How salary tax works in United States
US take-home pay combines federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. The calculator supports all 50 states and DC, four filing statuses, qualifying-child and other-dependant credits, and a pre-tax traditional 401(k) contribution.
Income tax in United States
Federal tax uses the 2026 standard deduction and seven progressive brackets for the selected filing status. The model subtracts entered qualifying-child and other-dependant credits with the federal phase-out, then estimates state income tax from a statewide schedule.
Employee contributions
Social Security is 6.2% up to the 2026 wage base, and Medicare is 1.45% plus the additional 0.9% above the filing-status threshold used by the model. A traditional 401(k) lowers modeled income tax but not FICA wages.
Take-home pay example
A married couple filing jointly receives different federal bands and an additional-Medicare threshold from a single filer. Moving from Texas to California adds modeled state income tax even when federal tax and FICA stay the same.
Tax sources and verification
This adapter is labelled 2026, valid 2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Sources were last checked on 2026-08-31. The calculator separates annual liability from payroll withholding and disables payslip mode when the required official method is not implemented.
- IRS: Tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026
Effective period: tax year 2026 · Verified: 2026-08-31
- IRS: Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods
Effective period: 2026 payroll · Verified: 2026-08-31
United States salary calculator FAQ
Which US dependant credits are included?
The tool models the non-refundable effect of entered qualifying-child and other-dependant credits, including the high-income phase-out. Refundability, earned-income, education and dependent-care credits are not calculated.
Does the state estimate include city tax?
No. New York City, Philadelphia, Ohio municipalities and other city or county systems are excluded, as are many state disability, paid-leave and family credits.
Is this the same as paycheck withholding?
No. It is an annual planning calculation using simplified statewide rules. W-4 elections, pay frequency, bonus methods, itemized deductions and state withholding certificates can change each paycheck.
Important financial disclaimer
This calculator estimates employee take-home pay using the information you enter and current published tax/payroll rules. Actual payroll may differ because of employer-specific benefits, tax-card settings, local rules, prior-period earnings, bonuses and other circumstances. It is not tax advice.