US Paycheck Calculator (2026)
Use this paycheck calculator to estimate your take-home pay for 2026. Enter your salary or hourly wage, how often you are paid, and your Form W-4 settings. The calculator applies 2026 federal income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare (FICA), overtime pay, and common pre-tax deductions to show a clear per-paycheck estimate.
This tool covers federal withholding for tax year 2026 only. State and local income taxes are not calculated — enter them manually if you know them. All figures are estimates for planning, not tax advice.
Calculate your paycheck
Your estimated results
How this paycheck calculator works
The estimate is built from your gross pay through four steps:
- Gross pay. For a salary, annual pay is divided by the number of pay periods. For hourly pay, regular hours plus overtime (1.5× by default) are summed and annualized.
- Pre-tax deductions. A 401(k)/403(b) elective deferral reduces income tax wages only, while Section 125 benefits (health premiums, HSA, FSA) reduce both income tax and FICA wages.
- FICA. Social Security is 6.2% up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500; Medicare is 1.45% with no cap; Additional Medicare Tax is 0.9% once year-to-date Medicare wages exceed $200,000.
- Federal income tax. The Pub. 15-T percentage method annualizes your taxable wages, applies your filing status and W-4 adjustments, looks up the 2026 schedule, then divides by pay periods.
2026 FICA tax rates
| Tax | Rate | Wage limit (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security | 6.2% | First $184,500 of wages |
| Medicare | 1.45% | No limit |
| Additional Medicare Tax | 0.9% | Wages over $200,000 (employer withholding) |
2026 withholding standard deduction (Pub. 15-T)
| Filing status | Step 2 not checked | Step 2 checked |
|---|---|---|
| Single / Married filing separately | $8,600 | $0 |
| Head of household | $8,600 | $0 |
| Married filing jointly | $12,900 | $0 |
Pay periods per year
| Pay frequency | Periods per year |
|---|---|
| Weekly | 52 |
| Biweekly | 26 |
| Semi-monthly | 24 |
| Monthly | 12 |
| Annual | 1 |
Example take-home pay by salary (single, biweekly)
| Annual salary | Gross / paycheck | Federal income tax | FICA | Net / paycheck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $1,538.46 | $100.77 | $117.69 | $1,320.00 |
| $60,000 | $2,307.69 | $193.08 | $176.54 | $1,938.07 |
| $80,000 | $3,076.92 | $337.31 | $235.39 | $2,504.22 |
| $100,000 | $3,846.15 | $506.54 | $294.23 | $3,045.38 |
401(k) vs Section 125: what each reduces
| Deduction | Lowers income tax? | Lowers Social Security & Medicare? |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional 401(k) / 403(b) deferral | Yes | No |
| Roth 401(k) deferral | No | No |
| Section 125 health premium / HSA / FSA | Yes | Yes |
2026 vs 2027 Social Security wage base
| Tax year | Social Security wage base | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $184,500 | Verified |
| 2027 | $192,300 | Not verified — reference only |
Infographic: where your paycheck goes
Infographic: pay frequency and periods
Infographic: Social Security cap and Medicare threshold
Infographic: 2026 Single withholding brackets
Frequently asked questions
How is take-home pay calculated?
Take-home pay is your gross pay minus federal income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare, any state or local tax, and your pre-tax and post-tax deductions. The calculator annualizes your wages, applies the 2026 withholding schedule for your filing status, then divides by the number of pay periods.
What are the 2026 FICA rates?
Social Security is 6.2% on wages up to $184,500, and Medicare is 1.45% with no wage limit. An Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% is withheld once year-to-date Medicare wages exceed $200,000.
Does this calculator include state income tax?
No. State and local income taxes are not calculated, because the rules vary widely and are not verified here. You can enter a manual state withholding amount in the form to include it in the estimate.
Does a 401(k) contribution reduce my taxes?
A traditional 401(k) or 403(b) elective deferral reduces your federal income tax wages, so less income tax is withheld. It does not reduce Social Security or Medicare wages, so those taxes are unchanged.
Do health insurance premiums reduce my taxes?
Yes. Health insurance premiums, HSA contributions, and FSA contributions made through a Section 125 cafeteria plan reduce both federal income tax wages and Social Security and Medicare wages.
How does overtime pay work?
Under the FLSA, covered nonexempt employees are generally paid at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Enter your overtime hours to include them in gross pay.
What does the Step 2 checkbox on Form W-4 do?
Checking Step 2 tells your employer to withhold using the higher, half-bracket schedule because you or your spouse have more than one job, or you hold multiple jobs. This increases withholding on each paycheck.
How are bonuses or supplemental wages taxed?
Bonuses and other supplemental wages can be withheld at a flat 22%, or 37% to the extent supplemental wages exceed $1,000,000 in a calendar year. This calculator focuses on regular wages.
Why is my first paycheck smaller than later ones?
In some states and for some high earners, withholding can vary across the year as you approach the Social Security wage base or the Additional Medicare threshold. This calculator assumes evenly spread wages unless you enter year-to-date figures.
What is the Social Security wage base for 2026?
The 2026 Social Security wage base is $184,500. Once your year-to-date wages reach that amount, Social Security tax stops for the rest of the year.
What is Additional Medicare Tax?
Additional Medicare Tax is a 0.9% tax on Medicare wages above a threshold. Employers must withhold it once an employee’s year-to-date Medicare wages exceed $200,000, regardless of filing status.
Are these numbers exact?
No. They are close estimates based on the official 2026 percentage method. Your actual withholding depends on your completed Form W-4, your employer’s payroll system, and any state or local rules.
Which tax year does the calculator support?
Only tax year 2026 is enabled because its rates and tables are verified. Selecting another year returns a not-verified notice rather than an estimate.
Does pre-tax or after-tax matter for Roth contributions?
Roth 401(k) contributions are made after tax. They do not reduce income tax wages or FICA wages. Enter them as an after-tax deduction.
Can I use this for self-employment income?
No. This calculator estimates employee paycheck withholding. Self-employed individuals pay Self-Employment Tax and estimated taxes using different rules.
Sources and rules used
- IRS Publication 15 (2026), Circular E, Employer’s Tax Guide — FICA rates, wage base, supplemental wages.
- IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — percentage method, Worksheet 1A, withholding schedules.
- IRS Form 8959 and Topic No. 560 — Additional Medicare Tax.
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — FLSA overtime.
Disclaimer. This tool provides estimates for general information only and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Verify results with your employer’s payroll department or a qualified tax professional before relying on them.
Government rules last checked: October 16, 2026.
