Free Salary & Paycheck Calculator (2026) - Estimate Take-Home Pay
Estimate your take-home pay after federal tax and FICA
Your Pay Details
| Gross Pay (per period) | $0.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$0.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$0.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$0.00 |
| Additional Medicare (0.9%) | -$0.00 |
| 401(k) Contribution | -$0.00 |
| Health Insurance | -$0.00 |
| Extra Withholding | -$0.00 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $0.00 |
Federal Tax Information
Voluntary Pre-Tax Deductions
About This Paycheck Calculator
This paycheck calculator helps employees, freelancers, and HR teams see roughly what lands in their bank account on payday. It works for both hourly and salaried pay, and it applies the 2026 IRS federal withholding tables along with Social Security and Medicare (FICA) to estimate your take-home pay no matter how often you're paid — weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly, quarterly, or annually.
🏦 Federal Tax Withholding
Uses the 2026 IRS withholding brackets (10%–37%), adjusted for your filing status and current Form W-4 entries, to estimate a realistic federal withholding amount each pay period.
🔐 FICA Contributions
Automatically figures Social Security (6.2%, capped at the 2026 wage base of $184,500) and Medicare (1.45%), adding the extra 0.9% Additional Medicare tax once earnings pass $200,000.
📅 All Pay Frequencies
Splits annual income into per-paycheck amounts for any schedule, so you can compare what a weekly check looks like versus a monthly or quarterly one.
How to Calculate Your Take-Home Pay
Five quick steps to get an estimate of your net pay:
- Pick Hourly or Monthly Salary. Hourly workers enter their rate, regular weekly hours, and any overtime hours; salaried workers enter their monthly salary.
- Set Your Pay Frequency. Choose how often you're paid — this is what determines how your annual income is divided into each paycheck.
- Fill In Federal Tax Details. Select a filing status and copy the entries from your Form W-4: multiple jobs, dependents amount, other income, deductions, and any extra withholding.
- Add Pre-Tax Deductions (Optional). A 401(k) percentage lowers the pay that federal income tax is figured on; a health insurance premium lowers it for income tax, Social Security, and Medicare.
- See Your Results. Your net pay per check, a full breakdown of every deduction, and a projection of your after-tax income for the year update as you type.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between gross pay and net pay?
Gross pay is everything you earn before deductions — hourly rate times hours, or salary split across pay periods. Net pay is what's actually deposited after federal tax, FICA, and any voluntary deductions like 401(k) contributions or health insurance come out.
How accurate is this calculator?
It follows the official 2026 IRS withholding method (Publication 15-T) and 2026 FICA rates, so the federal-tax portion is fairly reliable. It doesn't account for state or local taxes, which differ a lot by location, and situations like self-employment income or bonuses add complexity a simple calculator can't capture. For precise numbers, a CPA or the IRS's own Tax Withholding Estimator is a better source.
What is FICA and how is it calculated?
FICA — the Federal Insurance Contributions Act — covers two payroll taxes: Social Security (6.2% of wages, capped at $184,500 for 2026) and Medicare (1.45% on all wages, plus an extra 0.9% once you're earning over $200,000). Employers match the employee share, but this tool only shows what comes out of your own paycheck.
How do pre-tax deductions affect take-home pay?
Things like traditional 401(k) contributions and employer health premiums come out of your pay before federal income tax is applied, which shrinks your taxable income. So putting 6% into a 401(k) on a $1,000 weekly paycheck means federal income tax is figured on only $940 — the $60 contribution lowers your take-home pay by about $53, not $60, once the tax savings are factored in. Social Security and Medicare still apply to the full $1,000, because 401(k) contributions don't lower them; health premiums do.
What's the difference between bi-weekly and semi-monthly pay?
Bi-weekly means a paycheck every two weeks (26 a year); semi-monthly means twice a month on fixed dates, like the 1st and 15th (24 a year). Bi-weekly schedules have two extra paychecks, so each one is a bit smaller even though your annual total is identical. This calculator handles that difference automatically.
How much of my paycheck goes to taxes in 2026?
It depends on your income and filing status, but for a single filer earning $40,000–$100,000, roughly 14–21% of each paycheck goes to federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare combined (about 10–15% for married couples filing jointly). Federal income tax alone ranges from 10% to 37% depending on your tax bracket, but your effective rate (what you actually pay) is usually much lower. State and local taxes add another 0–10% depending on where you live. This calculator shows your federal and FICA burden; add your state/local rate for the full picture.
What is the average take-home pay for a $50,000 salary?
In 2026, a $50,000 annual salary nets about $42,400 per year for a single filer after federal tax, Social Security, and Medicare—roughly 85% of gross—or about $44,400 (89%) for a married couple filing jointly. The exact amount varies by filing status, your W-4 entries, and whether you contribute to pre-tax benefits like a 401(k) or health insurance. Use this calculator with your actual details for a precise estimate tailored to your situation.
How do I calculate my biweekly paycheck?
Start with your annual gross income, divide by 26 (the number of biweekly pay periods), then subtract federal tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), and any pre-tax deductions like 401(k) or health insurance. The federal tax portion depends on your filing status and W-4 entries—it's the trickiest part to estimate by hand, which is why this calculator does the math for you. Just enter your details and select "Bi-weekly" as your pay frequency.