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Income After Taxes Calculator

Estimate your take-home pay after federal, state, and payroll taxes — by year, month, and paycheck.

Take-home per month$5,387

Understanding this calculator

Gross pay is a fiction you never see; take-home is what funds your life. Between the two sit federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare (FICA), state tax in most states, and your own pre-tax choices like 401(k) contributions and health premiums. This calculator lays the whole stack out so the deductions on your paystub stop being mysterious.

Two rates worth knowing: your effective rate (total tax ÷ total income) is what you actually pay overall, while your marginal rate is what the next dollar earns — the number that matters for decisions like Roth conversions or extra 401(k) contributions. They're often 10+ points apart, and confusing them makes raises look scarier than they are.

If you're 65 or older, note the temporary senior deduction (2025–2028): up to $6,000 per person on top of the standard deduction, phasing out above $75,000 single / $150,000 joint MAGI.

Assumptions and methodology

  • Federal tax uses the official brackets and standard deduction for the tax year you pick (2025 or 2026, sources cited on-page); itemized deductions and credits are not modeled.
  • FICA: 6.2% Social Security up to the wage base ($184,500 in 2026), 1.45% Medicare on all wages, plus 0.9% above $200k/$250k thresholds. Traditional 401(k) deferrals still pay FICA; cafeteria-plan items (health premiums, HSA via payroll) don't.
  • State tax is a simplified estimate: current flat rates or published brackets with an approximate standard deduction, per-state data year shown in the tool. Local/city taxes, credits, and special rules are not included.
  • Assumes a full year at these wages, W-2 employment (no self-employment tax), and the standard deduction.

Last reviewed August 30, 2026. Year-specific figures show their tax or data year in the tool; data is reviewed when the IRS, SSA, and CMS publish annual updates.

Common questions

Why doesn't my paystub match exactly?

Withholding is an estimate your employer makes from your W-4 — it can be more or less than your true tax. This calculator estimates the tax itself, which is what you settle at filing time.

How accurate is the state estimate?

Good for planning, not for filing. States layer on credits, exemptions, local taxes, and retirement-income rules we deliberately don't model — the tool labels each state's data year and marks simplified entries.

Does it handle hourly wages?

Yes — switch to hourly, enter your rate and weekly hours, and it annualizes for you.