Paycheck Calculator

Estimate your take-home pay after federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare. Works for both salaried and hourly employees. Enter your gross pay and filing status to see your net paycheck.

Paycheck Calculator

How Paycheck Deductions Work

Your gross pay goes through several deductions before you receive your take-home pay. The main federal deductions are federal income tax (progressive brackets), Social Security (6.2% up to the wage base), and Medicare (1.45%). State income taxes, health insurance premiums, and retirement contributions further reduce your net pay.

2024 Federal Tax Brackets (Single Filer)

Taxable IncomeRate
$0 – $11,60010%
$11,601 – $47,15012%
$47,151 – $100,52522%
$100,526 – $191,95024%
$191,951 – $243,72532%
$243,726 – $609,35035%
Over $609,35037%

FICA Taxes Explained

FICA stands for Federal Insurance Contributions Act, which funds Social Security and Medicare. Employees pay 6.2% of gross wages for Social Security (up to the annual wage base of $168,600 in 2024) and 1.45% for Medicare with no cap. Employers match these amounts. High earners pay an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax on wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married).

Frequently Asked Questions

How is take-home pay calculated?+
Take-home pay = Gross Pay − Federal Income Tax − Social Security (6.2%) − Medicare (1.45%) − Pre-Tax Deductions. State taxes would reduce it further if applicable.
What is the standard deduction for 2024?+
For 2024, the standard deduction is $14,600 for single filers, $29,200 for married filing jointly, and $21,900 for head of household. This reduces your taxable income before brackets are applied.
Does this include state income tax?+
This calculator estimates federal taxes only. State income tax rates vary from 0% (no income tax states like Texas, Florida) to over 13% (California). Add your state's rate to get a full picture.

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From gross to net

Gross pay is what you earn; net pay is what arrives. The gap is made up of several distinct deductions, which is why a single percentage estimate is usually wrong.

Pre-tax deductions reduce taxable wages

A $200 pre-tax health premium does not reduce take-home by $200, because it also reduces the income being taxed. The net effect is smaller than the deduction itself.

This is also why increasing a traditional 401(k) contribution costs less in take-home than the contribution amount suggests.

Withholding is an estimate, not a tax bill

Your W-4 tells payroll how much to withhold. It is a prediction of your eventual liability, and it can be too high or too low.

A large refund means you lent the government money at no interest for a year. A large bill means you under-withheld. Either way the fix is adjusting the W-4, not changing what you owe.

State variation is substantial

Several states levy no income tax at all, others use flat rates, and others are progressive. Some cities add their own. Two people with identical gross pay in different states can take home noticeably different amounts.

See How to Read a Pay Stub for decoding the line items.