Paycheck Calculator

Take-home pay per paycheck after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, and 401k. Results update as you type.

Federal tax and FICA only. This page does not include state or local income tax, so your actual take-home pay may be lower once state tax, local tax, and other deductions are applied.

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Cost breakdown

Annual totals

Simplified assumptions: 401k contributions are treated as exempt from federal tax and FICA here, and no tax credits, itemized deductions, or other payroll deductions are included. Real paychecks also reflect state and local tax, benefits, and employer specific items.

How this calculator works

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Results are estimates for education only and are not financial advice.

Paycheck formula

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How take-home pay is calculated, step by step

1. Subtract the 401k contribution from the salary, then subtract the standard deduction to get taxable income.
2. Apply the 2026 marginal tax brackets to taxable income, bracket by bracket, for annual federal tax.
3. Work out FICA on pay after 401k: Social Security at 6.2% up to the $184,500 wage base, Medicare at 1.45% on all pay, plus 0.9% above the filing status threshold.
4. Subtract federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, and 401k from the salary for annual take-home pay, then divide every annual figure by the number of paychecks.

Worked example

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