Paycheck Calculator — Estimate Your Take-Home Pay After Taxes

A pay stub is a document from your employer that accompanies each paycheck. It shows your gross pay for the period, a breakdown of all taxes withheld (federal, state, Social Security, Medicare), any benefit deductions, your net (take-home) pay, and year-to-date totals. Pay stubs are important for budgeting, verifying payroll accuracy, and serving as proof of income for loans or rental applications.

Start with gross pay — your earnings before deductions. Then review each deduction line: federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security (6.2%), and Medicare (1.45%). If you have benefit deductions like a 401(k) or health insurance, those appear next. Net pay at the bottom is what you actually receive. The YTD (year-to-date) column shows cumulative totals from January 1. For a full visual walkthrough, see our article on what a pay stub looks like.

If you're a sole proprietor, you don't receive traditional pay stubs. For income proof (loans, leases), use your tax returns (Schedule C), 1099 forms, bank statements, or a profit and loss statement. If you operate as an S corporation and pay yourself a salary, your payroll software will generate legitimate pay stubs. Never create documents designed to look like employer-issued stubs — that could constitute fraud.

Mandatory deductions include federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), and state income tax (in 41 states). Voluntary pre-tax deductions — which you elect through your employer — can include 401(k) contributions, health/dental/vision insurance premiums, HSA, and FSA contributions. These pre-tax deductions reduce your taxable income. Post-tax voluntary deductions include Roth 401(k) and certain insurance premiums.

Net pay = Gross Pay − Pre-Tax Deductions − Federal Income Tax − Social Security (6.2%) − Medicare (1.45%) − State Income Tax − Post-Tax Deductions. The federal and state tax amounts are estimated based on your annualized income, filing status, and applicable brackets and deductions. Use our calculator above to get an instant estimate without doing the math yourself.

No — a paycheck is the payment itself (a physical check or direct deposit). A pay stub is the documentation that explains how that payment was calculated. When you receive a paper check, the stub is the detachable portion showing your earnings and deductions. With direct deposit, you typically access your pay stub through your employer's online HR portal.

Gross pay is your total earnings before any deductions — the number on your job offer or salary agreement. Net pay, also called take-home pay, is what actually lands in your bank account after federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security, and Medicare are withheld. A take-home pay calculator like this one helps you understand the gap between the two so you can budget accurately.

Your filing status determines both your standard deduction and your tax bracket thresholds. For example, Married Filing Jointly doubles most bracket thresholds compared to Single, meaning a couple can earn more before reaching higher tax rates. Head of Household falls between Single and MFJ. Using a salary calculator after taxes that accounts for filing status gives you a much more accurate estimate than a flat percentage.

As of 2026, nine states have no tax on wage income: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. If you are comparing a job in California or New York against a role in Texas, the paycheck calculator by state feature in this tool is especially useful — the difference in take-home pay can be significant even if the gross salaries are similar.

FICA stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act. It funds two programs: Social Security (6.2% of wages up to the 2026 wage base of $176,100) and Medicare (1.45% on all wages). Higher earners also pay an Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% on income above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). Unlike income tax, FICA is not reduced by your standard deduction — it applies to every dollar of wages.

For tax year 2026, the standard deductions are: $15,000 for Single and Married Filing Separately filers, $30,000 for Married Filing Jointly, and $22,500 for Head of Household. The standard deduction is subtracted from your gross income before federal income tax brackets are applied.