Paycheck Calculator 2026
Estimate your US take-home pay for 2026 — federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for the 10 biggest states.
California SDI is withheld at 1.3% of all wages in 2026 (no cap). Rates above $1M include the 1% mental-health surtax (top rate 13.3%).
Estimates for the 2026 tax year using the standard deduction. Actual withholding depends on your W-4, benefits, credits, and local taxes. Not tax advice.
From salary to paycheck, with 2026 numbers
Enter your annual salary, pick your state, filing status and pay frequency, and you get the full breakdown: federal income tax using the 2026 brackets and standard deduction,Social Security and Medicare, and your state income tax — including quirks like California’s 1.3% SDI on all wages and Ohio’s tax-free first $26,050. Add pre-tax deductions (401(k), HSA) to see how retirement savings shrink your tax bill without shrinking your paycheck as much as you’d think.
Same salary, ten different paychecks
State tax is where identical salaries diverge. Here is what a single filer earning $85,000 takes home per year in each state this tool covers (standard deduction, no pre-tax deductions):
| State | State tax | Annual take-home | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $0 | $68,628 | $5,719 |
| Florida | $0 | $68,628 | $5,719 |
| Ohio | $1,555 | $67,072 | $5,589 |
| Pennsylvania | $2,610 | $66,018 | $5,502 |
| North Carolina | $2,883 | $65,745 | $5,479 |
| Michigan | $3,362 | $65,266 | $5,439 |
| Georgia | $3,789 | $64,839 | $5,403 |
| New York | $3,993 | $64,635 | $5,386 |
| Illinois | $4,063 | $64,565 | $5,380 |
| California | $3,675 + $1,105 SDI | $63,847 | $5,321 |
The spread between Texas and California is nearly $4,800 a year on the same salary. For deeper state-specific detail, see the dedicated pages:California,Texas,Florida,New York,Pennsylvania,Illinois,Ohio,Georgia,North Carolina andMichigan.
What this estimate includes — and what it doesn’t
Included: 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, Social Security wage base ($184,500), the additional Medicare surtax, state brackets, state standard deductions and personal exemptions, and California SDI. Not included: local city taxes (New York City, Philadelphia wage tax, Ohio municipalities), itemized deductions, tax credits like the Child Tax Credit, and benefit premiums. Treat the result as a solid planning estimate — not tax advice — and rely on your W-2 and a tax professional for filing. Everything runsin your browser; your salary never leaves your device.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is my take-home pay calculated?
Gross salary minus four things: federal income tax (2026 brackets after the standard deduction), Social Security (6.2% up to the $184,500 wage base), Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% on wages over $200,000) and your state’s income tax. Pre-tax deductions like a 401(k) reduce income tax but not Social Security or Medicare.What changed for the 2026 tax year?
The standard deduction rose to $16,100 (single) and $32,200 (married filing jointly), all seven federal brackets were inflation-adjusted, and the Social Security wage base climbed to $184,500. Several states also cut rates — North Carolina fell to 3.99% and New York trimmed its bottom brackets to 3.9% and 4.4%.Why is my actual paycheck different from this estimate?
This tool estimates annual tax liability with the standard deduction and splits it per paycheck. Your employer withholds based on your W-4 form, so the per-check amount can differ even when the annual total matches. Health insurance premiums, local city taxes and tax credits also shift the real number.Which states have no income tax?
Of the ten states covered here, Texas and Florida levy no state income tax at all. Nationally the no-income-tax list also includes Alaska, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington and Wyoming (New Hampshire no longer taxes interest and dividends as of 2025).What are FICA taxes?
FICA covers Social Security and Medicare. In 2026 you pay 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $184,500 (a maximum of $11,439) and 1.45% Medicare on every dollar, plus an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax on wages above $200,000 ($250,000 for joint filers). Your employer pays a matching share.Does contributing to a 401(k) really lower my taxes?
Yes — traditional 401(k), 403(b) and HSA contributions come out before federal and state income tax. At a 22% federal bracket plus a 5% state rate, a $10,000 contribution saves roughly $2,700 in tax. It does not reduce Social Security or Medicare tax, which apply to your full wages.Is my salary information stored anywhere?
No. Every calculation runs as JavaScript in your browser — nothing you type is uploaded, logged or stored on any server, and the tool keeps working offline once the page has loaded.