Calculate your exact paycheck after federal income tax, state tax, Social Security, Medicare, 401(k), health insurance, and all other deductions. All 50 states, 2026 tax brackets.
How Your Paycheck Is Calculated
Your paycheck goes through a specific deduction sequence every pay period. Understanding the order matters — pre-tax deductions reduce your taxable income before any tax is applied, which is why a traditional 401(k) contribution is worth more than its face value.
Deduction Order: Pre-Tax First
Priority
Deduction
Tax Impact
1
Traditional 401(k) / 403(b)
Reduces federal + state taxable income
2
Health Insurance (employer plan)
Pre-tax under Section 125
3
HSA Contributions
Triple tax-free
4
FSA Contributions
Reduces FICA and income tax
5
Federal Income Tax
Applied to reduced taxable income
6
State Income Tax
Applied after federal adjustments
7
Social Security (6.2%)
Applied to gross, not reduced income
8
Medicare (1.45%)
Applied to gross
9
Roth 401(k) / Post-tax items
No upfront tax benefit
2026 FICA Details
Social Security tax applies to the first $176,100 of wages (2026 wage base). Medicare applies to all wages at 1.45%, plus an additional 0.9% on wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married). Your employer pays a matching amount — the total FICA cost is 15.3% of your wages up to the SS wage base.
States With No Income Tax
Nine states have no state income tax in 2026: Texas, Florida, Nevada, Washington, Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska, Tennessee, and New Hampshire. Moving from California (top rate 13.3%) to Texas on a $150,000 salary saves roughly $15,000–$18,000 per year in state income tax alone — before accounting for cost of living differences.
Your gross salary is reduced by four main taxes before you see a dollar: federal income tax (10%–37% progressive), state income tax (0%–13.3% depending on state), Social Security (6.2% on first $176,100), and Medicare (1.45%). Add 401(k) contributions, health insurance premiums, and HSA contributions, and it's common to take home only 60%–75% of your gross salary. On a $75,000 salary in a moderate-tax state with a 6% 401(k) contribution, you'd typically net around $52,000–$55,000.
A take-home pay calculator typically works from annual salary and gives you annual net income. A paycheck calculator works from your actual pay period gross (bi-weekly, semi-monthly, etc.) and shows you exactly what hits your bank account each pay period — including every deduction line. The paycheck calculator is more precise because it accounts for W-4 allowances, exact health insurance premiums per check, and pay-period-specific deductions.
Three levers: First, check your W-4 — many people overwithhold and get a tax refund when they could have that money each month. If you get a refund over $1,000, consider adjusting allowances. Second, if your employer offers an HSA-eligible health plan, switching from a PPO can lower your premium and let you contribute pre-tax to an HSA. Third, making traditional 401(k) contributions reduces your taxable income — a $5,000 increase in contributions only reduces take-home by about $3,900 if you're in the 22% bracket.
Bi-weekly means 26 paychecks/year; semi-monthly means 24. Your annual tax is identical either way. The difference is cash flow: bi-weekly employees get two 'three-paycheck months' per year. The withholding per check is calculated differently (IRS tables use pay period, not annual) but reconciles to the same annual amount. Bi-weekly is more common — about 43% of US workers are paid bi-weekly.
You owe taxes in April when your withholding doesn't cover your actual tax liability. Common causes: side income not subject to withholding (freelance, rental, investment income), filing status change (got married or divorced), income increase mid-year, or simply under-withholding from a previous W-4. If you consistently owe, submit a new W-4 with fewer allowances or request additional withholding in Step 4(c). Owing more than $1,000 at filing can trigger an underpayment penalty.
