Take-Home Pay Calculator (2026)
Estimate your paycheck after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, state tax and 401(k) contributions.
Free, no signup Runs in your browser — nothing stored Reviewed October 2026
Take-home per paycheck
$2,147
26 paychecks a year
Take-home per month
$4,651
Take-home per year
$55,818
How your take-home pay is calculated
- Start with gross pay — your salary before anything is taken out.
- Subtract pre-tax deductions such as traditional 401(k) contributions and health, dental, HSA or FSA premiums.
- Subtract the standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household in 2026) to get federal taxable income.
- Apply the 2026 federal tax brackets — 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37% — to each slice of taxable income.
- Subtract FICA: 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $184,500 and 1.45% Medicare on all wages.
- Subtract state income tax, which ranges from 0% in states like Texas and Florida to over 10% at the top in California.
2026 federal income tax brackets (single)
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 – $12,400 | 10% |
| $12,401 – $50,400 | 12% |
| $50,401 – $105,700 | 22% |
| $105,701 – $201,775 | 24% |
| $201,776 – $256,225 | 32% |
| $256,226 – $640,600 | 35% |
| Over $640,600 | 37% |
See the married and head of household brackets with worked examples in 2026 tax brackets explained.
Take-home pay by salary (single, 2026, no state tax)
| Salary | Federal tax | FICA | Take-home / year | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $2,620 | $3,060 | $34,320 | $2,860 |
| $60,000 | $5,020 | $4,590 | $50,390 | $4,199 |
| $75,000 | $7,670 | $5,738 | $61,593 | $5,133 |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $7,650 | $79,180 | $6,598 |
| $150,000 | $24,734 | $11,475 | $113,791 | $9,483 |
Once you know your take-home pay, plug it into the 50/30/20 Budget Calculator to plan where it should go.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a single filer in 2026 with no state income tax and no pre-tax deductions, $60,000 is about $50,390 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare — roughly $4,200 a month or $1,938 every two weeks.
For a single filer in 2026 with no state income tax, $100,000 is about $79,180 after federal income tax and FICA — roughly $6,600 a month. A 5% state income tax would lower that by about $5,000 a year.
Federal income tax, Social Security (6.2% on wages up to $184,500 in 2026), Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% on wages over $200,000 for single filers), and state and sometimes local income tax. Pre-tax deductions like 401(k) contributions and health insurance premiums lower your taxable income.
Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce your federal and most state income tax, but not Social Security or Medicare tax. In the 22% bracket, a $100 contribution lowers your take-home pay by only about $78.
Your W-4 withholding choices, local taxes, other benefits, bonuses, and state-specific rules all affect your real paycheck. This calculator estimates your annual tax liability, which is what withholding is trying to match.
Your marginal rate is the tax rate on your last dollar of income. Your effective rate is your total tax divided by your income — always lower, because the first dollars you earn are taxed at 10% and 12%.
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Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for educational purposes only and is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Results depend on the numbers you enter and the assumptions described above. For decisions about your specific situation, consult a qualified professional.