What's Your Real Take-Home Pay?
Free paycheck calculator for all 50 states. Instantly see your net pay after federal tax, state tax, Social Security, and Medicare — updated for 2026.
How the Paycheck Calculator Works
Enter your gross (pre-tax) pay per paycheck and select your pay frequency, filing status, and state. The calculator applies the 2026 federal income tax brackets, your state's tax rates, FICA (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%), and any pre-tax deductions like 401(k) contributions or health insurance premiums.
The result is your actual net take-home pay — what gets deposited into your bank account each pay period.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is gross pay vs. net pay?
- Gross pay is your salary or hourly wage before any deductions. Net pay (take-home pay) is what you actually receive after federal taxes, state taxes, FICA, and benefit deductions.
- Does this calculator use 2026 tax rates?
- Yes. This calculator uses the 2026 federal income tax brackets and FICA rates. The Social Security wage cap is $176,100 for 2026. State tax rates reflect the latest available rates.
- What is FICA?
- FICA taxes fund Social Security and Medicare. Employees pay 6.2% for Social Security (on wages up to $176,100) and 1.45% for Medicare on all wages.
- How do pre-tax deductions reduce my taxes?
- 401(k) contributions and employer health insurance premiums are deducted from your gross pay before federal and state taxes are calculated, lowering your taxable income and tax bill.
- What does the PDF pay stub include?
- Your generated pay stub includes employer name, employee name, pay period dates, itemized earnings, all tax deductions, pre-tax benefit deductions, net pay, and year-to-date totals — for just $4.99 via secure Stripe checkout. For personal record-keeping purposes only.