Paycheck Calculator

Estimate take-home pay from gross income with a simplified model for federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, and an estimated state/local rate. Use it for quick scenario comparisons and “sanity checks,” not official payroll.

For educational purposes only. This calculator provides general estimates and does not provide financial, trading, tax, or legal advice.

Runs locally in your browser. No account. No signups.

Fast Take-Home Estimate

Enter gross pay and frequency. Use “Add detail” if you want filing status, state/local rate, and deductions.

Hourly uses hours/week × 52 to estimate annual gross.
Gross is before deductions. For annual salary, choose “Annual.”
Educational estimates only. This paycheck calculator performs arithmetic based on the values you enter and a simplified tax model. It is not a payroll or withholding engine and does not provide financial, trading, tax, or legal advice. Results may differ from real paychecks due to withholding elections, benefits, local rules, wage bases/caps, supplemental wages, and employer payroll policies. Verify with your pay stub or payroll provider before making decisions. See Disclaimer, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Use.
Model scope: This tool uses a simplified federal bracket model, plus Social Security, Medicare, and a single effective state/local rate you enter. It is not a payroll system and does not compute exact withholding.
Use responsibly: Treat results as a rough estimate for comparisons. Real paychecks can differ due to W-4 settings, benefits, local rules, caps, timing, supplemental wages, and employer-specific payroll policies.

How This Paycheck Calculator Works

The calculator converts your input into an annualized gross amount (based on pay frequency). From there, it estimates taxes and deductions using a simplified model and then converts the result back into “per paycheck” and “per year” outputs. This design is intentional: annualizing first makes it easier to apply consistent tax assumptions, and then translate back to the pay period you care about.

Step-by-step (plain language)

  • 1) Annualize gross pay: the calculator converts your frequency into an annual estimate (hourly uses hours/week × 52).
  • 2) Apply pre-tax deductions: pre-tax amounts reduce the “taxable wage” estimate (simplified).
  • 3) Estimate taxes: federal (simplified progressive model) + payroll taxes + state/local (your effective rate).
  • 4) Apply post-tax deductions: post-tax amounts reduce take-home after taxes (simplified).
  • 5) Convert back: results are shown per pay period and per year for easier comparisons.

What This Calculator Is Best For

If you’ve ever looked at a job offer, a raise, or a new deduction and thought, “Okay… but what does that mean per paycheck?” — that’s the sweet spot. This tool is designed for quick comparisons when you want a clean estimate and a consistent way to think about tradeoffs.

  • Comparing offers: see how two gross numbers might translate into take-home in the same framework.
  • Testing deductions: get a feel for how pre-tax and post-tax deductions change net pay.
  • Reality-checking: sanity-check whether a paycheck “makes sense” given gross pay and basic assumptions.
  • Planning cash flow: translate annual numbers into per-paycheck expectations for budgeting.

Quick Example (Illustrative Only)

Suppose gross pay is, e.g., $2,500 biweekly (26 paychecks/year). Annual gross would be $65,000. If you enter e.g., $150 pre-tax per paycheck (estimated $3,900/year), the simplified model uses $61,100 as taxable wages before applying the tax estimates.

  • Annual gross (modeled) = e.g., $2,500 × 26 = $65,000
  • Annual pre-tax deductions = e.g., $150 × 26 = $3,900
  • Taxable wages (simplified) = $65,000 − $3,900 = $61,100

Gross vs. Withholding vs. Take-Home (The Part Most People Mix Up)

On a pay stub, a lot of numbers look like “taxes,” but they don’t all mean the same thing. If you understand the three layers below, you’ll interpret this calculator (and your real paycheck) much more clearly.

  • Gross pay: what you earned before anything is taken out.
  • Withholding (per paycheck): what payroll sends out during the year based on your settings and payroll rules. It’s a running estimate, not a final verdict.
  • Final tax outcome (end of year): what you actually owe for the year after deductions/credits and filing details. This can be higher or lower than withholding.

This calculator is aimed at the first and second layers: “If my gross looks like this and deductions look like that, what’s a reasonable estimate for take-home?” It’s not trying to compute every filing detail that can change your final tax bill.

Practical takeaway: If your real paycheck differs, it usually comes from withholding settings, benefit rules, local payroll rules, or pay types (bonus/overtime), not because the idea of “gross → net” is wrong.
Quick sanity check: Use this tool to compare scenarios consistently. Don’t treat a single output number as an “official” result.

Inputs Checklist (Common Mistakes)

  • Mixing gross and net: this calculator expects gross pay (before deductions) as the starting point.
  • Hourly confusion: “hourly” needs hours/week to annualize (e.g., 40 hours/week); changing hours changes the entire model.
  • State rate interpretation: this field is an effective rate estimate (simplified), not a full tax system.
  • Deductions timing: some real-world deductions have caps, eligibility rules, or pre/post-tax nuances not modeled here.

Pre-Tax vs. Post-Tax Deductions (Why They Feel Different)

Deductions don’t all work the same way. The simplest way to think about it is: pre-tax deductions reduce the amount of pay that gets taxed in the model, while post-tax deductions reduce take-home after taxes are estimated.

  • Pre-tax (simplified): reduces “taxable wages,” which can reduce the estimated tax amount.
  • Post-tax (simplified): does not reduce taxable wages in the model; it comes out after taxes are estimated.

Real payroll can be more nuanced (different benefit types follow different rules), but this framework is still useful for understanding why two deductions of the same dollar amount can “feel” different in take-home pay.

What the Outputs Mean

  • Net per paycheck: annual take-home divided by periods per year.
  • Total estimated annual taxes: modeled federal + Social Security + Medicare + state/local estimate.
  • Effective tax rate: total estimated taxes ÷ annual gross (simplified view).
  • Tax breakdown: a categorized view to explain what drives the estimate.

Why the Same Salary Can Produce Different Paychecks

Two people can earn the same gross pay and still take home different amounts. That’s not just “taxes” — it’s payroll configuration. Here are the most common drivers.

  • Withholding settings: how payroll estimates withholding throughout the year.
  • Benefits and deductions: what you elected, how it’s treated, and whether it’s pre-tax or post-tax.
  • Local payroll rules: cities/counties can add taxes or rules not captured by a single effective rate.
  • Pay types: overtime, commissions, and bonuses can be handled differently than base wages.
  • Pay frequency effects: 24 vs. 26 vs. 52 pay periods changes “per paycheck” numbers even if annual totals are similar.
Important: “Withholding” on a real paycheck is not always the same as “final tax owed.” This tool is a simplified estimate intended for education and scenario comparison.
Important: Bonuses, supplemental wages, credits, additional Medicare tax, and local rules can materially change real paychecks. This model does not include every special case.

Data & Privacy (Local-Only)

This calculator runs locally in your browser. Your entries are not submitted as form data and are not stored by FinFormulas for signups. For site-wide policies, see the Privacy Policy.

Legal Coverage & Model Disclosure

Educational only (no advice): This page provides general educational estimates and explanations. It is not financial, tax, legal, or payroll advice, and it does not create a professional-client relationship.
Not official payroll: This tool is not a withholding engine and does not replace pay stubs, payroll providers, or official tax documents. Always verify outcomes independently before acting.
Year & rules can change: Tax brackets, wage bases, rates, and thresholds can change over time and can vary by location. This model may not match the latest year or your jurisdiction.
Scope limits: This calculator does not model every deduction, credit, benefit rule, local withholding system, supplemental wage rule, or employer-specific policy. It’s meant for scenario comparisons.

By using this calculator, you agree to our Terms of Use and Disclaimer. For transparency on site monetization where applicable, see Affiliate Disclosure.

Limits & Assumptions

Results are estimates based on your inputs and simplified assumptions. Real outcomes can differ due to payroll setup, benefit elections, withholding configuration, local rules, rate changes, and timing. This tool is intended for education and scenario comparison, not individualized recommendations.

For related tools, explore the Budget Calculator, Savings Goal Calculator, and the guide How Taxes Affect Your Money.

Paycheck Calculator FAQ

Does this calculator store my data?

No. The calculator runs locally in your browser. Inputs are not collected for signups and are not stored by FinFormulas.

Is the result exact?

No. Results are estimates based on the numbers you enter and simplified assumptions. Real paychecks can differ for many reasons.

What taxes are included?

Federal (simplified), Social Security, Medicare, and state/local as an effective rate you enter. This does not model every special case.

Does this calculate exact withholding?

No. Employers withhold using payroll rules and your withholding settings. This tool is not a withholding engine and is intended for educational estimates.

Will this tell me what I should do?

No. This tool provides arithmetic outputs from your inputs so you can compare scenarios. It does not provide individualized guidance.

Why can withholding differ from this estimate?

Employers withhold based on payroll rules and your withholding settings. Final tax outcomes can differ due to credits, deductions, filing details, and other items not modeled here.

Reviewed & Updated

Calculator logic and on-page content reviewed for clarity and educational accuracy. Last review: December 2025.