Paycheck Tax Calculator
A quick estimate of your take-home pay — not a paystub. Results update as you type, and the link always carries your numbers.
How this estimate works
This is a simplified estimate, not tax advice or an official payroll calculation. It annualizes your gross pay (period amount × pay periods per year), subtracts annualized pre-tax deductions and a simplified 2024 standard deduction ($14,600 single, $29,200 married filing jointly — these figures are approximate and change yearly, so verify current-year numbers), then applies simplified 2024 federal brackets to what's left, using marginal rates of 10%, 12%, 22%, and 24% (this tool doesn't model the higher brackets above that). Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%) are calculated separately on your gross pay, as required by law, with Social Security capped at an annual wage base (~$168,600 for 2024). State tax is a flat rate you enter, applied to the same taxable income as the federal calculation — real state systems are often progressive or nonexistent, so treat this as a rough stand-in.
Worked example
A biweekly paycheck of $2,500 (single filer, no state tax, no pre-tax deductions) annualizes to $65,000. After the $14,600 standard deduction, taxable income is $50,400, which lands in the 22% bracket and produces a federal tax of about $6,141/year (~$236.19 per paycheck). FICA comes to $155.00 Social Security + $36.25 Medicare = $191.25 per paycheck. Net pay works out to about $2,072.56 per paycheck, an effective tax rate (federal + FICA + state, on gross) of about 17.1%.
Frequently asked questions
Is this my exact paycheck?
No — treat it as a ballpark estimate, not a paystub. Real withholding depends on your actual W-4 elections (extra withholding, dependents, multiple jobs), your specific state and local tax rules, benefit deductions beyond the simple pre-tax field here, and the exact current-year IRS tables. This tool uses a simplified single set of federal brackets and a flat state rate to show the shape of your paycheck, not a payroll-accurate figure. For your real number, check your pay stub or a W-4 withholding estimator from the IRS.
Why is FICA calculated on gross pay instead of taxable income?
Because that's how the law defines it. Federal income tax is calculated on taxable income (after deductions), but Social Security and Medicare taxes are calculated on gross wages — pre-tax deductions like most 401(k) contributions reduce your income tax but not your FICA tax. That's a real, factual difference in how the two systems work, not a simplification this tool is making.
What is the Social Security wage base cap?
Social Security tax (6.2%) only applies up to an annual wage cap — $168,600 for 2024. Earn more than that in a year and the portion above the cap isn't taxed for Social Security (Medicare's 1.45% has no such cap). This calculator applies that cap to your annualized gross pay. The cap is adjusted most years, so verify the current figure if you're near it.
Does this include local or city income tax?
No. This calculator covers federal income tax, FICA (Social Security + Medicare), and a single flat state rate you set yourself. Many cities and some counties add their own income or wage tax on top of that, and this tool doesn't attempt to model it — factor it in separately if it applies to you.