What's my paycheck after taxes?
Your take-home pay is your gross salary minus federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, any state tax, and whatever you route into a 401(k) or HSA before tax. Your salary and your take-home pay are two very different numbers. This calculator estimates your 2026 net pay after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, and the pre-tax money you route into a 401(k) or Health Savings Account (HSA) — with a per-paycheck and annual breakdown so you can see exactly where each dollar goes. Everything runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
Assumptions (2026 figures)
- Standard deduction (income not taxed): $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly (2026).
- 2026 federal brackets. Single: 10% to $12,400, 12% to $50,400, 22% to $105,700, 24% to $201,775, 32% to $256,225, 35% to $640,600, then 37%. MFJ thresholds are roughly double (10% to $24,800, 12% to $100,800, 22% to $211,400, 24% to $403,550, 32% to $512,450, 35% to $768,700, then 37%).
- FICA (Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes): Social Security 6.2% on wages up to the $184,500 2026 wage base; Medicare 1.45% on all wages, plus 0.9% additional Medicare above $200,000 (single) / $250,000 (married filing jointly).
- Traditional 401(k) contributions lower income tax but not FICA. HSA is treated as lowering taxable income for income tax. State tax is a flat estimate only.
An estimate for planning, not tax or payroll advice. It ignores other pre-tax benefits (medical, dental, FSA), tax credits, extra withholding, the standard-deduction phase-outs at very high incomes, and local taxes. Your actual withholding depends on your W-4 and employer. Verify with a tax professional.
How take-home pay is calculated
Your net paycheck is what's left after four things come out of gross pay: pre-tax deductions (traditional 401(k), HSA), federal income tax, FICA (Social Security and Medicare), and any state income tax. The order matters — pre-tax deductions shrink the income that gets taxed, which is exactly why they save you money.
Federal income tax vs. FICA
These are two separate taxes that behave differently. Federal income tax is progressive: it applies your bracket rates only to income above the standard deduction, so your effective rate is well below your top bracket. FICA is flat: 6.2% for Social Security (up to the annual wage base) and 1.45% for Medicare, on your wages from the first dollar. A traditional 401(k) lowers your income tax but not your FICA — Social Security and Medicare are still charged on the deferred amount.
Why pre-tax contributions raise your take-home efficiency
A dollar you defer into a traditional 401(k) or HSA costs your paycheck less than a dollar, because it would have been taxed. At a 22% federal rate, contributing $100 only reduces take-home pay by about $78 — the other $22 was headed to the IRS anyway. That's the core reason these accounts are so powerful: you invest pre-tax money and defer the tax for decades.
How much does a 401(k) reduce your take-home pay?
Less than the amount you contribute, because a traditional 401(k) deferral comes out of your pay before federal income tax is calculated. In the 22% bracket, every $100 you defer costs about $78 of take-home pay; in the 12% bracket about $88, and in the 24% bracket about $76. The gap is the tax you no longer owe this year.
Worked through a full salary: someone earning $80,000 who raises their 401(k) from 0% to 10% puts $8,000 a year into the plan but only loses roughly $6,240 of take-home pay — about $260 a paycheck on a biweekly schedule rather than the $308 the raw contribution suggests. Add a typical 50%-to-6% employer match and $2,400 of free money lands in the account on top.
Two details the arithmetic depends on. FICA is not reduced: Social Security and Medicare still come out of the full $80,000, so a 401(k) deferral saves income tax only — unlike an HSA funded through payroll, which escapes both. And a Roth 401(k) contribution gets no break at all this year: $8,000 deferred costs the full $8,000 of take-home pay, in exchange for tax-free withdrawals later. Set the 401(k) percentage above to see all of this against your own salary, and our Roth vs. traditional 401(k) calculator compares the two routes over a full career.
Marginal vs. effective tax rate
Your marginal rate is the bracket your next dollar falls in; your effective rate is total tax divided by total income. Because the first chunk of income is shielded by the standard deduction and taxed at low rates, the effective rate is always lower. This calculator reports both so you can see the gap.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my take-home pay?
Start with gross salary, subtract pre-tax contributions like a traditional 401(k) and HSA, then subtract federal income tax (bracket rates applied above the standard deduction), Social Security and Medicare (FICA), and any state income tax. What remains is your annual take-home pay; divide by the number of pay periods for each paycheck.
Does a 401(k) reduce my taxes?
A traditional 401(k) reduces your federal (and usually state) income tax because contributions come out before income tax is figured. It does not reduce Social Security or Medicare tax — those are charged on your full wages. A Roth 401(k), by contrast, is funded with after-tax money and gives no upfront tax break.
How much does a 401(k) reduce my take-home pay?
Less than the amount you contribute. In the 22% bracket, every $100 deferred into a traditional 401(k) costs about $78 of take-home pay; in the 12% bracket about $88. Someone earning $80,000 who moves from 0% to 10% contributes $8,000 a year but gives up roughly $6,240 of take-home pay. A Roth 401(k) gets no break this year, so $8,000 deferred costs the full $8,000.
What is the 2026 Social Security wage base?
For 2026 the Social Security tax of 6.2% applies to wages up to $184,500. Earnings above that cap are not subject to the Social Security portion of FICA, though the 1.45% Medicare tax continues on all wages, plus an extra 0.9% on wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly).
Why is my effective tax rate lower than my bracket?
Tax brackets are marginal — each rate applies only to the income inside that band, and the standard deduction shields the first chunk entirely. So someone in the 22% bracket pays 22% only on their top dollars; their overall effective rate is typically far lower, often in the low teens.
Does this include state income tax?
Only as a simple flat-rate estimate you enter yourself. Real state taxes vary widely — some states have no income tax, others use their own brackets, deductions, and credits. Use the state field for a rough figure and check your state's rules for precision.
Turn your paycheck into a plan
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