Enter a salary and we'll run it through the same math your payroll system does: 2026 progressive federal brackets, Social Security, Medicare, and state tax — itemized like a real pay stub, not a black box.
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Pre-tax deductions (optional)
EARNINGS STATEMENT · ESTIMATE
Bi-weekly take-home
$0.00
Itemized per paycheck
0.0%
Effective tax rate
0%
Federal marginal rate
0.0%
Of gross kept
Estimate only — doesn't account for local/city tax, filing credits, or non-standard deductions. Not tax advice.
Four steps happen between your salary and your deposit, in this order — each one changes the number the next step works from. Read the full breakdown →
1
Your salary or hourly wage, divided by pay periods per year. Nothing's been subtracted yet.
2
401(k) contributions and section 125 benefits (health, dental, FSA) come out before taxes are calculated.
3
Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state tax are each calculated separately and withheld.
4
What's left after every deduction — the number that actually hits your bank account.
Only the income inside each band is taxed at that band's rate — earning more never lowers your take-home. Standard deduction: $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly.
Source: IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32, 2026 inflation adjustments.
Tax refund estimator
See whether you're on track for a refund or a bill.
State-by-state guides
Paycheck breakdowns for California, New York, Texas, and more.
How withholding works
A plain-English walkthrough of brackets, FICA, and W-4s.
Our methodology
Exactly how we calculate every number on this site.
Federal tax, FICA, and (in most states) state tax are all withheld before the money reaches you. Pre-tax benefits like 401(k) and health insurance come out too.
Yes, for a traditional 401(k). Contributions reduce the income used to calculate federal and (usually) state tax, though they don't reduce Social Security or Medicare wages.
Social Security tax only applies up to the annual wage base — $184,500 for 2026. Once year-to-date wages cross that line, withholding for that portion stops for the rest of the year.
California and New York use their real published bracket schedules. Every other state uses a simplified flat-rate estimate — directionally useful, but not a substitute for a state-specific filing calculation. See our methodology for details.