Paycheck Calculator
Paycheck calculators estimate net pay (take-home) after taxes and deductions. Deductions: federal tax (10-37% progressive), state tax (0-13%), Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), health insurance, 401k. For example, $60,000 annual salary = $5,000 gross monthly, minus ~$1,200 taxes, ~$400 benefits = $3,400 net monthly. Varies by state, filing status, allowances. Biweekly paychecks divide annual by 26, not 24.
Estimate your take-home pay after federal and state taxes, FICA (Social Security & Medicare), and deductions. Enter annual salary or per-period gross, choose pay frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly), and add pre-tax deductions (401k, health insurance, HSA) and post-tax deductions (Roth 401k, other). See net pay breakdown with visual bar chart and annual vs per-period comparison.
Gross Salary
Pay Frequency
Filing Status
State Tax Rate
Pre-Tax Deductions
Post-Tax Deductions
Net Pay (Bi-weekly)
$2,198.90
Effective deduction rate: 23.77%
Paycheck Breakdown
Taxes
Per Paycheck
$2,198.90
Bi-weekly
Annual Take-Home
$57,171.40
26 pay periods
2024 Paycheck Tax Notes
- Social Security: 6.2% on wages up to $168,600
- Medicare: 1.45% on all wages (additional 0.9% on wages over $200K single / $250K married)
- Standard deduction applied: Single $14,600 · Married $29,200 · Head of Household $21,900
- Pre-tax 401(k) and HSA contributions reduce federal and state taxable income but not FICA
- This is an estimate — actual withholding depends on your W-4, local taxes, and employer
How to Use
- Enter your value in the input field
- Click the Calculate/Convert button
- Copy the result to your clipboard
Frequently Asked Questions
- What taxes are deducted from my paycheck?
- Federal income tax (10-37% based on 2024 brackets), state income tax (0-13% depending on state), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%, plus additional 0.9% on wages over $200K single / $250K married). Pre-tax deductions like 401(k), health insurance, and HSA reduce federal and state taxable income but not FICA.
- What is the difference between gross and net pay?
- Gross pay is total earnings before any deductions. Net pay (take-home) is what you receive after taxes and all deductions. Typical take-home is 70-80% of gross for middle incomes. Higher earners take home a lower percentage due to progressive tax rates.
- How do pre-tax deductions like 401(k) and HSA affect my paycheck?
- Pre-tax deductions (traditional 401k, health insurance, HSA) are subtracted from gross pay before calculating federal and state income taxes, lowering your taxable income and tax bill. However, they do NOT reduce FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare), which are calculated on your full gross pay.
- What is the difference between bi-weekly and semi-monthly pay?
- Bi-weekly = every 2 weeks (26 paychecks/year). Semi-monthly = twice per month on fixed dates like 1st and 15th (24 paychecks/year). Bi-weekly means 2 months per year have 3 paychecks. Same annual salary, different per-paycheck amounts.
- What is the difference between a traditional 401(k) and Roth 401(k)?
- Traditional 401(k) contributions are pre-tax — they reduce your taxable income now, but you pay taxes on withdrawals in retirement. Roth 401(k) contributions are post-tax — they don't reduce your current tax bill, but withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. This calculator handles both correctly in the paycheck breakdown.