💵 Paycheck Calculator
Calculate your net paycheck amount after all taxes and deductions. See exactly what you'll take home each pay period.
Why Use This Calculator?
See Exact Take-Home Pay Before Accepting Job
A $75,000 salary sounds great until you calculate take-home. After federal tax (12-22%), FICA (7.65%), state tax (0-13%), and deductions, you might net only $52,000-58,000 ($4,300-4,800/month). Know the real number before committing.
Calculate Impact of Raises Accurately
A $5,000 raise doesn't mean $5,000 more spending money. After 22% federal + 7.65% FICA + state taxes, you keep only $2,500-3,200 ($200-270/month). Understanding this prevents lifestyle inflation based on gross raise amounts.
Compare Different Pay Frequencies
Weekly (52 paychecks), biweekly (26), semi-monthly (24), or monthly (12) - each affects cash flow differently. Biweekly means 2 months yearly with 3 paychecks. Semi-monthly provides consistent budgeting. Choose what fits your planning style.
Optimize W-4 Withholding Strategy
See how allowances/dependents affect each paycheck vs. year-end refund/bill. Claiming 0 = bigger refund but smaller paychecks. Claiming 2-3 = more monthly cash but potential tax bill. Find your ideal balance between cashflow and refund.
Plan Budget Based on Real Net Income
Budgeting with gross pay fails - budget with actual take-home. If salary is $60,000 but take-home is $44,000, your real monthly budget is $3,667, not $5,000. This prevents overspending and debt accumulation from income miscalculation.
Factor Pre-Tax Deductions Correctly
401k contributions, HSA deposits, and health insurance reduce taxable income - saving you money. Contributing $500/month to 401k costs only $350-400 in take-home (saves $100-150 in taxes). See the true cost vs. benefit of pre-tax savings.
Step-by-Step Guide
Enter Your Annual Gross Salary
Input total yearly salary before any taxes or deductions - the amount in your offer letter or employment contract. This is what employers advertise, but not what you actually receive. Be precise.
Example:
Example: $65,000 annual salary, $80,000 if that's your offer, $52,000 for part-time position, $45,000 for entry-level role
Select Your Pay Frequency
How often you receive paychecks. Weekly = 52/year, Biweekly = 26/year (every 2 weeks), Semi-monthly = 24/year (twice monthly, usually 15th and 30th), Monthly = 12/year. This affects paycheck amount but not annual total.
Example:
Example: Biweekly is most common (26 paychecks). Semi-monthly more common for salaried positions. Weekly typical for hourly workers. Monthly rare in US but common for executives
Choose Your Filing Status
Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, or Head of Household. Status determines tax brackets and standard deduction. Married filing jointly gets better rates, Head of Household better than single.
Example:
Example: Single if unmarried, Married Filing Jointly if married (usually best), Head of Household if single with dependents (better than Single status)
Enter Number of Allowances/Dependents
Based on 2020+ W-4 form, enter dependents and adjustments. More allowances = less withheld per paycheck (higher take-home) but potentially owe at tax time. Fewer allowances = bigger refund but smaller paychecks. Most claim 0-2.
Example:
Example: 0 allowances = maximum withholding, largest refund. 1-2 typical. 3+ if multiple dependents or want minimal withholding. Adjust based on prior year refund/bill
Select Your State for State Tax
State income tax rates vary dramatically: 0% (TX, FL, WA, NV) to 13%+ (CA). This significantly affects take-home. Moving from California (9-13%) to Texas (0%) can increase take-home by $4,000-9,000 annually on $60,000 salary.
Example:
Example: California: 9.3% on $60k = $5,580/year. Texas: $0. New York: 6.5% = $3,900. Most states: 3-6% rate
Include Pre-Tax Deductions
401k/403b contributions, health insurance premiums, HSA deposits, FSA contributions. These reduce taxable income, saving you taxes. A $400/month 401k contribution saves you $90-140/month in taxes (net cost only $260-310).
Example:
Example: $500/month 401k ($6,000/year), $300/month health insurance ($3,600/year), $200/month HSA ($2,400/year). Total $12,000 pre-tax = saves $2,700-3,600 in taxes
Add Post-Tax Deductions
Roth 401k, Roth IRA, disability insurance, life insurance, union dues, loan repayments. These come out after taxes are calculated, reducing take-home dollar-for-dollar. A $200 post-tax deduction = $200 less in paycheck.
Example:
Example: $200/month Roth 401k, $50/month disability insurance, $30/month union dues. Total $280/month post-tax reduces take-home by exactly $280
Review Federal Tax Withheld
Federal tax is largest deduction (10-37% marginal, but effective rate lower due to progressive brackets). On $60,000, you're in 22% bracket but pay ~13% effective rate ($7,800/year or $300-650/paycheck depending on frequency).
Example:
Example: $50,000 salary = ~$4,500 federal tax (9% effective). $75,000 = ~$10,000 (13.3%). $100,000 = ~$16,000 (16%). Withholding should match liability
Calculate FICA Taxes (Social Security + Medicare)
FICA is 7.65% of gross pay: 6.2% Social Security (up to $168,600 wage base) + 1.45% Medicare (no cap, plus 0.9% on income over $200k). Non-negotiable - everyone pays same rate. On $60,000, that's $4,590/year.
Example:
Example: $60,000 salary × 7.65% = $4,590/year FICA ($176-383/paycheck). $100,000 = $7,650/year. $200,000 = $13,959 (includes additional Medicare tax)
Calculate Your Net Take-Home Per Paycheck
This is money hitting your bank account - what you actually have to spend and save. Use this number for budgeting, not gross salary. Typical take-home is 70-78% of gross depending on state, deductions, and tax situation.
Example:
Example: $70,000 salary biweekly. Gross per check: $2,692. After all deductions: ~$1,950-2,100 net (72-78%). Annual take-home: $50,700-54,600
Expert Tips & Strategies
Always Budget Based on Net Pay, Never Gross
Budgeting with $5,000/month gross when you only receive $3,600 net creates $1,400/month deficit leading to debt. Use actual take-home for all spending and savings calculations. Track net income vs. net expenses only.
Maximize Pre-Tax Benefits to Lower Tax Burden
Every dollar in traditional 401k, HSA, or FSA saves 20-35% in taxes (federal + FICA + state). Contributing $10,000 annually only costs $6,500-8,000 in take-home reduction. This is essentially free money - use all pre-tax options available.
Adjust W-4 If Getting Large Refund or Tax Bill
Getting $3,000+ refund means you gave government interest-free loan all year - reduce withholding. Owing $1,000+ at filing? Increase withholding. Target $200-500 refund/bill for optimal cash flow without penalties.
Account for Two-Paycheck Months in Biweekly Pay
Biweekly = 26 paychecks = 10 months with 2 paychecks, 2 months with 3 paychecks. Budget on 2 paychecks/month, use 3rd paycheck months for debt payoff, savings boost, or annual expenses. Don't count on the extra two yearly.
Calculate Real Cost of Benefits
Health insurance costing $400/month pre-tax only reduces take-home by $280-320 (saves $80-120 in taxes). Understand the after-tax cost of benefits when evaluating job offers with different benefit structures.
Consider State Taxes When Evaluating Job Offers
$75,000 in Texas (0% state tax) = $57,500 net. $80,000 in California (9%+ state tax) = $55,000 net. The California job actually pays less despite higher salary. Always compare take-home, not gross, across states.
Increase Withholding If You Have Side Income
Side gigs/freelance income often isn't withheld. If you make $20,000 extra, you'll owe $3,000-5,000 in taxes April 15th. Increase W-4 withholding from main job by $250-400/month to avoid surprise tax bill and penalties.
Recalculate After Major Life Changes
Getting married, having kids, buying a house (mortgage interest deduction), changing jobs, or moving states all affect take-home significantly. Recalculate and adjust W-4 whenever circumstances change to optimize cash flow.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Budgeting Based on Gross Salary
$60,000 salary is not $5,000/month - it's ~$3,600-4,000 take-home depending on state and deductions.
✓ Better approach: Budget with actual net pay or you'll overspend by 25-30% and accumulate debt wondering where money went.
Not Accounting for Pre-Tax Deductions
Contributing $500/month to 401k doesn't reduce take-home by $500 - only by $350-400 after tax savings.
✓ Better approach: Many avoid retirement savings thinking they can't afford it, but true cost is 30% less than contribution amount.
Ignoring State Tax When Comparing Job Offers
$80,000 in California (13% state tax = $10,400) nets less than $75,000 in Texas (0% = $0). Always calculate take-home when comparing salaries across states.
✓ Better approach: Income tax differences can be $5,000-12,000 annually.
Claiming Too Many Allowances for Bigger Paychecks
Claiming 5+ allowances when you should claim 1-2 gives bigger paychecks now but creates $2,000-4,000 tax bill April 15th plus penalties.
✓ Better approach: Optimize for small refund ($200-500), not maximum current cash flow.
Not Planning for Three-Paycheck Months on Biweekly
Biweekly pay means 2 months yearly have 3 paychecks. Budgeting for these and spending the extra leaves you short regular months.
✓ Better approach: Budget on 2 paychecks, treat 3rd as windfall for debt/savings.
Forgetting About Additional Medicare Tax at High Income
Income over $200k (single) or $250k (married) incurs additional 0. 9% Medicare tax on excess.
✓ Better approach: $250k earner pays extra $450 on the $50k over threshold. Factor this into high-income planning.
Assuming Take-Home Will Increase Proportionally to Raise
A $10,000 raise (15%) doesn't increase take-home by 15% - progressive taxes mean you keep only $6,000-7,000 (9-10% increase).
✓ Better approach: Plan lifestyle increases based on actual take-home bump, not gross raise.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I get paid?
Most employers pay biweekly (26 paychecks per year), weekly (52), semimonthly (24), or monthly (12). Biweekly is most common in the U.S. More frequent paychecks can help with budgeting but mean smaller individual amounts.
What is the difference between gross and net pay?
Gross pay is your total earnings before any deductions. Net pay (take-home pay) is what you actually receive after federal tax, state tax, FICA tax, and pre-tax deductions like 401(k) and health insurance are subtracted.
Why is my paycheck less than my salary divided by pay periods?
Your paycheck is reduced by multiple deductions: federal income tax (10-37%), state income tax (0-13%), FICA tax (7.65%), and pre-tax deductions like 401(k) and health insurance. Typically, take-home pay is 70-80% of gross pay.
What are pre-tax deductions?
Pre-tax deductions like 401(k), health insurance, HSA, and FSA are taken from your paycheck before taxes are calculated. This reduces your taxable income and saves you money on taxes.
Can I adjust my withholding?
Yes! Submit a new W-4 form to your employer to adjust federal tax withholding. Claim more allowances to increase take-home pay, or fewer allowances to increase withholding and avoid owing taxes in April.
Financial Disclaimer
This calculator is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The results are estimates based on the information you provide and should not be considered as financial, legal, or tax advice.
Actual results may vary based on your specific circumstances, market conditions, and other factors. Always consult with qualified financial, legal, and tax professionals before making any financial decisions.
We make no guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the calculations. Use this tool at your own risk.