Take-Home Pay Calculator
Estimate your net salary after federal tax, state tax, FICA, and pre-tax deductions
Salary Details
Enter 0 for states with no income tax (e.g. Texas, Florida)
Take-Home Pay
Net Annual Take-Home Pay
$51,450.10
68.60% of gross salary
Net Bi-weekly Paycheck
$1,978.85
Gross bi-weekly: $2,884.62
Deduction Breakdown
Complete Guide to Take-Home Pay
What is Take-Home Pay?
Take-home pay, also called net pay, is the amount that actually lands in your bank account after every mandatory tax and pre-tax deduction is subtracted from your gross (before-tax) salary. It is almost always lower than the salary figure quoted in a job offer, which is why budgeting off your gross number can leave you short.
If you are budgeting around a paycheck instead of an annual figure, pair this tool with the Hourly Paycheck Calculator for wage earners, or the Salary to Hourly Calculator to convert your annual salary into an equivalent hourly rate.
Formula
Net Take-Home Pay:
Taxable Income = Gross − 401(k) − Health Premiums − Standard Deduction
Federal Tax = Σ (bracket rate × income in that bracket)
FICA = min(Wages, SS Wage Base) × 6.2% + Wages × 1.45%
Net Pay = Gross − 401(k) − Health Premiums − Federal Tax − State Tax − FICA
Where: Federal Tax uses progressive marginal brackets by filing status; State Tax is a flat rate you supply; FICA includes an extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax above $200,000 (single/HOH) or $250,000 (married filing jointly).
Benefits
Accurate Budgeting
Know your real spendable income before signing a lease or loan.
Compare Job Offers
See how state tax and benefits differences change net pay across offers.
401(k) Impact
Test how increasing retirement contributions changes your paycheck.
Any Pay Frequency
Convert annual net pay into weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly figures.
Tips
Tip 1: Increasing your 401(k) contribution lowers federal and state taxable income immediately, softening the paycheck impact.
Tip 2: Check your actual state's tax brackets — a single flat rate is an approximation for states with progressive brackets of their own.
Tip 3: Compare offers using the Tax Bracket Calculator to see your marginal vs. effective federal rate side by side.
Common Mistakes
Using Gross Salary to Budget
Committing to rent or a car payment based on gross pay often overestimates disposable income by 20-30%.
Ignoring FICA on 401(k) Contributions
401(k) deferrals reduce income tax but Social Security and Medicare still apply to that money.
Forgetting the Social Security Wage Base
High earners stop paying the 6.2% Social Security tax once wages exceed the annual cap, which raises take-home pay late in the year.
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OpenTax Bracket Calculator
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OpenSalary to Hourly Calculator
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OpenFrequently Asked Questions
What is take-home pay?
Take-home pay (net pay) is the amount of your paycheck left after federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and pre-tax deductions like 401(k) contributions and health insurance premiums are subtracted from your gross salary.
How is take-home pay calculated?
Start with gross salary, subtract pre-tax deductions (401k, health insurance) to get taxable income, apply progressive federal tax brackets plus a flat state tax rate, then subtract FICA (6.2% Social Security up to the annual wage base, 1.45% Medicare). What remains is your net take-home pay.
How does this compare to the Hourly Paycheck Calculator?
The Hourly Paycheck Calculator converts an hourly wage into gross and net pay per shift. This tool starts from an annual salary and models full federal tax brackets, FICA, and pre-tax deductions to project net pay across any pay frequency.
What are common mistakes people make estimating take-home pay?
Common errors include ignoring the Additional Medicare Tax (0.9% on wages above $200,000 for single filers), forgetting that 401(k) contributions are exempt from income tax but not from FICA, and using a flat percentage instead of the correct progressive federal bracket.
Are there tax or regulatory considerations?
Nine US states (including Texas, Florida, and Washington) have no state income tax — enter 0% for those. Social Security tax stops once wages exceed the annual wage base ($176,100), while Medicare applies to all wages with no cap.
Worked example?
A single filer earning $75,000/year with a 5% state tax rate, $6,000 in 401(k) contributions, and $2,400 in health premiums pays about $6,266 federal tax, $3,330 state tax, and $5,553.90 FICA — leaving roughly $51,450 in net annual take-home pay, or about $1,979 per biweekly paycheck.