How this calculator works
The calculator turns your pay into a yearly figure, works out federal taxes for the year, then divides by the number of paychecks. Here are the steps.
- Annual gross pay. Enter a salary, or an hourly wage. Hourly pay is multiplied by hours per week and then by 52.
- Pay periods. Weekly pay has 52 checks, biweekly 26, semimonthly 24 and monthly 12.
- Pre-tax deductions. Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce wages for income tax but not for Social Security or Medicare. Health insurance and HSA payments through a cafeteria plan reduce both.
- Federal income tax. The tool takes gross pay, minus pre-tax deductions, minus the 2026 standard deduction for your filing status. It runs that through the 2026 brackets and divides by your number of paychecks.
- FICA. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to $184,500. Medicare is 1.45% of all wages. The extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax is withheld on wages above $200,000.
- Take-home pay. Gross pay minus all of the above, shown per paycheck and per year.
The income tax line is an estimate. Employers use the IRS withholding tables in Publication 15-T and the choices on your Form W-4. Those can produce a different amount per check, even when your yearly tax ends up the same.
2026 payroll figures at a glance
| Item | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| Social Security tax (employee) | 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 |
| Maximum Social Security tax (employee) | $11,439 |
| Medicare tax (employee) | 1.45% of all wages |
| Additional Medicare Tax withholding | 0.9% of wages over $200,000 |
| Standard deduction, single / joint / head of household | $16,100 / $32,200 / $24,150 |
The wage base comes from the Social Security Administration. The standard deduction and brackets come from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32. Your employer pays a matching 6.2% and 1.45%, but that does not come out of your check.
Worked example
Jordan is single and earns a $70,000 salary, paid biweekly (26 checks). Jordan puts $3,500 a year into a traditional 401(k) and pays $2,400 a year for health insurance through a cafeteria plan.
Step 1: Federal income tax
- Income-tax wages: $70,000 − $3,500 − $2,400 = $64,100
- After the standard deduction: $64,100 − $16,100 = $48,000
- Tax: 10% of $12,400 ($1,240) + 12% of $35,600 ($4,272) = $5,512 a year
- Per check: $5,512 ÷ 26 = $212.00
Step 2: Social Security and Medicare
- FICA wages: $70,000 − $2,400 = $67,600 (the 401(k) does not reduce them)
- Social Security: $67,600 × 6.2% = $4,191.20 a year, or $161.20 per check
- Medicare: $67,600 × 1.45% = $980.20 a year, or $37.70 per check
Step 3: Take-home pay
- Gross per check: $70,000 ÷ 26 = $2,692.31
- Minus 401(k) $134.62, health insurance $92.31, income tax $212.00, Social Security $161.20 and Medicare $37.70
- Take-home per check: $2,054.48
- Take-home per year: $70,000 − $3,500 − $2,400 − $5,512 − $4,191.20 − $980.20 = $53,416.60
Jordan keeps about 76% of gross pay. Part of the rest is not lost: the $3,500 is still Jordan’s money, saved in the 401(k).
Why your real paycheck may differ
Withholding is a running estimate, not a final bill. A few common reasons your pay stub won’t match this tool exactly:
- Your W-4. Claiming dependents, adding other income or asking for extra withholding all change the income tax line.
- Bonuses. Supplemental wages are often withheld at a flat rate, separate from regular pay.
- The Social Security cap. High earners stop paying the 6.2% once their wages for the year pass $184,500. Their later checks get bigger.
- Additional Medicare Tax. Employers start withholding 0.9% once your wages pass $200,000, whatever your filing status. Married couples may owe more or less when they file.
- Tips and overtime. The new OBBBA deductions for qualified tips and overtime lower income tax on your return. They do not lower Social Security or Medicare tax. See our tips and overtime guide.
For a line-by-line tour of a pay stub, read how to read your paycheck. The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator can help you check your W-4.
401(k) vs cafeteria plan deductions
Both are “pre-tax,” but they are not treated the same. A traditional 401(k) contribution skips federal income tax now. It still counts as wages for Social Security and Medicare.
Health, dental and HSA payments made through a Section 125 cafeteria plan skip both. In the example, the $2,400 of insurance saved Jordan $183.60 in FICA tax ($2,400 × 7.65%) on top of the income tax saving. The $3,500 401(k) contribution saved income tax only.
That difference shows up on your Form W-2. Box 1 shows income-tax wages after both kinds of deduction. Boxes 3 and 5 show Social Security and Medicare wages, which still include your 401(k) contributions.
What this calculator doesn’t include
- State and local income taxes, and state programs such as disability insurance.
- Exact Publication 15-T withholding and any W-4 adjustments.
- Credits such as the Child Tax Credit. Use the federal income tax calculator for those.
- After-tax deductions such as Roth 401(k), union dues or wage garnishments.
- Self-employment income. Freelancers can use the self-employment tax calculator.
- The OBBBA tips, overtime and senior deductions.