How to use the US salary calculator
- Type your Salary and choose whether it is paid per year, month, two weeks, week or hour. For hourly pay, set Hours per week.
- Pick your State and Filing status. Tick the 65-or-older boxes if they apply, and enter Children under 17 and Other dependents.
- Add what comes out of your pay before you see it: Traditional 401(k) (as a percentage or a dollar amount), Roth 401(k), HSA and pre-tax Health premiums.
- Open Bonus, local tax, tips and overtime for a yearly bonus, a city or county income tax rate, and the 2026 tips and overtime deductions.
- Switch the result between Annual, Monthly, Semimonthly, Biweekly, Weekly and Hourly, and use Copy results to keep the breakdown.
How take-home pay is worked out for 2026
The calculator estimates your tax for the whole year, using the steps of a tax return with the standard deduction, and spreads it evenly over the period you choose:
- Pre-tax deductions. Traditional 401(k) or 403(b) deferrals, HSA contributions and section 125 health premiums come off your pay before federal income tax. HSA and section 125 amounts also escape Social Security and Medicare; 401(k) deferrals do not.
- Standard deduction. For 2026 it is $16,100 for single filers and married people filing separately, $32,200 for married couples filing jointly and $24,150 for heads of household. People aged 65 or older add $2,050 if unmarried or $1,650 each if married.
- Federal brackets. What is left is taxed in bands: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37%. For a single filer in 2026 the 10% band covers the first $12,400 of taxable income and the 12% band runs to $50,400. Each rate applies only to the income inside its band.
- Credits. The child tax credit is $2,200 per child under 17 (up to $1,700 of it refundable) and there is a $500 credit for other dependents. Both shrink by $50 for every $1,000 of income above $200,000, or $400,000 for joint filers.
- FICA. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Medicare is 1.45% of all wages, plus an Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% on wages over $200,000 (single and head of household), $250,000 (joint) or $125,000 (separate).
- State and local. Your state's brackets, deductions, exemptions and credits are applied, plus any employee payroll programs such as disability insurance or paid family leave. Enter a city or county income tax rate in the extra options.
The 2026 tax rules also include new deductions for qualified tips (up to $25,000), the overtime premium (up to $12,500, or $25,000 for joint filers) and an extra $6,000 deduction for people aged 65 or older. They phase out at higher incomes, need a joint return if you are married, and lower income tax only. You claim them on your tax return; your paychecks reflect them only if you include them on Form W-4.
Worked example
A single filer in Texas earns $65,000 a year with no 401(k) or other deductions.
- Taxable income: $65,000 − $16,100 standard deduction = $48,900.
- Federal income tax: 10% of $12,400 ($1,240) + 12% of the remaining $36,500 ($4,380) = $5,620.
- Social Security: 6.2% × $65,000 = $4,030. Medicare: 1.45% × $65,000 = $942.50.
- Texas has no state income tax, so take-home pay is $65,000 − $10,592.50 = $54,407.50 a year, about $4,533.96 a month. That is an effective tax rate of 16.3%.
If the same person puts 5% ($3,250) into a traditional 401(k), federal tax falls to $5,230 and take-home pay becomes $51,547.50. They save $3,250 for retirement but their take-home pay drops by only $2,860, because the deferral avoids 12% income tax.
Why your paycheck may differ
- Withholding is not the same as tax. Employers withhold using IRS Publication 15-T and the details on your W-4. Over the year that usually comes close to the tax shown here, and any difference is settled when you file your return.
- Itemized deductions, other income and other credits (education, child care, the earned income credit) are not included.
- State details. Local taxes, reciprocity agreements between states and part-year residence can change the state figure. Where state data is still being checked, the result says so.
Related calculators
Use the paycheck calculator for one pay period with hourly pay and overtime. The net to gross calculator works backwards from the take-home pay you want. Salary comparison lines up two job offers or two states, and the 401(k) calculator projects your retirement savings. See every tool on the salary and money calculators page.
Frequently asked questions
How much is $65,000 a year after taxes?
For a single filer in a state with no income tax, such as Texas or Florida, $65,000 leaves about $54,408 a year, or $4,534 a month, in 2026. Choose your state above to see the figure where you live.
What is the difference between effective and marginal tax rate?
Your effective rate is your total tax divided by your gross pay. Your marginal rate is the tax on your next dollar of pay. Here it includes federal, FICA, state and local tax, so it shows how much of a raise you would actually keep.
Does a 401(k) lower my Social Security and Medicare tax?
No. Traditional 401(k) deferrals cut income tax only. HSA contributions and section 125 health premiums taken through payroll also cut Social Security and Medicare.
Are tips and overtime tax-free in 2026?
Not completely. You can deduct up to $25,000 of qualified tips and up to $12,500 of qualified overtime premium ($25,000 on a joint return), with phase-outs at higher incomes. That reduces federal income tax only. Social Security and Medicare still apply, and your state may not follow the federal rule.
Is this the same as what my employer withholds?
Not exactly. This is the tax you owe for the year; withholding is your employer's estimate of it, based on your W-4. The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator helps you fine-tune it.
Updated