LocalTakehome True take-home pay for where you actually live.

Tax year 2026

Paycheck calculator

One paycheck, line by line: what you earn, what each tax takes, and what reaches your bank account.

How often you are paid

California has no city or county income tax in this calculator. If yours has one, add the percent under “W-4 and other details”.

Retirement and benefits 401(k), HSA, health insurance

A 403(b), 457 or TSP works the same way as a 401(k) here. Amounts below are for the whole year.

Bonus, tips and overtime including the new federal deductions
W-4 and other details second job, extra withholding, contractor
Saved on this device

Saved in this browser only. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Estimated take-home pay · 2026

Biweekly pay · Single · California

Example

$2,461.79 per paycheck

from $3,269.23 before taxes · 26 paychecks a year

You keep$75.30of every $100 earned
Taxes take24.7%of gross pay, $20,993 a year
Of your next $1,000$598is yours to keep
After tax, an hour is worth$30.77at 2,080 paid hours a year

Where each dollar goes

  • Take-home pay75.3%$64,007
  • Federal income tax11.6%$9,870
  • Social Security and Medicare7.6%$6,503
  • State taxes5.4%$4,621

Line by line

Per paycheckPer year

Pay

Gross pay$3,269.23$85,000

Taxes

Federal income tax$379.62$9,870

2026 brackets after the $16,100 standard deduction, worked out for the year and spread over your paychecks. IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32

Social Security$202.69$5,270

6.2% of wages up to $184,500. Traditional 401(k) contributions do not reduce it. SSA wage base · 2026

Medicare$47.40$1,233

1.45% of wages, with no cap. IRS Pub. 15 · 2026

California income tax$135.23$3,516

California taxes income at graduated rates from 1% to 12.3%, plus 1% on taxable income over $1 million, after the state standard deduction and exemption credits. State disability insurance (SDI) is a separate paycheck line. California · 2026

California SDI$42.50$1,105

California disability and paid family leave, withheld from the employee. The 2026 rate is 1.3% with no wage ceiling. CA EDD · 2026

Take-home pay$2,461.79$64,007

Tap a line to see how it was worked out. Each paycheck is the year's figure divided by 26 and rounded to the cent.

Show the math

Federal income tax for the year

Wages$85,000.00
Standard deduction−$16,100.00
Taxable income$68,900.00
Tax from the 2026 brackets$9,870.00
Federal income tax$9,870.00

California income tax for the year

Wages taxed by the state$85,000.00
Standard deduction−$5,900.00
Taxable income$79,100.00
Tax from the rate schedule$3,673.86
Exemption credits−$158.00
California income tax$3,515.86
Sources for these figures

What if

A $5,000 raise+$2,988 a yearYou keep $60 of each extra $100.
1% more into a 401(k)$850 saved a yearTake-home falls by only $22.46 a paycheck, because the tax bill drops too.
A $5,000 bonus$2,988 after taxEmployers often withhold more than this up front; the difference comes back at tax time.
+$4,621 a yearTexas, with no city tax. Compare side by side

Estimate for tax year 2026. Your real paycheck depends on your W-4, your benefits and your employer's payroll system. This is education, not tax, payroll or financial advice.

What each line on a paycheck means

Gross pay is what you earn before anything is taken out. Before-tax deductions such as a 401(k) or health premium come off first and lower some taxes. Federal income tax depends on your filing status and the year's income. Social Security and Medicare are flat percentages. State and local taxes depend on where you live. What is left is your take-home pay.

The pay stub guide goes through a real stub one line at a time, and each state page lists that state's rates.

Calculator by LocalTakehome