Your salary is not your paycheck. Federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare and state tax all come out first — on a $75,000 salary, the gap is over $500 every two weeks. This free paycheck calculator shows what lands in your account each pay period, whether you are paid weekly, every two weeks, twice a month or monthly.
Enter your salary or hourly wage, your filing status and any pre-tax deductions such as a 401(k), and the calculator applies the official 2026 federal tax brackets, the standard deduction and current FICA rates. For the annual tax picture, try the Federal Income Tax Calculator; the Loan EMI Calculator shows what your take-home pay leaves for a loan payment.
How to use
- Choose salary or hourly pay and enter the amount, plus hours per week if paid by the hour.
- Pick your pay frequency and your 2026 filing status.
- Add pre-tax deductions per paycheck, such as 401(k) contributions, and your state income tax rate.
- Read your take-home pay per paycheck, the annual total, and the full breakdown of every deduction.
Why use Toolsvine
Pay stubs hide the math: one line says “federal withholding.” Toolsvine shows every deduction separately — federal tax from the real 2026 brackets, Social Security up to the $184,500 wage base, Medicare, and state tax — so you can check your employer's numbers and compare job offers on take-home pay, not salary.
How take-home pay is figured
Take-home pay is gross pay minus every withholding. First, pre-tax deductions such as 401(k) contributions come off gross pay. Then the 2026 standard deduction for your filing status — $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household — is subtracted to give taxable income. Federal tax is figured from the 2026 brackets (10% on a single filer's first $12,400, 12% up to $50,400, 22% up to $105,700, then higher rates) and split across pay periods.
The 2026 payroll taxes
| Tax | Rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security | 6.2% | Wages up to the $184,500 wage base |
| Medicare | 1.45% | All wages, no cap |
| Additional Medicare | 0.9% | Wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (joint) |
Social Security stops once wages pass $184,500 for the year, so high earners see slightly bigger paychecks late in the year. Medicare never stops, and the extra 0.9% applies only to wages above the threshold. State income tax is separate and varies by state, so you enter your own rate.
Worked example
A single filer on a $75,000 salary, paid every two weeks, with no deductions and no state tax: gross pay is $2,884.62 per paycheck. Taxable income is $58,900, so annual federal tax is $1,240 + $4,560 + $1,870 = $7,670, or $295.00 per paycheck. Social Security is $178.85 and Medicare $41.83. Take-home pay is $2,368.94 per paycheck ($61,592.44 a year).
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between my tax bracket and the rate I actually pay?
The bracket is marginal — the rate on your last dollar, not on all of it. At $75,000, a single filer sits in the 22% bracket, but most of their income is taxed at 10% and 12%.
How is my federal withholding figured?
It comes from your annualized taxable income, the 2026 IRS brackets and your standard deduction, split across paychecks. Your employer uses IRS Publication 15-T tables and your W-4 instead, so bonuses or overtime cause small differences. Use the <a href="/percentage-calculator/">Percentage Calculator</a> to see each deduction as a share of gross pay.
Does this include Social Security and Medicare?
Yes. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500, and Medicare is 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% above $200,000 for a single filer ($250,000 joint). Both are employee-side taxes, matched separately by your employer.
What should I enter for state tax?
State income tax has no single national rate: nine states have none on wages, others charge a flat rate, and most use their own brackets. Enter your state's rate — your last pay stub will show it. If unsure, try 0% for the federal-only picture, then add your state rate.
Is my salary information uploaded anywhere?
No. Every calculation runs in your browser and your salary, filing status and deductions never leave your device. Nothing is uploaded, stored or shared.