Estimate 2026 US take-home pay from federal income tax brackets, Social Security, Medicare, state or local tax, pay frequency, and payroll deductions.
Calculator
Take-Home Pay Results
Compare gross pay, taxes, deductions, and net pay for 2026.
Annual Pay Breakdown
Tax and Pay Details
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2026 US take-home pay estimate
This calculator starts with annual gross wages, applies the selected 2026 federal filing-status brackets and deduction, estimates employee Social Security and Medicare taxes, then subtracts the state or local rate and payroll deductions you enter. Results include annual, monthly, and selected-paycheck take-home pay.
take-home pay = gross wages - pre-tax deductions - federal income tax - Social Security - Medicare - state or local tax - post-tax deductions - extra withholding
Federal income tax calculation
Federal taxable income is gross wages minus the entered pre-tax amounts and either the 2026 standard deduction or your custom deduction. The calculator applies progressive tax brackets, meaning each rate applies only to the income inside that bracket. It does not multiply all income by your highest marginal rate.
For 2026, the standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married couples filing jointly, and $24,150 for heads of household. See the IRS 2026 inflation adjustments and Revenue Procedure 2025-32.
Social Security and Medicare in 2026
The employee Social Security rate is 6.2% on covered wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Medicare is 1.45% on covered wages with no ordinary wage cap. The calculator also estimates the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax above the filing-status threshold. These parameters come from IRS Publication 15 (2026) and the Social Security Administration contribution and benefit base.
How payroll deductions are treated
The pre-tax retirement field reduces the federal income-tax estimate but not Social Security or Medicare wages, which is the common treatment for elective 401(k) deferrals. The other pre-tax benefits field is assumed to reduce both federal taxable income and FICA wages. Actual treatment depends on the plan and deduction type. Post-tax deductions reduce take-home pay but not taxable wages.
Worked example
Using the default $75,000 salary, single filing status, $4,500 retirement contribution, $2,400 other pre-tax benefits, 5% state or local rate, and $600 post-tax deductions, the model estimates about $52,389 in annual take-home pay, or about $2,015 across 26 biweekly paychecks.
Estimate versus an actual paycheck
This is an annual planning estimate, not payroll software or tax advice. It does not model W-4 dependents and credits, multiple jobs, bonus withholding, local tax rules, unemployment or disability insurance, HSA limits, age-based deductions, itemized-deduction limits, refundable credits, no-tax-on-tips or overtime deductions, or employer-specific benefit timing. Compare the result with your pay stub and use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator when you need W-4 guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Is take-home pay the same as net pay?
They generally refer to the amount left after taxes and payroll deductions. A pay stub may use net pay for the exact employer calculation.
Does a 401(k) contribution reduce Social Security tax?
Traditional elective 401(k) deferrals generally reduce federal taxable income but remain subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes, which is how this calculator treats the retirement field.
Why can my paycheck differ?
Payroll withholding uses W-4 elections, payroll-period tables, benefit timing, rounding, and state rules. This tool annualizes those items for comparison.