2026 Take-Home Pay Calculator
Estimate 2026 US take-home pay using federal brackets, the standard deduction, employee Social Security and Medicare, pre-tax deductions, and an adjustable state tax rate.
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Estimated take-home per paycheck
$3,045.38
2026 federal estimate before benefits paid after tax
- Annual take-home pay
- $79,180
- Effective estimated tax rate
- 20.8%
- Federal taxable income
- $83,900
Estimated annual taxes
$20,820
- Federal income tax
- $13,170
- Social Security
- $6,200
- Medicare
- $1,450
- State tax estimate
- $0
Uses 2026 federal brackets, the standard deduction, and employee FICA rates. It is an educational estimate—not payroll or tax-filing advice—and excludes credits, itemized deductions, local taxes, and special withholding elections.
What the 2026 paycheck estimate includes
Gross salary is not the amount deposited into a bank account. The calculator subtracts selected pre-tax deductions, estimated federal income tax, employee Social Security, Medicare, and an optional flat state-rate estimate.
Federal income tax is progressive. After the 2026 standard deduction, taxable income is divided across the official 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37% brackets. Moving into a higher bracket does not apply that rate to every earlier dollar.
The modeled annual take-home amount is:
gross pay − pre-tax deductions − federal tax − Social Security − Medicare − state estimate
It is divided by 52, 26, 24, or 12 to show weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, or monthly take-home.
Official 2026 inputs used
The calculator uses standard deductions of $16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for head of household. It uses the official 2026 bracket thresholds for those statuses.
Employee Social Security is modeled at 6.2% of covered wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Medicare is modeled at 1.45% of wages, plus the additional 0.9% above the statutory threshold used by the selected filing status. Employer payroll-tax shares are not subtracted from employee pay.
Worked example: $100,000 single filer
With $100,000 gross pay, single status, no pre-tax deduction, and no state tax, the federal taxable-income estimate is $83,900 after the standard deduction. Progressive federal income tax is approximately $13,170. Employee Social Security is $6,200 and Medicare is $1,450.
The remaining annual amount is divided by 26 for a biweekly estimate. Actual withholding can differ even if final annual liability is close because payroll systems apply Form W-4 information each pay period.
Pre-tax deductions need care
Not every deduction reduces every tax. Traditional 401(k) contributions commonly reduce federal taxable income but generally remain subject to Social Security and Medicare. Some eligible health benefits may receive different treatment. This simplified calculator subtracts the entered amount before federal taxable-income and state estimates while calculating FICA from gross wages.
For a real paycheck, compare the result with the employer’s benefit and payroll documentation. Use the hourly and salary calculator first when annual gross pay must be derived from a wage.
Why this is an estimate, not a tax return
The tool excludes tax credits, dependents, itemized deductions, other income, capital gains, self-employment, local tax, state-specific brackets, additional W-4 withholding, bonuses with supplemental withholding, and many special rules. It does not prepare a return or determine compliance. Consult official IRS guidance or a qualified professional for decisions and filing.
Frequently asked questions
- Which tax year does the calculator use?
- It uses tax year 2026 federal brackets and standard deductions, plus the 2026 Social Security wage base. The page is date-specific and must be updated for later years.
- Is this the same as payroll withholding?
- No. It estimates annual liability and divides take-home by pay frequency. Employer withholding uses payroll tables, Form W-4 elections, pay-period rounding, and other rules.
- Does the result include state tax?
- Only as a flat user-entered estimate. State brackets, deductions, credits, local taxes, unemployment programs, and paid-leave contributions are not modeled.
- What counts as a pre-tax deduction?
- Eligible deductions can include certain retirement contributions and benefits, but tax treatment differs for federal income tax and FICA. Enter only amounts appropriate to the estimate and verify payroll treatment.
- Are tax credits included?
- No. Child, dependent, education, earned-income, premium, and other credits are excluded, as are itemized deductions and non-wage income.
Sources
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The ToolGrym editorial team builds and maintains every calculator on this site. Each tool’s formulas are implemented as tested code and verified against authoritative sources such as the CFPB, Federal Reserve, IRS, and BLS.