Paycheck Calculator — Calculate Your Net Take-Home Pay

Federal income tax uses progressive brackets. For 2025, single filers pay 10% on income up to $11,925, 12% up to $48,475, 22% up to $103,350, 24% up to $197,300, and higher rates above that. Only the income within each bracket is taxed at that rate.

FICA consists of Social Security tax (6.2% on wages up to $176,100 in 2025) and Medicare tax (1.45% on all wages). Your employer matches these amounts. High earners also pay an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax on wages over $200,000.

Traditional 401k contributions are pre-tax, reducing your taxable income dollar-for-dollar. If you contribute $5,000/year and are in the 22% bracket, you save $1,100 in federal taxes. The 2025 contribution limit is $23,500 ($31,000 if 50+).

Gross pay is your total earnings before deductions. Net pay (take-home pay) is what remains after federal tax, state tax, FICA, and pre-tax deductions like 401k and health insurance are withheld.

Pay frequency doesn't change your annual salary but does affect withholding. Biweekly (26 paychecks/year) is most common. Semi-monthly (24/year) and weekly (52/year) are also common. Monthly produces the largest individual paychecks.

State income tax rates vary widely. Some states like Texas and Florida have no income tax. Others like California have rates up to 13.3%. Most states use flat or progressive rates between 3-7%. This calculator uses simplified flat-rate approximations for the top 10 states.