Calculator  ·  Housing & Life Decisions

Your salary isn't your paycheck.

Estimate what actually lands in your bank account after payroll taxes and deductions.

📐 Verified FICA rates
⚡ Instant results
🔒 No data stored
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By WealthDelay Editorial · Reviewed for accuracy on June 20, 2026 · ✓ Uses official IRS/SSA FICA rates
Quick Answer

Your take-home pay = gross salary − FICA taxes (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare) − pre-tax deductions (401k, health insurance) − federal & state income tax withholding. FICA rates are fixed by law; income tax withholding depends on your filing status and bracket.

This tool uses the actual FICA rates (6.2% / 1.45%) and asks YOU for your effective income tax rate, rather than guessing federal/state tax brackets — brackets change by state and situation, so we don't invent a number for you.

Your Parameters
Live
As a % of gross salary — lowers your taxable income
Federal + state combined — check your last pay stub or a withholding estimator for your real number
26 = biweekly, 24 = semi-monthly, 12 = monthly, 52 = weekly
Estimated Take-Home Pay
calculating…
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What This Really Means
Adjust the sliders to see your personalized analysis.
Full Breakdown (Annual)
Gross salary
Pre-tax deductions (401k/HSA)
Social Security tax (6.2%)
Medicare tax (1.45%)
Estimated federal + state income tax
Estimated take-home pay
Per paycheck

FICA payroll tax rates (fixed by law)

Tax Employee rate Wage cap
Social Security6.2%Annual wage base — adjusts yearly, confirm at ssa.gov
Medicare1.45% (+0.9% over $200K single)No cap

This calculator caps Social Security tax at the current wage base and never invents a federal/state income tax bracket — you supply your own effective rate from a pay stub or the IRS withholding estimator, since brackets vary by state, filing status, and change yearly.

Sources & Methodology

Methodology: Pre-tax deductions reduce the income subject to your supplied income tax rate but NOT the income subject to FICA (which by law applies to full gross wages, capped only for Social Security). This is an estimate — your actual paycheck also depends on your W-4 elections, benefits, and local taxes not modeled here.

Common Questions

Why is my paycheck so much less than my salary?
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FICA payroll taxes (6.2% Social Security up to the annual wage base, 1.45% Medicare with no cap) come out automatically, plus federal income tax withholding, state income tax (if applicable), and any pre-tax deductions like 401(k) contributions or health insurance premiums.
Does increasing my 401(k) contribution lower my paycheck taxes?
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Yes for a Traditional 401(k) — contributions are deducted from your paycheck before federal (and most state) income tax is calculated, lowering your taxable income. They do NOT reduce FICA (Social Security/Medicare) taxes, which apply to your full gross wages regardless of 401(k) contributions.
What is the Social Security wage base?
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It's the maximum amount of annual earnings subject to the 6.2% Social Security tax. Earnings above this amount are not taxed for Social Security (though Medicare's 1.45% has no cap, and an extra 0.9% Medicare surtax applies above $200,000 single / $250,000 married filing jointly). The wage base is adjusted annually by the Social Security Administration — confirm the current figure at ssa.gov.
Disclaimer: For educational purposes only. Not tax advice. This is an estimate, not a substitute for a real pay stub, IRS Form W-4, or a tax professional. Actual withholding depends on your specific situation, employer, and state.