US Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your US take-home pay after federal, FICA and state taxes.
How to Use
- 1
Enter your annual gross salary
Use your total salary before any taxes or deductions are taken out.
- 2
Choose filing status and state
Filing status sets your federal brackets and standard deduction; your state determines state withholding.
- 3
Set your pay frequency
Pick weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly or monthly so the per-paycheck figure matches how you are actually paid.
- 4
Add 401(k) and pre-tax deductions
Enter your 401(k) percentage and any health, HSA or FSA premiums to see how they change your taxable income.
- 5
Review the breakdown
See your take-home pay per paycheck and per year, with every tax and deduction itemised.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with your gross salary, subtract pre-tax deductions such as 401(k) contributions and health premiums, then subtract federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and any state income tax. What remains is your take-home pay. This calculator does all of that for you — enter your salary, filing status and state, and it shows the result per paycheck and per year.
Several deductions come out before you are paid. Federal income tax is withheld based on your filing status, Social Security takes 6.2% and Medicare 1.45%, most states withhold income tax, and anything you contribute to a 401(k) or health plan is deducted too. Together these commonly reduce a paycheck by 20-35%.
Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce your federal and state taxable income, so you pay less income tax now. They do not reduce Social Security or Medicare, which are calculated on your full gross wages. This calculator models that distinction, and caps contributions at the annual elective deferral limit.
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming levy no state income tax on wages. New Hampshire taxes interest and dividends but not earned income. Selecting any of these states shows zero state withholding.
Federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare are computed using full bracket calculations for the current tax year. State tax is exact for states with a single flat rate, and an approximation for states using graduated brackets — those are labelled as estimates in the results. The tool assumes the standard deduction and does not include local or city taxes, tax credits, or extra withholding elected on your W-4, so treat the result as a planning estimate rather than tax advice.
No. The entire calculation runs in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing you enter is sent to a server, logged or saved, and closing the tab discards it.