About the Take-Home Pay Calculator
Take-Home Pay Calculator turns a gross salary or hourly wage into an estimate of what lands in your bank account in the United States for tax year 2026. It applies the 2026 federal income tax brackets and standard deduction, Social Security at 6.2 percent up to the wage base of $184,500, Medicare at 1.45 percent plus the 0.9 percent extra above $200,000, and a flat state rate that you enter. You can add 401(k) saving, pre-tax health insurance and other deductions. Results show per year, month, two weeks, week and hour. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Updated October 2026
How to use the Take-Home Pay Calculator
- 1Type your pay before tax and choose how often it is paid: year, month, two weeks, week or hour.
- 2For hourly pay, enter the hours you work in a week.
- 3Pick Single or Married filing jointly (using only your own pay).
- 4Enter your state income tax rate, or 0 if your state has none.
- 5Add 401(k) saving, health insurance and other deductions per year if you have them, then read your take-home pay.
How the estimate is built
The calculator starts with your gross pay for a year. It takes off pre-tax retirement saving and pre-tax health insurance, then the standard deduction, to find taxable income. Federal tax is worked out bracket by bracket: 10 percent on the first part, then 12, 22, 24, 32, 35 and 37 percent on the slices above each threshold. Social Security and Medicare are charged on wages, and your state rate is applied on pay after pre-tax deductions.
- Federal income tax: progressive brackets after the standard deduction
- Social Security: 6.2% up to $184,500
- Medicare: 1.45%, plus 0.9% on wages above $200,000
- State: the flat percentage you enter
Marginal and average tax rates
Moving into a higher bracket does not mean all your income is taxed at the higher rate. Only the part above the threshold is. The results show the top bracket you reach and the share of your pay that goes to federal tax and to all taxes together, which is usually much lower than the top rate. A raise nearly always leaves you with more money.
Salary or hourly
For hourly pay, the tool multiplies your rate by your weekly hours and 52 weeks to get a yearly figure. Paid time off is treated as work time. If you work irregular hours, use an average. The take-home hourly figure at the bottom shows what each hour you work is really worth after tax.
What this estimate leaves out
It does not include tax credits such as the child tax credit, itemized deductions, income from other sources, self-employment tax, local or city taxes, state disability insurance or Roth contributions, which do not reduce income tax. Treat it as a planning number, and use the IRS withholding estimator or a tax professional for decisions about your W-4.
Planning with the result
Compare job offers by entering each salary and state rate and looking at the monthly take-home pay. To split your net pay into spending and saving, try the Budget Calculator. For gross-to-net conversions in other formats, see the Salary Calculator, and for pay that includes extra hours use the Overtime Pay Calculator. Sales Tax Calculator helps with the other tax on what you spend, and 401(k) Calculator shows how your savings grow.
Features
- Uses the 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction
- Social Security with the 2026 wage base, Medicare and extra Medicare
- Salary or hourly pay, any pay period
- 401(k) and pre-tax health insurance handled correctly
- Flat state tax rate you control
- Net pay per year, month, two weeks, week and hour
Frequently asked questions
Which tax year does this use?
2026. The federal brackets and standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly) and the Social Security wage base ($184,500) are the IRS and SSA figures for 2026.
Why is my real paycheck different?
Employers withhold using your W-4, which can add extra withholding, claim dependents or credits, and include local taxes, union dues and benefits that this estimate does not know about. Your final tax is settled when you file.
How does a 401(k) change my take-home pay?
Money you put into a traditional 401(k) is taken before income tax, so your tax falls, though your pay falls by the amount saved. It does not reduce Social Security and Medicare, which are charged on the full wage.
What does pre-tax health insurance do?
Premiums paid through a cafeteria plan reduce both income tax and payroll tax, so they cost you less than their face value in take-home pay.
How do I use the state tax box?
Enter your state's income tax rate as a flat percentage. States with no wage tax, such as Texas and Florida, are 0. States with brackets are approximated by one rate, so use your average rate.
Does it include bonuses or overtime?
Add them to your pay before tax. Bonuses are often withheld at a flat 22 percent, but the tax you owe for the year depends on your total income, which is what this calculator estimates.
Is there a head of household option?
Not yet. The tool covers Single and Married filing jointly where one person earns the income. If you file as head of household, expect somewhat less tax than shown.
Is my pay information stored or sent anywhere?
No. The numbers are calculated in your browser and never uploaded.