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Salary / Take-Home Pay Calculator

Estimate 2026 United States take-home pay using federal payroll withholding, Social Security, Medicare, and user-entered deductions. Canada, state taxes, and local taxes are not included in this version.

Trust and methodology

How this calculator is reviewed

Calculation type
Federal payroll withholding estimate
Jurisdiction
United States federal payroll only
Applicable rule year
2026
Calculation rules
irs-pub-15-t-2026
Engine version
US Salary Engine V1
Last reviewed
2026-07-22

This is a payroll withholding estimate based on entered information, not tax, payroll, legal, or financial advice.

Primary sources

Known limitations

  • State income tax and local or city income tax are not included.
  • Canada payroll calculations are not implemented.
  • Employer payroll taxes, self-employment tax, and final annual tax-return liability are outside V1.
  • Bonuses, commissions, tips, overtime-law calculations, nonresident alien adjustments, and pre-2020 W-4 forms are not supported.

Found a calculation issue, outdated source, accessibility problem, or unclear assumption? Contact us.

Enter pay details

Start with income, pay frequency, and filing status. Advanced W-4, deduction, and year-to-date fields are optional.

Income type
$
Advanced W-4 settings
$

Enter the annual credits amount from Step 3 of Form W-4.

$
$
$
Pre-tax and other deductions
Add user-entered deductions per paycheck. Tax treatment depends on the actual benefit or deduction type, so verify payroll treatment with your employer or payroll provider.
Use year-to-date wages for a more precise paycheck estimate
$
$

United States 2026

What This Calculator Includes

Federal withholding

Estimates federal income-tax withholding using the locked 2026 IRS automated percentage method for 2020+ Form W-4.

Payroll taxes

Includes employee Social Security, Medicare, and Additional Medicare withholding when applicable.

Not included

State income tax, local tax, employer payroll taxes, self-employment tax, Canada payroll rules, and final tax-return liability are outside this V1 calculator.

How Your Take-Home Pay Is Estimated

The calculator starts with gross pay for the selected pay period, applies any user-entered deduction tax-base effects, then estimates federal payroll withholding and employee payroll taxes. The final result is gross pay minus federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, and user-entered deductions.

This is a payroll withholding estimate. It is not a final annual income-tax return calculation, and it does not include state or local taxes.

Payroll withholding flow

Federal withholding uses the IRS automated percentage-method tables for 2020+ Form W-4. Gross pay is annualized by pay frequency, adjusted by W-4 Step 4(a) and Step 4(b), matched to the filing-status table, converted back to the pay period, reduced by Step 3 credits, and then increased by any Step 4(c) extra withholding.

Social Security, Medicare, and Additional Medicare are calculated as separate payroll withholding components. This is why the calculator does not show a single tax-rate formula.

What Is Deducted From a Paycheck?

Common paycheck deductions may include federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare, benefit deductions, retirement contributions, and other employer-administered items. This calculator only applies custom deductions according to the tax-base flags you select.

Federal Income-Tax Withholding

Federal withholding depends on gross wages, pay frequency, filing status, and Form W-4 entries. Step 2 can increase withholding for multiple-job situations, Step 3 credits can reduce withholding, and Step 4 fields can account for other income, deductions, or extra withholding.

Social Security and Medicare

Employee Social Security withholding applies up to the annual wage base. Medicare withholding generally applies without a normal wage cap, and Additional Medicare withholding can apply after the payroll withholding threshold is crossed. Year-to-date wage inputs help model those thresholds more precisely.

Gross Pay vs Net Pay

Gross pay is pay before deductions and withholding. Net pay, or take-home pay, is the estimated amount remaining after the deductions included in this calculator.

Worked Example

Example: Single filing status, biweekly gross pay of $2,000, no W-4 adjustments, and no custom deductions.

Gross pay
$2,000.00
Federal withholding
$195.85
Social Security
$124.00
Medicare
$29.00
Estimated take-home pay
$1,651.15

State and local taxes are not included in this example or calculator.

How to Use the Calculator

1. Choose income type

Use annual salary, per-pay gross, or hourly pay based on the information you have.

2. Add W-4 details

Start simple, or open advanced W-4 settings if your form includes Step 2, Step 3, or Step 4 entries.

3. Review the estimate

Compare gross pay, deductions, payroll taxes, and take-home pay. Use YTD fields when annual payroll caps matter.

Limitations

This calculator is US federal-only for 2026. It does not calculate Canada payroll rules, state income taxes, local taxes, bonuses, commissions, tips, overtime-law calculations, pre-2020 W-4 forms, nonresident alien adjustments, employer payroll taxes, or self-employment taxes.

Salary Calculator FAQ

What is take-home pay?

Take-home pay is the amount left from gross pay after payroll withholding, employee payroll taxes, and any user-entered deductions included in the estimate.

Does this calculator include state income tax?

No. This V1 calculator estimates United States federal payroll withholding, Social Security, Medicare, and Additional Medicare when applicable. State and local taxes are not included.

Is this the same as my final annual tax return?

No. Payroll withholding is an estimate collected through paychecks. Your final annual tax liability can differ based on credits, deductions, other income, filing details, and state or local rules.

How does Form W-4 affect take-home pay?

The W-4 settings change federal income-tax withholding. Step 2 uses a higher withholding table, Step 3 reduces withholding for credits, Step 4(a) adds other income, Step 4(b) accounts for deductions, and Step 4(c) adds extra withholding per paycheck.

What is the difference between biweekly and semimonthly pay?

Biweekly pay usually means 26 paychecks per year. Semimonthly pay usually means 24 paychecks per year, often two each month.

Does Social Security tax stop after a wage limit?

Yes. For 2026, employee Social Security withholding applies up to the annual wage base. Use the year-to-date wage fields when you are approaching that limit.

What is Additional Medicare withholding?

Employers withhold Additional Medicare tax when Medicare wages paid to an employee exceed the payroll withholding threshold. This is separate from regular Medicare withholding.

Can I calculate hourly take-home pay?

Yes. Enter hourly rate, hours per week, and weeks per year. Overtime-law calculations, tips, commissions, and bonuses are not included in this V1 calculator.

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This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. Actual paychecks may differ based on employer payroll settings, benefit treatment, tax forms, timing, state or local taxes, and other payroll details. It is not tax, payroll, legal, or financial advice. Read the full disclaimer.