Paycheck Calculator — Take Home Pay Calculator
Calculate your net take-home pay after federal tax, state tax, and FICA deductions. All calculations happen locally — nothing leaves your browser.
How to Use the Paycheck Calculator
- Enter gross salary — your annual salary before any deductions.
- Select pay frequency — weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, or monthly.
- Choose filing status — single, married filing jointly, or head of household.
- Adjust tax rates — set your state tax rate and FICA rates if different from defaults.
- Review breakdown — see your deductions and net take-home pay per paycheck.
Why Use This Calculator
Understanding your actual take-home pay is essential for budgeting and financial planning. Your gross salary is not what hits your bank account — federal tax, state tax, Social Security, and Medicare all reduce your paycheck. This calculator gives you a clear picture of where your money goes and how much you actually receive.
Frequently Asked Questions
This calculator provides a good estimate using 2024 federal tax brackets and standard deduction. Actual paycheck amounts may vary based on pre-tax deductions (401k, health insurance), additional withholdings, and state-specific tax rules. Use this as a planning tool, not a guarantee of exact amounts.
FICA stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act. It includes Social Security tax (6.2% on earnings up to $168,600 in 2024) and Medicare tax (1.45% on all earnings, plus an additional 0.9% on earnings over $200,000 for single filers). Both employees and employers pay these taxes.
Pay frequency affects how taxes are calculated. With biweekly pay, you receive 26 paychecks per year (not 24), which means two months have three paychecks. The calculator divides your annual salary by the number of pay periods, giving you the per-paycheck amount.
Use Cases
Job Offer Evaluation
Compare take-home pay between job offers with different salaries and benefits.
Monthly Budget Planning
Know exactly how much you'll have each month to allocate to expenses and savings.
Relocation Planning
Compare take-home pay across states with different tax rates when considering a move.
Salary Negotiation
Understand the real value of salary increases and how they translate to take-home pay.