US Paycheck Calculator (2026)
Estimate your take-home pay: 2026 federal tax brackets + FICA, pure client-side.
Tax breakdown
- Federal income tax
- $13,170
- Social Security
- $6,200
- Medicare
- $1,450
- State tax (estimate)
- $5,000
- Total tax
- $25,820
FAQ
Why is state tax just a percentage instead of a real per-state calculation?
State income tax rules vary enormously across the 50 states: nine charge no state income tax at all (Texas, Florida, Washington, etc.), and the rest each have their own brackets and deductions. Modeling all 50 accurately is a huge, error-prone undertaking, so this tool uses a flat rate you provide — enter 0 for a no-tax state.
Why doesn't a 401k pre-tax deduction reduce Social Security/Medicare tax?
That matches the real rule: traditional 401k (and similar) pre-tax retirement deductions reduce federal taxable income, but not the wage base used for Social Security and Medicare tax.
How accurate is this?
The 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and Social Security wage base ($184,500) are verified directly against IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 and the SSA's Federal Register notice. It's still a simplified model — no local taxes, other pre-tax benefits, or tax credits — so treat it as an estimate.