Paycheck Calculator
A paycheck calculator works out your take-home pay: the amount that actually lands in your bank account after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, state tax, and your pre-tax deductions are taken out. Enter your gross pay, how often you are paid, your filing status, and your deductions, and the free paycheck calculator above shows your net pay per paycheck and per year, with every deduction listed line by line.
The gap between gross pay and take-home pay surprises almost everyone. On the default example — $75,000 a year, paid biweekly, single, with a 5% 401(k) contribution — the gross paycheck is $2,884.62, but the take-home pay is $2,256.44. That is $628.18 per paycheck, or $16,332.50 a year, going to taxes and retirement savings. Understanding where it goes is the first step to planning around it, and this page explains every line.
How Take-Home Pay Is Calculated
The calculator follows five steps, and each one is visible in the result table. First, start with gross pay: your annual salary before any deductions. Second, subtract pre-tax deductions — your 401(k) contribution, health insurance premium, HSA or FSA money, and other pre-tax deductions — to get federal taxable wages. Third, subtract the standard deduction to get taxable income, the number the brackets apply to. Fourth, apply the 2026 federal tax brackets progressively: each slice of taxable income is taxed at its own rate, from 10% up to 37%. Fifth, subtract the child tax credit: in 2026 the credit is $2,200 per qualifying child under 17, subtracted directly from the tax owed.
Social Security and Medicare are calculated separately, on your full gross pay — your 401(k) contribution lowers your federal income-tax wages but not your FICA wages. Social Security is 6.2% of the first $184,500 of wages, and Medicare is 1.45% of all wages. State tax is applied at the rate you enter, to your income after pre-tax deductions. The result is an annualized estimate, not exact payroll withholding, and the calculator says so on the page.
Step 1 — Start with gross pay
Your annual salary before any deductions. On the default example, gross pay is $75,000 a year, paid biweekly, which is $2,884.62 per paycheck.
Step 2 — Subtract pre-tax deductions
The 5% 401(k) contribution is $3,750 a year, or $144.23 per paycheck. Federal taxable wages are $75,000 minus $3,750, which is $71,250. Social Security and Medicare are still charged on the full $75,000.
Step 3 — Subtract the standard deduction and apply the brackets
Subtract the 2026 single standard deduction of $16,100 from $71,250 to get taxable income of $55,150. The brackets give $6,845.00 of tax: 10% on the first $12,400 is $1,240, 12% on the next $38,000 is $4,560, and 22% on the remaining $4,750 is $1,045.
Worked Examples: Take-Home Pay at Three Salaries
Each row is a complete paycheck calculation from the calculator above, with the federal tax, the total tax, and the take-home pay per year and per paycheck.
| Example | Gross a year | Federal tax | Total tax | Take-home a year | Per paycheck |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 single, 401(k) 5% | $75,000 | $6,845.00 | $12,582.50 | $58,667.50 | $2,256.44 |
| $52,000 single, no 401(k) | $52,000 | $4,060.00 | $8,038.00 | $43,962.00 | $1,690.85 |
| $95,000 joint, 2 children, 401(k) 6% | $95,000 | $1,956.00 | $9,223.50 | $80,076.50 | $3,079.87 |
The third row shows how large the child tax credit is. Take a married couple earning $95,000 jointly, with two children under 17 and a 6% 401(k) contribution of $5,700. Federal taxable wages are $89,300, the standard deduction is $32,200, and taxable income is $57,100. The brackets give $6,356.00 of tax, but the $4,400 child tax credit cuts it to $1,956.00. Their total tax is $9,223.50, their take-home pay is $80,076.50 a year, and each biweekly paycheck is $3,079.87. Without the two children, their federal tax would be $6,356.00 and their take-home pay $4,400 lower.
How to Use the Paycheck Calculator
Start with the numbers on your pay stub or your offer letter. The more of them you enter, the closer the estimate lands to your real paycheck.
- Enter your gross pay per year. The default is $75,000. If you are paid hourly, multiply your hourly rate by the hours you work in a year, or use the salary calculator to convert it first.
- Pick your pay frequency. Weekly means 52 paychecks, biweekly 26, semimonthly 24, monthly 12. Most US employers pay biweekly.
- Pick your filing status. Single, married filing jointly, head of household, or married filing separately. It changes your standard deduction and your tax brackets.
- Enter qualifying children under 17. Each one is worth a $2,200 child tax credit in 2026.
- Enter your age. It sets the 401(k) contribution limit: $24,500 under 50, $32,500 at 50 or older, $35,750 at ages 60 to 63.
- Enter your 401(k) percentage. The default is 5%. The calculator caps it at the IRS limit and tells you when the cap applies.
- Enter per-paycheck deductions. Health insurance premium, HSA or FSA contributions, other pre-tax deductions, your state tax rate, extra withholding, and post-tax deductions such as a Roth 401(k).
The result updates as you type. The big number is your take-home pay per paycheck; the table below it breaks every deduction down per year and per paycheck.
Your Default Paycheck: $75,000 a Year, Biweekly, Single
Here is the full maths for the default, so you can check the calculator line by line. Gross pay is $75,000 a year, paid biweekly, which is $2,884.62 per paycheck. The 5% 401(k) contribution is $3,750 a year, or $144.23 per paycheck. Federal taxable wages are $75,000 minus $3,750, which is $71,250. Subtract the 2026 single standard deduction of $16,100 and taxable income is $55,150.
| Item | Per year | Per paycheck (26) |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $75,000.00 | $2,884.62 |
| 401(k) contribution (5%) | − $3,750.00 | − $144.23 |
| Federal income tax | − $6,845.00 | − $263.27 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | − $4,650.00 | − $178.85 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | − $1,087.50 | − $41.83 |
| Take-home pay | $58,667.50 | $2,256.44 |
Federal income tax of $6,845.00 comes from the brackets: 10% on the first $12,400 is $1,240, 12% on the next $38,000 is $4,560, and 22% on the remaining $4,750 is $1,045. Add those three and you get $6,845.00. Social Security is 6.2% of $75,000, which is $4,650.00, and Medicare is 1.45% of $75,000, which is $1,087.50. Total FICA is $5,737.50. Total tax is $12,582.50 a year, the effective tax rate is 16.78%, and the marginal bracket is 22% — the rate on the last dollar earned.
Common Paycheck Mistakes to Avoid
Most paycheck confusion comes from comparing the wrong numbers. Here are the traps to avoid.
- Comparing gross pay to take-home pay. A $75,000 salary is $2,884.62 gross per biweekly paycheck, but only $2,256.44 take-home. Budget on the take-home number.
- Forgetting that 401(k) money is still yours. The $144.23 per paycheck is not lost — it is saved in your retirement account, and it cut your tax too.
- Assuming state tax is included. The default state rate is 0%. If your state has an income tax, enter the rate or your estimate will be too high.
- Treating a refund as free money. A large tax refund means you overpaid during the year. Adjusting your W-4 puts that money in your paychecks instead.
- Ignoring the two three-paycheck months. Biweekly pay gives two months a year with three paychecks. Plan for them, or they vanish into spending.
- Forgetting FICA on the full gross. Your 401(k) does not reduce Social Security or Medicare tax — only federal income tax.
Where You Will Use a Paycheck Calculator
Take-home pay is the number every money decision is really based on, and the calculator answers it for the situations below.
- A new job offer. Compare the take-home pay, not the salary: a $75,000 offer is $2,256.44 per biweekly paycheck after tax and a 5% 401(k).
- A raise. A raise lifts the gross pay, but the marginal bracket decides how much of it survives — at 22%, each extra dollar of taxable income keeps 78 cents before FICA.
- Changing your 401(k). Raising the contribution from 5% to 10% cuts take-home pay from $2,256.44 to $2,143.94 per paycheck, but saves $825 a year of federal tax.
- Moving states. A 5% state rate on the default paycheck costs $3,562.50 a year and cuts take-home pay to $2,119.42 per paycheck.
- Budgeting. Rent, loan payments, and savings should all be planned against take-home pay, never against gross pay.
Tips for Accurate Results
Five habits keep the estimate close to your real paycheck.
- Use your pay stub. The numbers on the stub — gross pay, pay frequency, and every deduction — are the inputs the calculator needs.
- Enter the state rate. The default is 0%, and nine states have no income tax, but everywhere else the rate matters.
- Enter health and HSA amounts per paycheck. They are per-paycheck figures, not annual ones, and they reduce both federal tax and FICA.
- Remember the estimate label. Real employers withhold using IRS Publication 15-T and your W-4, per pay period. Use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator for exact planning.
- Check the marginal bracket. It tells you what a raise or an extra deduction is worth: at 22%, each dollar of pre-tax deduction saves 22 cents of federal tax.
Paycheck Quick Answers
The figures people look up most often about paychecks.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Take-home pay on $75,000, biweekly, single | $2,256.44 per paycheck, $58,667.50 a year |
| Federal tax on $75,000, single, 401(k) 5% | $6,845.00 a year |
| Take-home pay on $52,000, no 401(k) | $1,690.85 per paycheck, $43,962.00 a year |
| Take-home pay on $95,000, joint, 2 children | $3,079.87 per paycheck, $80,076.50 a year |
| Effective tax rate on the default | 16.78%, marginal bracket 22% |
Related tools on this site: the main paycheck calculator, the salary calculator for converting hourly, weekly, monthly and annual pay, the federal tax calculator for the tax line alone, and the 401(k) calculator for what your retirement contributions become. The IRS publishes the brackets and deductions in Revenue Procedure 2025-32.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much tax is taken out of a $75,000 salary?
For a single filer paid biweekly with a 5% 401(k) contribution and no state tax, federal income tax is $6,845.00 a year, Social Security $4,650.00, Medicare $1,087.50, for total tax of $12,582.50. Take-home pay is $58,667.50 a year, or $2,256.44 per paycheck.
What is the difference between gross pay and take-home pay?
Gross pay is your salary before any deductions. Take-home pay, or net pay, is what remains after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, state tax, and your pre-tax and post-tax deductions. On a $75,000 salary the difference is about $16,332.50 a year.
Does a 401(k) reduce Social Security and Medicare tax?
No. A traditional 401(k) contribution reduces your federal income-tax wages but not your FICA wages. Social Security and Medicare are charged on your full gross pay. Health insurance premiums and HSA contributions do reduce FICA wages.
Which states have no income tax?
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. If you live in one of them, leave the state tax rate at 0% in the calculator.
Is this calculator exact?
No — it is an annualized estimate. Real employers withhold using IRS Publication 15-T and your W-4, per pay period. Use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator for exact W-4 planning.
Disclaimer: This calculator gives an annualized estimate for general information only and is not tax advice. Real payroll withholding follows IRS Publication 15-T and your W-4. State tax rules, local taxes, and refundable credits are simplified or not included. Talk to a tax professional for your situation.