How this calculator works
Take-home pay is your gross pay minus pre-tax deductions (like traditional 401(k) and health insurance), federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security, and Medicare.
We use the 2025 IRS federal tax brackets and standard deduction for your filing status. Pre-tax 401(k) contributions and other pre-tax deductions are subtracted before federal and state income tax are calculated, but Social Security and Medicare still apply to them. We cap Social Security wages at $176,100 and apply the additional 0.9% Medicare surtax on wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly).
State tax is estimated using 2025 rates. For states with progressive brackets, we apply the bracket calculation to your state taxable income. For flat-tax states, we apply the flat rate. States with no wage income tax return $0. This is an estimate and does not replace your actual pay stub or a CPA.
FAQ
Why does my real paycheck differ from this?
Your actual paycheck depends on your W-4 withholding elections, employer-specific deductions, local taxes (like NYC or some Ohio cities), state disability or paid-leave taxes, and whether you have bonus pay or commissions. This calculator gives a clean estimate of the core federal + state + FICA math.
Is my data stored anywhere?
No. The calculator runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent to our servers, nothing is saved, and nothing is shared. Close the tab and it's gone.
Does this handle Roth 401(k)?
The 401(k) field assumes traditional (pre-tax) contributions. If you contribute to a Roth 401(k), set this field to 0 and subtract the Roth contribution from your net take-home separately.
What about self-employment taxes?
This tool is for W-2 employees. If you're a 1099 contractor or self-employed, your employer doesn't pay the other half of FICA, so your effective tax load is higher. Check out our freelance hourly rate calculator for a self-employed view.
Does this include health insurance?
Yes, but as a generic "pre-tax deductions" field. Put your per-paycheck health insurance cost there and it will be deducted before tax.
Why are bi-weekly and semi-monthly different?
Bi-weekly is every two weeks (26 paychecks a year). Semi-monthly is twice a month, usually on the 1st and 15th (24 paychecks). Bi-weekly results in two extra paychecks per year.