Paycheck calculator
Turn an hourly rate or annual salary into an estimate of your 2026 paycheck. Adjust the W-4 and pre-tax deductions to see what changes.
W-4 and pre-tax deductions
Use your 2020-or-later W-4. Annual credits and adjustments differ from deductions taken from each paycheck.
Estimated take-home pay
$1,690.85 per paycheck
Equivalent annual gross pay: $52,000.00, assuming 52 paid weeks at the hours entered.
| Pay or deduction | First paycheck | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,000.00 | $52,000.00 |
| Federal income tax | $156.15 | $4,059.90 |
| Social Security | $124.00 | $3,224.00 |
| Medicare | $29.00 | $754.00 |
| Additional Medicare | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| State income tax (estimate) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Retirement | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Section 125 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Take-home pay | $1,690.85 | $43,962.10 |
The first paycheck assumes no earlier wages this year. Annual figures include later Social Security and Additional Medicare changes. Local income taxes and state disability or paid leave contributions are excluded.
Annual estimate: a year of state taxable wages, less the state's standard deduction and personal exemptions (or its 2026 withholding allowance) and, where the state allows it, the federal income tax withheld, taxed at the state's 2026 brackets with any add-backs, less any personal credit, then spread evenly over pay periods. It is not each state's withholding formula, and it excludes local income taxes and state payroll programs.
- Estimated withholding for 2026, assuming the same pay every period all year from one job.
- Federal income tax uses the IRS Publication 15-T (2026) percentage method with a 2020-or-later Form W-4; the tax you owe on your return can differ.
- Local income taxes and state payroll programs (disability, paid leave) are not included.
What this calculates
This calculator estimates federal income tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare and state income tax for a resident employee paid the same amount all year at one job. It uses a 2020-or-later Form W-4. Calculations stay in your browser; your pay entries are not saved.
How the calculation works
Hourly pay becomes annual pay by multiplying the hourly rate by paid hours per week and 52 weeks. Annual salary divided by the number of pay periods gives gross pay per paycheck. Take-home pay is gross pay less pre-tax deductions, federal withholding, payroll taxes and the state estimate.
Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce federal income tax wages, but not Social Security or Medicare wages. Eligible section 125 contributions reduce both. State treatment can differ. State tax is an annual estimate spread across paychecks, rather than an exact reproduction of a state withholding certificate.
An illustrative paycheck
At $25 an hour for 40 paid hours a week and 52 weeks, annual gross pay is $52,000.00. A single Texas resident paid every two weeks, with no W-4 adjustments or pre-tax deductions, has first-paycheck gross pay of $2,000.00, federal withholding of $156.15, Social Security of $124.00 and Medicare of $29.00. Estimated first-paycheck take-home pay is $1,690.85.
What can make a paycheck different
This is an estimate, not tax advice or a forecast of your tax return. The retirement input covers traditional 401(k) contributions only. HSA, 403(b), 457 and Roth contributions are not modelled; their state tax treatment can differ. The state picker identifies any state income tax the calculator cannot estimate. Local income taxes, state disability and paid leave deductions, garnishments, post-tax benefits and retirement contribution limits are excluded. Married state estimates assume one earner; head of household uses the state single schedule.
Tips, overtime premiums, bonuses, unpaid time off and wages from earlier jobs require different inputs or withholding treatment. Hourly conversion uses the same rate for every hour; it does not add overtime. For higher wages, Social Security can end during the year and Additional Medicare withholding can begin, so later checks differ from the first one.
Sources and tax year
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods, Worksheet 1A and the 2026 Annual Percentage Method tables (p. 12). Read 2026-10-22.
- Publication 15 (2026), (Circular E) Employer's Tax Guide, section 9 (social security and Medicare taxes, Additional Medicare Tax withholding). Read 2026-10-22.
The selected state's official source appears beside its result. Figures apply to wages paid in 2026. Confirm your employer's withholding and deductions on your pay stub.
