Take-Home Pay Calculator
Estimate your US salary after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax.
Estimate only, using 2026 federal brackets and the standard deduction. Not tax advice. It ignores credits, other income, local taxes and benefit deductions such as health insurance.
| Item | Amount | % of gross |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
How is take-home pay calculated?
Start with your gross salary, subtract pre-tax deductions such as 401(k) contributions, then subtract federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%) and any state income tax. What is left is your net, or take-home, pay.
What tax brackets does this use?
It uses the 2026 US federal income tax brackets and standard deduction for your filing status: $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly and $24,150 head of household. Tax is applied in layers, so only income inside each bracket is taxed at that bracket’s rate.
What are Social Security and Medicare taxes?
These are the FICA payroll taxes. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 in 2026, and Medicare is 1.45% of all wages, plus an extra 0.9% on wages above $200,000 for single filers ($250,000 for married filing jointly).
How do I estimate my state tax?
State income tax varies widely, and nine states, including Texas, Florida and Washington, have none. Enter a rough effective rate for your state, or 0 if your state has no income tax. Some cities also charge local tax, which is not included.
Is this exact?
No, it is an estimate. It assumes a single job, the standard deduction, and no credits or other income. Your real paycheck can differ because of health insurance premiums, other deductions, credits and your employer’s withholding. Use it for planning, not tax filing.
How much is $75,000 a year after taxes?
With the calculator's defaults (single filer, 5% to a traditional 401(k), 4% state tax), $75,000 comes to about $55,818 a year, $4,651 a month. Your own result will differ with your state, filing status and deductions.
Does a 401(k) contribution reduce my take-home pay?
Yes, but by less than you contribute, because the money is taken before income tax. On a $75,000 salary, raising the 401(k) from 0% to 10% lowers take-home pay by about $5,550 a year while $7,500 goes into your account.
What is the difference between marginal and effective tax rate?
The marginal rate is the rate on your last dollar of income, the top bracket you reach. The effective rate is total tax divided by total income. Because each bracket only taxes the income inside it, the effective rate is always lower than the marginal rate.
Why does Social Security tax stop at a certain salary?
Social Security tax applies only to earnings up to a yearly limit, which this calculator sets at $184,500. Above that, you pay no more Social Security tax, though Medicare tax continues on all earnings.
About this tool
This take-home pay calculator estimates your net income from a US salary. It applies the 2026 federal income tax brackets and standard deduction, Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes, your 401(k) contribution and an estimated state tax rate, then shows your pay per year, month, two weeks, week and hour.
Worked example: $75,000 salary
This example uses the calculator's own defaults: a single filer, 5% of salary going to a traditional 401(k), and a 4% state income tax. The 401(k) contribution is $3,750, which leaves $71,250 subject to income tax. After the $16,100 standard deduction, taxable income is $55,150, and federal income tax on that is $6,845.
Social Security takes 6.2% of pay ($4,650) and Medicare 1.45% ($1,088). State tax of 4% on $71,250 is $2,850. Taking all of that and the 401(k) contribution from $75,000 leaves about $55,818 a year, or $4,651 a month and $2,147 every two weeks.
The 401(k) money is not lost; it is saved in your account. Counting only cash that reaches your bank, take-home is $55,818.
Take-home pay at different salaries
| Gross salary | Take-home a year | Per month | Share kept |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $31,040 | $2,587 | 77.6% |
| $60,000 | $45,470 | $3,789 | 75.8% |
| $75,000 | $55,818 | $4,651 | 74.4% |
| $100,000 | $71,480 | $5,957 | 71.5% |
| $150,000 | $102,391 | $8,533 | 68.3% |
| $250,000 | $165,182 | $13,765 | 66.1% |
Take-home rises with salary but not in a straight line, because higher income is taxed at higher federal rates and Social Security stops at $184,500 of earnings.
Marginal rate versus effective rate
A tax bracket applies only to the slice of income inside it. Moving into a higher bracket does not tax your whole salary at the higher rate, only the dollars above the threshold. The effective rate is total tax divided by gross pay, and it is always lower than the top bracket you reach.
| Gross salary | Top bracket | Federal tax | Effective federal rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | 12% | $3,520 | 7.0% |
| $75,000 | 22% | $6,845 | 9.1% |
| $120,000 | 22% | $16,250 | 13.5% |
| $200,000 | 24% | $34,334 | 17.2% |
This is why a raise never reduces your take-home pay by pushing you into a higher bracket.
How a 401(k) contribution changes your pay
Traditional 401(k) contributions come out before federal and state income tax, so each dollar you save costs you less than a dollar of take-home pay. Social Security and Medicare are still charged on the full salary.
| 401(k) rate | Contribution | Federal tax | Take-home a year | Cost to take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | $0 | $7,670 | $58,592 | $0 |
| 5% | $3,750 | $6,845 | $55,818 | $2,775 |
| 10% | $7,500 | $6,020 | $53,042 | $5,550 |
| 15% | $11,250 | $5,470 | $49,992 | $8,600 |
Moving from 0% to 10% reduces take-home pay by $5,550 a year even though you save $7,500.
Filing status and the standard deduction
Filing status sets both the standard deduction and the width of each bracket:
| Filing status | Standard deduction | Federal tax | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $16,100 | $9,980 | $65,215 |
| Head of household | $24,150 | $7,008 | $68,187 |
| Married filing jointly | $32,200 | $5,900 | $69,295 |
Social Security cap and the Medicare surtax
Social Security tax is 6.2% on earnings up to $184,500, so the most it can take in a year is $11,439. Above that, no more Social Security tax is charged. Medicare tax is 1.45% on all earnings, plus an extra 0.9% on pay above $200,000 for single filers or $250,000 for married couples filing jointly. At $200,000 the calculator's Medicare charge is $2,900, and at $210,000 it is $3,135.
What this calculator does not include
- Other payroll deductions. Health insurance premiums, HSA or FSA contributions, union dues and similar items are not subtracted.
- Local taxes. City or county income taxes are not included, and a flat state rate is a simplification of how many states tax income.
- Credits and itemized deductions. Child tax credits, itemized deductions and other adjustments can lower your tax bill.
- Other income. Bonuses, investment income and a second job are not modeled.
The tax figures use the 2026 federal brackets and standard deductions built into this tool. They were checked on 20 October 2026 against the IRS 2026 inflation adjustments and Revenue Procedure 2025-32, and the Social Security wage base of $184,500 against the Social Security Administration's 2026 announcement. Your paycheck and your tax return may differ, so treat the result as an estimate and check with a tax professional for your situation.