Paycheck calculator
To find your paycheck and take home pay, subtract federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), state tax and any pre-tax contributions from your gross pay. A single filer earning $75,000 a year takes home about $61,593, or $2,369 per biweekly paycheck, before state tax.
- ✅ Free
- 🔒 No sign-up
- 📱 Works on mobile
- ⚡ Instant results
Estimate only. This tool is not tax advice; your actual tax depends on credits, deductions and income not covered here, and your tax return is what counts.
🔒 Everything runs in your browser. Your data and files never leave your device.
📌 Key facts
- Take home pay equals gross pay minus federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), state tax and pre-tax deductions.
- A single filer earning $75,000 takes home about $61,593 a year, or $2,369 per biweekly paycheck, before state tax.
- At $100,000 a year, federal tax is $13,170 and FICA is $7,650, leaving about $79,180 before state tax.
- Pre-tax contributions to a 401(k), HSA or health insurance reduce taxable wages.
- Texas, Florida and Washington have no state wage income tax, so state tax may be zero there.
How your paycheck is calculated
Your gross pay is what you earn before anything is taken out. Payroll then withholds federal income tax, FICA taxes and often state tax, plus any benefits you choose.
\[ \text{take home pay} = \text{gross pay} - \text{pre-tax contributions} - \text{federal income tax} - \text{Social Security} - \text{Medicare} - \text{state tax} \]
Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 in 2026. Medicare is 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% on wages above $200,000 for single filers. Federal income tax uses the 2026 brackets after your standard deduction.
Take home pay at common salaries (single filer, no state tax)
| Annual salary | Federal tax | FICA | Take home per year | Biweekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $3,825 | $42,355 | $1,629.04 |
| $75,000 | $7,670 | $5,737.50 | $61,592.50 | $2,368.94 |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $7,650 | $79,180 | $3,045.38 |
States such as Texas, Florida and Washington have no wage income tax. Others range from flat rates near 3% to graduated rates above 10%.
Ways to change your take home pay
Pre-tax contributions to a 401(k), traditional IRA through payroll, HSA or health insurance reduce your taxable wages, so every pre-tax dollar costs you less than a dollar of take home pay. Adjusting your Form W-4 changes withholding, not your actual tax: over-withholding becomes a refund and under-withholding becomes a bill. This calculator treats extra withholding as a flat amount per paycheck.
Paycheck calculator: a line-by-line example
Take a single filer who earns $75,000 a year. First, federal income tax is $7,670. Then Social Security takes 6.2% and Medicare 1.45%, which together make $5,737.50. Next, subtract both from $75,000. The result is $61,592.50 a year, or $2,368.94 every two weeks, before state tax.
So about 82% of the gross pay reaches the account. For example, a $2,885 biweekly gross becomes $2,369 net. Also, your employer may withhold a bit more or less than the final tax bill, which is why refunds happen.
Paycheck calculator: how to raise your take-home pay
Several moves change what you keep. Here are the main ones.
- Adjust your Form W-4 if you get a large refund each spring, since that is money you could use sooner.
- Use pre-tax benefits such as an HSA or commuter benefits.
- Check your state, because rates range from zero to over 10%.
- Review your 401(k) rate, which lowers taxable pay but builds savings.
However, do not cut withholding too far. In fact, owing a large bill in April can come with penalties.
Paycheck calculator: next steps with related tools
After you see your net pay, plan the rest. First, check the tax math with the federal income tax calculator. Then plan retirement with the 401(k) calculator. Next, convert hourly pay using the hourly to salary calculator.
If you work for yourself, use the self-employment tax calculator. These figures are estimates and do not replace advice from a tax professional.
Paycheck calculator: pay frequency and bonuses
Pay frequency changes the size of each check, not the yearly total. A $75,000 salary gives $2,884.62 gross every two weeks, $3,125 twice a month, or $6,250 monthly. Bonuses are often withheld at a flat 22% federal rate, so a bonus check can look smaller than expected. However, the final tax is settled when you file your return. Therefore, a large withholding on a bonus is not an extra tax.
3 real-life examples
$75,000 salary, biweekly, single, no state tax
Federal tax: $7,670. Social Security: $4,650. Medicare: $1,087.50. Take home: $61,592.50 a year, or $2,368.94 per biweekly paycheck, about 82% of gross.
Same salary with 6% into a pre-tax 401(k)
$4,500 goes to your 401(k) and federal tax drops to $6,680, while FICA stays at $5,737.50. Take home is $58,082.50 a year, $2,233.94 per paycheck, so you save $4,500 and give up only $3,510.
$75,000 salary with a 5% flat state tax
State tax adds $3,750, so take home drops to $57,842.50 a year, or $2,224.71 per biweekly paycheck.