × 26 = $3,120. Federal wages = $65,280.
- Federal tax on $65,280 − $16,100 = $49,180 is about $5,664 a year; FICA wages are $68,880.
- Take-home per paycheck: $1,977.67 ($51,419 a year).
Result:
| Take-home pay per paycheck | $1,977.67 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax per paycheck | $217.45 |
| Social Security per paycheck | $164.25 |
| Medicare per paycheck | $38.41 |
| State and local tax per paycheck | $112.98 |
| 401(k) per paycheck | $138.46 |
| Take-home pay per year | $51,419 |
| Total tax rate | 19.3% |
Frequently asked questions
Why is my real paycheck different?
Your employer withholds using IRS Publication 15-T tables and your W-4 choices, and may deduct other items such as dental, vision, union dues or Roth contributions. This estimate annualises tax evenly.
What is the 2026 Social Security wage base?
$184,500. Social Security tax stops once your wages for the year pass that amount, so high earners see larger paychecks late in the year.
Which states have no income tax?
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire (no tax on wages), South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Set the state rate to 0 for these.
Sources and further reading
- IRS: Tax year 2026 inflation adjustments (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)
- SSA: Contribution and benefit base
- IRS: Publication 15-T, Federal income tax withholding methods
- IRS: Questions and answers for the Additional Medicare Tax
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This calculator gives estimates for information only. It is not tax or legal advice. Tax rules change and depend on your circumstances, so check current rules or ask a qualified professional. See our disclaimer.