Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about US take-home pay, taxes, and paycheck calculations.
Take-home pay (also called net pay) is the amount of money you actually receive in your bank account after all deductions and taxes have been subtracted from your gross pay.
Gross pay is your total earnings before any deductions. Take-home pay (net pay) is what remains after federal income tax, FICA, state and local taxes, and other deductions.
Our calculator uses 2026 federal tax brackets, standard FICA rates, and simplified state tax rates. It provides a close estimate but does not account for every credit or local tax rule.
Your employer may withhold taxes based on additional factors such as pre-tax benefits, garnishments, or a different state tax structure.
Federal income tax is progressive — it is calculated in brackets. The 2026 brackets for single filers are: 10% up to $12,400; 12% from $12,400 to $50,400; 22% from $50,400 to $105,700; 24% from $105,700 to $201,775; 32% from $201,775 to $256,225; 35% from $256,225 to $640,600; and 37% above $640,600.
The 2026 standard deductions are: $16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married filing jointly, $16,100 for married filing separately, $24,150 for head of household, and $32,200 for qualifying widow(er).
The Child Tax Credit is worth up to $2,200 per qualifying child under 17 in 2026. It phases out for single filers with AGI above $200,000 and married filing jointly above $400,000.
FICA stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act. It funds Social Security and Medicare. Employees pay 6.2% for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare. Employers match these amounts.
The Social Security wage base for 2026 is $184,500. This means Social Security tax is only withheld on the first $184,500 of your wages.
Additional Medicare Tax is an extra 0.9% tax on wages above $200,000 for single filers, $250,000 for married filing jointly, and $125,000 for married filing separately.
As of 2026: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.
For simplicity, we apply a single flat or top marginal state tax rate to your state-taxable income. Always check your state's tax authority for precise rates.
Some cities levy their own income tax in addition to state and federal taxes. Examples include New York City, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Columbus.
Pre-tax deductions are amounts taken out of your paycheck before income taxes are calculated, including 401(k) contributions, health insurance premiums, and HSA contributions.
A deduction reduces your taxable income. A credit directly reduces the amount of tax you owe, dollar for dollar. Credits are generally more valuable.
Itemized deductions are specific expenses you can deduct if their total exceeds the standard deduction, including mortgage interest, SALT (capped at $10,000), and charitable contributions.
Self-employment tax covers Social Security and Medicare for self-employed individuals. The rate is 15.3%, applied to 92.35% of your net self-employment income.
When employed, your employer pays half of your FICA taxes and you pay the other half. When self-employed, you are responsible for both halves, which is why the rate is 15.3% instead of 7.65%.
Yes. If you are self-employed or expect to owe $1,000 or more in federal tax for the year, the IRS requires you to make quarterly estimated tax payments.
Beginning in 2025/2026, certain qualified tips and overtime pay may be eligible for a deduction of up to $25,000 (tips) and $12,500 (overtime for single filers). These phase out at higher income levels.
Taxpayers age 65 and older may be eligible for an additional deduction of up to $6,000 in 2026, phasing out at higher income levels.
Car loan interest may be deductible up to $10,000 if the loan was used to purchase a vehicle for personal use, under certain conditions. Consult a tax professional.
Enter your annual salary, select your pay frequency, filing status, and state. Optionally add other income and deductions. Click "Calculate take-home pay" to see your net pay per paycheck.
Yes, this calculator is completely free to use. It runs entirely in your browser, and we do not collect or store any personal information.
Yes, the calculator is fully responsive and works on smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers.