2026 tax year · take-home pay
See your real take-home pay
Free, accurate paycheck calculators for 2026. Pick your state to see exactly what comes out of your check — federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state withholding — broken down line by line, with no sign-up.
Pick your state
State paycheck calculators
Progressive 1%–12.3% state tax plus SDI on all wages.
No state income tax — federal and FICA only.
No state income tax — keep more of every paycheck.
4%–10.9% state tax, plus optional NYC resident tax.
No state income tax — funded by gaming and tourism.
No income tax on wages; the Hall tax is gone too.
No state income tax — one of the lowest tax burdens.
No personal or corporate income tax.
No tax on wages; interest-and-dividends tax repealed.
More states coming soon. Want yours next? Tell us.
The breakdown
How your paycheck is calculated
Every paycheck starts with your gross pay and subtracts a predictable set of withholdings. Federal income tax is set by your W-4 and tax bracket. FICA — Social Security at 6.2% (up to the annual wage base) and Medicare at 1.45% — is a flat rate on your wages. Then your state takes its cut, which is where take-home pay varies the most: a no-income-tax state like Texas or Florida leaves more in your pocket than a high-tax state like California or New York for the same salary.
Pre-tax deductions — a 401(k), HSA, or pre-tax health premiums — come out before income tax is figured, which lowers your taxable wages and raises your net pay. Our state calculators let you add those so the number you see matches your real check.
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Common questions
The paycheck questions we hear most
- How is take-home pay calculated?
- Your take-home (net) pay is your gross pay minus federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), any state and local income tax, and any pre-tax deductions like a 401(k) or health premiums. The exact amounts depend on your pay, filing status, and W-4. Pick your state above to see the full breakdown.
- What's the difference between gross pay and net pay?
- Gross pay is what you earn before anything is withheld. Net pay — your take-home — is what actually hits your bank account after taxes and deductions. The gap between them is usually 20%–35% depending on your income and state.
- Are these calculators accurate for 2026?
- We build these on the latest published IRS and state figures and update them as agencies release changes. Results are estimates, not certainties — always confirm against your official pay stub, especially for edge cases like additional withholding or local taxes.