SlickCalc

Paycheck Calculator

See your real take-home pay per paycheck after 401(k), HSA, health insurance, federal, state, local taxes, and W-4 adjustments — 2026 IRS rates.

Gross Pay Per Period
$

26 paychecks per year

Filing Status
State & Local
%

e.g. NYC ~3.876%. Leave blank if none.

Pre-tax Deductions
%
%
$
$

401(k) reduces federal & state tax (not FICA). HSA & health insurance reduce all three. Roth reduces nothing — it's post-tax.

Advanced: W-4 Adjustments

Withholds at the single-filer rate even if married. Increases federal withholding.

$
$
$
$

Dependent credit: $2,000 per qualifying child + $500 per other dependent. Step 4a-4c covers non-wage income, extra deductions, and additional per-paycheck withholding.

Take-Home Pay

$1,691

Bi-weekly · 84.5% of gross

Bi-weekly

$1,691

Per Month

$3,664

Per Year

$43,962

Tax Breakdown (Per Paycheck)
Federal Income Tax
$156
Social Security
$124
Medicare
$29
Total Tax$309
Effective Tax Rate15.5%

How the Paycheck Calculator Works

Your paycheck starts with gross pay per pay period (weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly), then a sequence of deductions and taxes determine your net take-home. Bi-weekly (26 paychecks/year) and semi-monthly (24 paychecks/year) are not the same — they produce different per-paycheck amounts even at the same annual salary.

Pre-tax deductions are not all equal. Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce your federal and state income tax base, but do not reduce FICA (Social Security + Medicare). HSA contributions and Section 125 health insurance premiums reduce all three — federal, state, and FICA. Roth 401(k) contributions reduce none of them — they're post-tax. This calculator applies each rule correctly, so a $200/paycheck HSA contribution will save you more than a $200/paycheck 401(k) contribution at the same gross.

Federal withholding follows the IRS Publication 15-T Percentage Method, simplified to use the 2026 brackets and standard deduction directly. W-4 Step 2 (multiple jobs / spouse works) shifts withholding to the single-filer rate, increasing per-paycheck federal tax. Step 3 (dependent credits) reduces it. Steps 4a-4c handle non-wage income, extra deductions, and additional per-paycheck withholding.

FICA is 6.2% Social Security up to the wage base ($184,500 in 2026) and 1.45% Medicare on all income. An additional 0.9% Medicare tax kicks in above $200k (single / HOH), $250k (married), or $125k (married filing separately). State tax is calculated from your state's brackets; local tax is a flat rate you enter (e.g. NYC ~3.876%, Philadelphia ~3.79%).

Paycheck Calculator by State

Get state-specific paycheck details with local tax notes, HSA vs 401(k) savings, and bi-weekly vs semi-monthly comparisons.

California(CA)Texas(TX)Florida(FL)New York(NY)Illinois(IL)Pennsylvania(PA)Ohio(OH)Washington(WA)Georgia(GA)North Carolina(NC)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is bi-weekly different from semi-monthly?
Bi-weekly pays every two weeks = 26 paychecks per year. Semi-monthly pays twice a month (e.g. 1st and 15th) = 24 paychecks per year. At a $60,000 salary, bi-weekly = $2,307.69/check while semi-monthly = $2,500/check. Annual gross is the same, but per-paycheck amounts differ.
Does my 401(k) contribution reduce my Social Security and Medicare tax?
No. Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce your federal and state income tax base, but not FICA. Your employer still withholds 6.2% Social Security and 1.45% Medicare on the full gross pay (including the part going to your 401(k)). HSA and Section 125 health insurance premiums are different — they reduce FICA as well.
What's the difference between Roth and Traditional 401(k) on my paycheck?
Traditional 401(k): pre-tax — reduces your federal & state income tax now, but you pay tax later in retirement. Roth 401(k): post-tax — no tax break now, but withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. For the same $200/paycheck contribution, Roth lowers your take-home more because there's no current tax savings.
What does "Multiple Jobs" on the W-4 do?
W-4 Step 2 tells your employer to withhold at the single-filer rate even if you're married. This compensates for the fact that with two incomes, you'll likely be in a higher combined tax bracket than each individual job withholding would predict. It increases your per-paycheck federal tax to avoid an underpayment penalty at tax time.
Why is the state tax marked "estimate"?
Most states use slightly different brackets and deductions for married, head of household, and married filing separately filers. To keep the UI simple, this calculator uses single-filer brackets for all filing statuses and shows an estimate warning. For exact state withholding, refer to your state's W-4 / withholding tables.

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