Paycheck Calculator
Enter your salary or hourly pay and get a pay stub: gross pay, each tax line, and take-home pay. It uses the 2026 federal brackets and FICA rates, treats a 401(k) and a health premium the way payroll does, and runs in your browser.
Deductions, credits and state tax
Take-home pay, every two weeks
$1,938.08
$2,307.69gross
$369.62taxes
$50,390.00net per year
84%kept
Pay stub
| Line | Basis | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,307.69 | |
| Federal income tax | 12% bracket | -$193.08 |
| Social Security | 6.2% | -$143.08 |
| Medicare | 1.45% | -$33.46 |
| Net pay | $1,938.08 |
2026 federal estimate. State and local tax is the flat rate you enter. Your employer’s payroll system can differ by a few dollars. Not tax advice.
The math behind each line
| Line | Formula |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | Salary / pay periods, or (rate x regular hours + rate x 1.5 x overtime hours) x 52 / pay periods |
| Social Security | 6.2% of pay after any health premium, up to the yearly wage base of $184,500 |
| Medicare | 1.45% of the same pay, plus 0.9% on yearly pay above $200,000 |
| Federal income tax | Yearly pay after 401(k), health premium, and the standard deduction, taxed by bracket, minus W-4 credits, divided by pay periods |
| Net pay | Gross pay minus every line above and any after-tax deductions |
Sources: IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 for the 2026 brackets and standard deduction, and the Social Security Administration 2026 fact sheet for the wage base. The 401(k) deferral limit for 2026 is $24,500.
How to use it
1. Enter your pay
Pick salary or hourly. For hourly pay, add regular hours and any overtime hours per week.
2. Set frequency and filing status
Choose how often you are paid and how you file your federal return.
3. Add deductions
Open the deductions section for 401(k), health premium, after-tax deductions, W-4 credits, and a state tax rate.
4. Read the stub
See take-home pay, each tax line, and a yearly total. Copy the summary with one click.
Common questions
How is take-home pay calculated here?
Gross pay per paycheck, minus pre-tax deductions, minus federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, any state tax you enter, and after-tax deductions. Federal income tax uses the 2026 brackets and standard deduction on your yearly taxable pay, divided back across your paychecks.
Why does a 401(k) lower income tax but not Social Security and Medicare?
Traditional 401(k) contributions are excluded from income tax wages, but Social Security and Medicare still apply to them. A health premium paid through a Section 125 plan is different: it lowers both income tax wages and Social Security and Medicare wages.
How is overtime paid?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, most non-exempt employees get at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Some states and contracts set higher or daily overtime rules, which this tool does not model.
Why is there no state tax table?
State and local rules differ by state, city, and even employer setup, and a wrong table would give a wrong answer. You type one flat percentage for state and local tax instead. Check your last pay stub for the figure your employer withholds.
Will this match my real pay stub?
It should land close, but not to the cent. Payroll systems use the IRS percentage method with your W-4 details, and benefits, bonuses, and tax-free items can change the numbers. Treat the result as an estimate, not tax advice.