Compare Salaries

Estimated annual take-home at different salary levels, using your current filing status, state, and benefit elections.

Gross SalaryEst. Annual Net PayTake-home %
$40,000$34,32085.8%
$50,000$42,35584.7%
$60,000$50,39084.0%
$70,000$58,07583.0%
$85,000$68,62880.7%
$100,000$79,18079.2%
$120,000$93,25077.7%
$150,000$113,79175.9%
$200,000$148,92774.5%
$300,000$215,17771.7%

Salary Needed for a Target Take-Home Pay

Work backward from a desired monthly take-home to the gross salary required — using your filing status, state, and benefit elections.

$
$500 $50k
Required annual salary
$72,736

Bonus Take-Home Calculator

Bonuses are supplemental wages: employers usually withhold federal tax at a flat 22% (37% on amounts over $1M in a year) rather than your regular bracket — this is withholding, not your final tax bill.

$
$0 $200k
$
$0 $250k
Gross Bonus$5,000
Federal Withholding-$1,100
Social Security-$310
Medicare-$73
Additional Medicare Withholding$0
State Withholding (est.)$0
Total Withholdings-$1,483
Estimated Bonus Take-Home$3,518

Bonus withholding is an estimate and may differ from final tax liability. Actual withholding can depend on the employer payroll method, W-4 information, year-to-date wages, and state rules.

Raise Take-Home Calculator

See how much of a raise actually reaches your paycheck, using your current filing status, state, and benefit elections.

$
$15k $500k
$
$15k $500k
Current annual take-home$68,628
New annual take-home$75,663
Annual increase (net)$7,035
Monthly increase (net)$586
Biweekly increase (net)$271
Gross raise$10,000
Effective raise %11.8% gross · 10.3% net

401(k) & HSA Impact on Your Paycheck

How much your current 401(k) and HSA elections above shrink your paycheck versus how much tax they save — compared to contributing $0.

Without these contributionsWith your current elections
Net Pay$68,628$68,628
Federal Income Tax$9,870$9,870
401(k) + HSA Contribution$0$0
Paycheck Reduction vs. $0 Elections$0$0

How to Calculate Your Take-Home Pay

Step-by-step method to estimate your real after-tax income including federal, state, and FICA taxes.

  1. 1. Enter your salary and filing status: Input your annual salary, federal filing status, and state/local tax rates.
  2. 2. Add pre-tax benefits: Enter 401(k), HSA, FSA, and other cafeteria-plan deductions that reduce taxable wages.
  3. 3. Set deductions and credits: Choose standard or itemized deductions and add any tax credits like the Child Tax Credit.
  4. 4. Review your take-home pay: See estimated net pay by year, month, paycheck, and hour with full tax breakdown.

How to Calculate Take-Home Pay

  • 1. Gross pay = Regular pay + Overtime + Bonus + Commission + Other taxable income
  • 2. Pre-tax wages = Gross pay − 401(k)/HSA/FSA/cafeteria-plan deductions
  • 3. Federal taxable income = Pre-tax wages − Standard or itemized deduction − Student loan interest
  • 4. Federal tax = Sum of (income within each bracket × that bracket's rate), minus credits
  • 5. FICA = 6.2% Social Security (capped at $184,500) + 1.45% Medicare (uncapped) + 0.9% Additional Medicare above threshold
  • 6. Net pay = Pre-tax wages − Federal tax − FICA − State tax − Local tax − Post-tax deductions

Worked example: on a $85,000 salary filing SINGLE, estimated federal tax comes to $9,870, FICA to $6,503, and state tax to $0 — leaving an estimated net pay of $68,628/year.

How This Calculator Works

  • Federal income tax is calculated with real progressive 2026 brackets (10%–37%) by filing status — never a single flat percentage of salary.
  • Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500 — earnings above that are not taxed for Social Security.
  • Medicare is 1.45% of all wages with no cap, plus an Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% withheld once wages exceed $200,000 (true liability thresholds vary by filing status).
  • State tax is calculated using a manual rate you provide, making it accurate for any state or locality.
  • Pre-tax deductions (401(k), HSA, FSA, dependent-care FSA, cafeteria-plan premiums) reduce federal and FICA wages according to their actual tax treatment — not a blanket assumption.

This tool provides estimates for planning purposes based on projected 2026 IRS figures and is not tax advice. Local tax coverage is limited to a manual rate entry — check your specific city/school-district rules. Consult a tax professional or your payroll department for exact figures.

How to Calculate Take-Home Pay

  • 1. Gross pay = Regular pay + Overtime + Bonus + Commission + Other taxable income
  • 2. Pre-tax wages = Gross pay − 401(k)/HSA/FSA/cafeteria-plan deductions
  • 3. Federal taxable income = Pre-tax wages − Standard or itemized deduction − Student loan interest
  • 4. Federal tax = Sum of (income within each bracket × that bracket's rate), minus credits
  • 5. FICA = 6.2% Social Security (capped at $184,500) + 1.45% Medicare (uncapped) + 0.9% Additional Medicare above threshold
  • 6. Net pay = Pre-tax wages − Federal tax − FICA − State tax − Local tax − Post-tax deductions

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How is 2026 federal income tax calculated?

Federal tax uses real progressive brackets (10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, 37%) applied to your taxable income after the standard or itemized deduction — never a flat percentage of your whole salary. Only the income inside each bracket is taxed at that bracket's rate.

Q: What is the 2026 standard deduction?

For 2026, the standard deduction is $16,100 for Single and Married Filing Separately, $24,150 for Head of Household, and $32,200 for Married Filing Jointly and Qualifying Surviving Spouse.

Q: Does Social Security tax apply to my whole salary?

No. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Earnings above that amount are not subject to Social Security tax, though Medicare still applies with no cap.

Q: What is the Additional Medicare Tax?

An extra 0.9% Medicare tax applies to wages above certain thresholds. Employers withhold it once your wages from that employer exceed $200,000, regardless of filing status — but your actual year-end liability threshold depends on your filing status ($250,000 for Married Filing Jointly, $125,000 for Married Filing Separately, $200,000 otherwise).

Q: How does this calculator handle state income tax?

You enter your own state income tax rate. This keeps the calculator accurate for any state, even those with complex brackets, by using an effective flat rate. See the link in the input for current state rates.

Q: Do 401(k) and HSA contributions reduce all my taxes?

Traditional 401(k)/403(b)/457(b) contributions and HSA/FSA contributions typically reduce both your federal taxable wages and your Social Security/Medicare (FICA) wages when made through payroll. Roth 401(k) contributions do not reduce any current-year tax. This calculator applies each deduction's actual tax treatment rather than treating every deduction the same.

Q: Why is my bonus taxed differently than my regular paycheck?

Bonuses are "supplemental wages." Employers typically withhold federal tax on them at a flat 22% (37% on amounts over $1 million in a year) instead of your regular bracket. This is payroll withholding, not your final tax bill — your actual liability on that income depends on your total annual earnings.

Q: What is the difference between payroll withholding and my final tax liability?

Withholding is an estimate the payroll system uses to send money to the IRS throughout the year. Your final tax liability is calculated at filing time based on your full annual income, deductions, and credits. They are often close but not identical — this calculator's annual figures represent estimated liability, while the bonus calculator specifically models withholding.

Q: Is this calculator accurate enough to replace a tax professional?

No — treat it as a planning estimate based on projected 2026 IRS figures. It doesn't model every credit, phase-out, or local jurisdiction. For filing decisions or anything with real stakes, confirm with a tax professional or your payroll department.

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