How much tax is taken out of my paycheck?
On a $60,000 salary paid every two weeks, a single filer has about $193.08 of federal income tax and $176.54 of Social Security and Medicare withheld from each $2,307.69 paycheck. In a state with no income tax, such as Texas, that leaves $1,938.08. In California, state income tax and disability insurance take another $93.06.
Four things decide what comes out of your check:
- Federal income tax, set by your Form W-4 and the IRS withholding tables.
- Social Security and Medicare, together called FICA, a flat 7.65% for most people.
- State income tax, which ranges from nothing to more than 13% at the top.
- Your own deductions: 401(k), health insurance, HSA and anything else your employer takes out.
How to use the paycheck calculator
- Choose salary or hourly. For hourly pay, enter your wage and usual hours a week.
- Pick how often you are paid. Every two weeks means 26 paychecks a year, not 24.
- Choose the state where you work. Each state page opens the calculator with that state already set.
- Match your Form W-4: filing status, children under 17, and the Step 2 box if you have two jobs.
- Add a 401(k) percentage and any pre-tax health premiums to see how they lower your taxes.
The result updates as you type. The table shows each line for one paycheck and for the year, and you can copy a link that reopens your exact numbers.
2026 federal income tax brackets
Federal tax is graduated: each rate applies only to the income inside its bracket. The brackets below apply to taxable income, which is pay after the $16,100 standard deduction for single filers ($32,200 for married couples filing jointly, $24,150 for heads of household). The IRS published them in Revenue Procedure 2025-32.
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | $0 to $12,400 | $0 to $24,800 | $0 to $17,700 |
| 12% | $12,400 to $50,400 | $24,800 to $100,800 | $17,700 to $67,450 |
| 22% | $50,400 to $105,700 | $100,800 to $211,400 | $67,450 to $105,700 |
| 24% | $105,700 to $201,775 | $211,400 to $403,550 | $105,700 to $201,750 |
| 32% | $201,775 to $256,225 | $403,550 to $512,450 | $201,750 to $256,200 |
| 35% | $256,225 to $640,600 | $512,450 to $768,700 | $256,200 to $640,600 |
| 37% | Over $640,600 | Over $768,700 | Over $640,600 |
Your employer does not use these brackets directly. It uses the percentage method in IRS Publication 15-T, which turns your W-4 into a withholding amount for each paycheck. This calculator follows the same method.
Social Security and Medicare taxes
Social Security takes 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 in 2026. Above that, it stops for the rest of the year. Medicare takes 1.45% of all wages, plus an extra 0.9% on wages over $200,000. Your employer pays a matching 7.65% that does not come out of your check.
States with no income tax on wages
9 states do not tax wages: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. In those states the only taxes on a paycheck are federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, though Washington adds paid leave and long-term care premiums.
Another 16 states charge one flat rate on all taxable income, including Pennsylvania, Illinois and North Carolina. The rest use graduated brackets like the federal system.
How pre-tax deductions raise your take-home pay
Money you put into a traditional 401(k) comes out before federal income tax and, in most states, before state income tax. Health, dental and vision premiums paid through a cafeteria plan also skip Social Security and Medicare. So a $100 pre-tax deduction usually shrinks your check by less than $100.
The 2026 limit for employee 401(k) contributions is $24,500. The calculator stops the deduction at that limit.
How your W-4 changes your paycheck
Form W-4 tells your employer how much federal tax to withhold. Filing status sets the bracket schedule. Step 3 subtracts $2,200 a year for each child under 17 and $500 for other dependents. Checking the Step 2 box roughly halves the brackets, which withholds more when you have two jobs. Step 4(c) adds a flat amount to every paycheck.
Getting a big refund means too much was withheld. Owing in April means too little. Running your numbers here and adjusting the W-4 is the fastest fix. The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator goes further for complicated returns.