What is take-home pay?

Take-home pay, also called net pay, is the money that lands in your bank account after your employer takes out taxes and deductions. Gross pay is the larger number on your offer letter or salary agreement. The gap between the two surprises many people, especially after a first job or a raise. This calculator shows exactly where the difference goes.

What comes out of a paycheck

• Federal income tax. A progressive tax. Each slice of your taxable income is taxed at its own rate.
• Social Security tax. 6.2 percent of wages, up to a yearly wage limit.
• Medicare tax. 1.45 percent of all wages, plus 0.9 percent on wages above $200,000.
• State and local income tax. Varies by place, and some states have no wage tax.
• Pre-tax deductions. Traditional 401(k) contributions, health insurance and similar benefits.
• Post-tax deductions. Roth contributions, union dues or wage garnishments.

2026 numbers used by this calculator

Item	2026 amount
Standard deduction, single	$16,100
Standard deduction, married filing jointly	$32,200
Social Security rate (employee)	6.2% on wages up to $184,500
Medicare rate (employee)	1.45% on all wages
Additional Medicare Tax	0.9% on wages above $200,000
401(k) employee limit	$24,500

Tax rate	Single, taxable income up to	Married filing jointly, up to
10%	$12,400	$24,800
12%	$50,400	$100,800
22%	$105,700	$211,400
24%	$201,775	$403,550
32%	$256,225	$512,450
35%	$640,600	$768,700
37%	Above $640,600	Above $768,700

These figures come from the IRS. The calculator subtracts the standard deduction from your pay after pre-tax deductions and then applies the brackets slice by slice. That is why a raise never lowers your take-home pay: only the extra dollars are taxed at the higher rate.

How the calculator works

• It subtracts your 401(k) contribution and other pre-tax deductions from your salary. The 401(k) is capped at $24,500.
• It subtracts the standard deduction and applies the 2026 brackets to get your federal income tax.
• It adds Social Security on pay up to $184,500, Medicare on all pay and the extra 0.9 percent above $200,000.
• It applies the state rate you enter to your pay after pre-tax deductions.
• It divides the yearly amounts by your number of paychecks.

How to use this calculator

1. Enter your yearly salary and how often you are paid.
2. Choose your filing status and enter an estimate of your state tax rate.
3. Enter your 401(k) percentage and any pre-tax benefit cost per paycheck, such as health insurance.
4. Press Calculate. The numbers also update as you type.

Worked examples

Example 1: the default case. A single worker earns $75,000, is paid every two weeks, puts 5 percent into a 401(k), pays $100 per paycheck for health insurance and has a 4 percent state tax. The calculator shows about $2,080 per paycheck, or $54,092 a year. Total taxes are about 19.4 percent of gross pay.

Example 2: saving more in the 401(k). Raising the 401(k) to 10 percent lowers take-home pay to about $1,968 per paycheck. It does not drop by the full amount saved, because the contribution also lowers income tax.

Example 3: a married couple. One spouse earns $120,000 with a 5 percent state tax, filing jointly. Take-home pay is about $3,378 per paycheck, and total taxes are about 19.6 percent of pay.

Example 4: a higher income. A single worker earning $200,000 with no deductions and no state tax keeps about $148,927 a year. Social Security stops at $184,500 of wages, but Medicare keeps going, and the extra 0.9 percent applies above $200,000.

Example 5: no deductions at all. The same $75,000 worker with no 401(k) and no insurance cost takes home about $2,254 per paycheck. The first example is lower, but the missing money is going into savings and benefits.

Ways to raise your take-home pay

• Check your W-4. Withholding too much gives you a refund later, not extra money now.
• Compare traditional and Roth 401(k) choices based on your tax rate today and in retirement.
• Use a health savings account if you are eligible. Contributions can lower both income tax and payroll tax when made through your employer.
• Review benefits during open enrollment so you are not paying for coverage you do not need.
• Negotiate pay, not just a title. Remember that each extra dollar is taxed at your top rate.

Understanding tax brackets

Many people worry that earning a little more will push them into a higher bracket and shrink their pay. That is not how brackets work. A single filer with $60,000 of taxable income pays 10 percent on the first $12,400, 12 percent on the next slice up to $50,400 and 22 percent only on the part above that. Only the dollars inside each slice are taxed at that slice’s rate. Your top bracket is called your marginal rate. The share of your total income that goes to income tax, called your effective rate, is always lower.

Why pay frequency matters

Your yearly take-home pay is the same whether you are paid weekly or monthly, but each paycheck looks different. A biweekly schedule has 26 paychecks a year, so two months each year contain three paychecks. A twice-a-month schedule has 24 equal paychecks. If you budget around a monthly bill, many people plan on two paychecks a month and treat the extra biweekly paychecks as a bonus for savings or debt payoff.

Common paycheck mistakes

• Budgeting from gross pay instead of take-home pay.
• Forgetting that bonuses are often withheld at a flat rate that is higher than your normal withholding.
• Never updating your W-4 after a marriage, a new child or a second job.
• Ignoring pre-tax benefits that could lower your tax bill.
• Assuming a raise will be fully visible in the next paycheck, when part of it goes to taxes.

What this calculator does not include

The calculator uses the standard deduction and ignores itemized deductions, tax credits, dependents, extra W-4 withholding, local taxes, post-tax deductions, bonuses, and self-employment income. It supports single and married filing jointly only. Rules change, and actual withholding follows IRS payroll tables that can differ slightly from a yearly estimate. Use it for planning and check your pay stub for the real numbers.

When to talk to a professional

If you have several jobs, side income, equity pay or large deductions, a tax professional can tell you how much to withhold. The IRS also offers a free Tax Withholding Estimator on its website. This calculator does not give tax, legal or financial advice.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my real paycheck different from the calculator?

Your pay stub can differ because of your W-4 choices, local taxes, post-tax deductions such as union dues, bonuses taxed at a different rate, or benefits like health insurance. Treat the calculator as a close estimate, not a payroll record.

Do 401(k) contributions lower my taxes?

Traditional 401(k) contributions come out before federal income tax, so they lower your taxable income. They do not reduce Social Security or Medicare tax. Roth 401(k) contributions are taxed now and do not lower your income tax.

What is FICA?

FICA is the combined Social Security and Medicare tax taken from most paychecks. In 2026 the employee share is 6.2 percent for Social Security on wages up to $184,500 and 1.45 percent for Medicare on all wages.

What is the Additional Medicare Tax?

Employers withhold an extra 0.9 percent Medicare tax on wages above $200,000 in a year. The calculator includes it.

How do I estimate my state tax?

Many states tax income at a flat or graduated rate, and some do not tax wages at all. Enter your state tax as a percent of pay. If your state has no wage tax, enter 0.

Is my information saved?

No. All calculations happen in your browser. What you enter is never sent to our server or stored.

Helpful resources

• Federal income tax rates and brackets from the Internal Revenue Service
• Topic no. 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates from the Internal Revenue Service
• Our Hourly to Salary Calculator, 401(k) Calculator and Overtime Pay Calculator

This calculator is for general information only. It is not tax, legal or financial advice. See our Terms & Disclaimer.