US paycheck calculator
Enter one paycheck's gross pay, pay frequency, filing status, deductions, year-to-date Social Security wages, and an optional state estimate. The result is a planning estimate, not an official payroll calculation.
Start with gross pay
Use the amount before tax and deductions for one paycheck. For a salary, divide annual pay by the number of checks or use the salary calculator.
Separate taxes from deductions
Federal income tax, FICA, and state/local estimates are not the same as benefit deductions. Keeping them separate makes pay stub checking easier.
Use a realistic state input
Instead of pretending one public calculator knows every local payroll rule, this site lets you enter a state/local estimate and explains where exact payroll systems may differ.
How this paycheck estimate is built
The estimate follows a transparent gross-to-net flow. It starts with pay for one period, annualizes that amount for federal tax estimation, subtracts pre-tax deductions entered by the user, applies 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deduction assumptions, estimates employee-side Social Security and Medicare, applies any state/local rate entered by the user, subtracts post-tax deductions, and returns an estimated net paycheck.
This is intentionally different from a black-box result. A useful paycheck calculator should help the user understand which input changed the answer. A worker comparing a new offer may need to know whether the difference came from pay frequency, a retirement contribution, an extra W-4 amount, a state setting, or year-to-date Social Security wages.
Exact payroll is more complex than a public website can know. Employers may use IRS percentage or wage-bracket methods, state certificates, local taxes, paid family leave or disability programs, garnishments, union dues, reimbursements, tax-advantaged benefits, and payroll rounding. This site explains those limits rather than hiding them.
Most useful calculators
Salary paycheck calculator converts an annual salary into paycheck periods. Hourly paycheck calculator helps with hours, overtime planning, and variable schedules. Federal income tax calculator focuses only on the income-tax portion. FICA calculator separates Social Security and Medicare from income tax.
The library also includes tools for bonuses, overtime, salary-to-hourly conversion, and a refund-planning estimate. Each page includes a plain-English explanation and a limitation note so users know what the calculator is not doing.
When to use this site
- Before accepting a job offer and comparing gross salary with likely take-home pay.
- After changing benefits, retirement contributions, or health plan deductions.
- When a W-4 update changes federal withholding and you want a planning estimate.
- When moving states or working remotely and trying to understand possible state/local effects.
- When checking whether a pay stub difference is likely from taxes, deductions, or pay frequency.
Example: why gross pay and net pay differ
A biweekly paycheck with $2,500 in gross pay is not a $2,500 deposit because payroll withholds taxes and deductions before the employee receives the deposit. A pre-tax health premium can reduce income-taxable wages, but it may not reduce every payroll tax in exactly the same way. A post-tax deduction comes out after taxes. A state setting may add another line to the pay stub. A high earner may stop paying Social Security after crossing the annual wage base, while Medicare continues.
That is why a useful estimate is a breakdown rather than one final number. The result panel on this page shows gross pay, federal income tax, FICA, state/local estimate, deductions entered, take-home pay, annualized net pay, and effective estimated tax rate. When one number looks wrong, you can usually trace it to one input.
Frequently asked questions
Is this an official payroll calculator?
No. PaycheckCalc USA is an independent educational site. It uses transparent assumptions for planning and does not replace employer payroll, official tax agency instructions, tax software, or professional advice.
Does this site calculate every state withholding table?
No. State and local withholding can depend on filing status, state certificates, employer systems, work location, local taxes, and program-specific payroll items. This site uses a user-controlled state/local estimate and provides a state guide for context.
Why include year-to-date Social Security wages?
Social Security tax has an annual wage base. If someone is near or above the wage base, current-year wages can change how much Social Security is withheld on later checks.
Can my real paycheck be different?
Yes. Employer payroll systems can apply exact IRS methods, local rules, benefit treatment, garnishments, reimbursements, and rounding that a public calculator cannot know.