Paycheck Calculator

Gross pay is what you negotiated. Take-home pay is what survives federal income tax, FICA, any state and local income tax, and pre-tax deductions. This calculator estimates the gap.

FICA is the most predictable component: Social Security at 6.2% of wages up to an annual wage base, plus Medicare at 1.45% with no cap, totalling 7.65%. It is flat rather than graduated, and it does not vary by state.

Federal income tax works differently, and the difference causes persistent confusion. Brackets are marginal, meaning a rate applies only to income within its band, not to your whole income. Moving into a higher bracket never reduces your take-home pay — only the dollars above the threshold are taxed at the higher rate. Your effective rate, total tax divided by total income, is always lower than your top marginal rate.

State income tax varies widely: some states levy none, others use graduated brackets, and some cities and counties add a local income tax on top. A single effective-rate input is a simplification, useful for planning but not equivalent to a tax return.

Pre-tax deductions are the lever most people underuse. Traditional 401(k) contributions, HSA contributions, and many health premiums come out before income tax is calculated, so each dollar deferred reduces taxable income by a dollar. The cost to take-home pay is therefore less than the amount contributed, by roughly your marginal rate. Roth contributions work the opposite way — no deduction now, no tax on qualified withdrawals later. Everything runs in your browser — no login, no upload, and no figure you enter leaves the page.