Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your take-home pay from gross pay. Enter your pay, frequency, pre-tax deductions, and tax rates to see net per paycheck and per year.
| Gross pay | $2,500.00 |
| Pre-tax deductions | −$150.00 |
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare, 7.65%) | −$191.25 |
| Federal withholding | −$282.00 |
| State tax | −$94.00 |
| Take-home pay | $1,782.75 |
Simplified estimate. Federal withholding depends on your W-4, filing status, and total annual income; enter your own estimated effective rate. Not tax advice.
How to use this calculator
Enter your gross pay per paycheck and your pay frequency, any pre-tax deductions, and your estimated federal and state tax rates. FICA is applied automatically. You'll see your take-home pay per check and per year, with a full breakdown.
How take-home pay works
Your paycheck is reduced by several things: pre-tax deductions that fund retirement or health accounts, the 7.65% FICA payroll tax, federal income tax withholding, and state income tax. The remainder is what lands in your bank account.
Worked example
On $2,500 biweekly with $150 pre-tax, a 12% federal rate, and 4% state, FICA is about $191 and income taxes about $376, leaving roughly $1,783 take-home — about $46,000 a year.
A simplified estimate, not tax advice. Use your pay stub to refine the federal rate.
Frequently asked questions
How is take-home pay calculated?
Start with gross pay, subtract pre-tax deductions (like 401(k) and HSA), then subtract FICA taxes, federal withholding, and state tax. What's left is your net, or take-home, pay.
What is FICA?
FICA is the payroll tax for Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%), totaling 7.65% of your wages. Employers pay a matching amount. It's separate from income tax.
Why doesn't this know my exact federal tax?
Federal withholding depends on your W-4, filing status, allowances, and total annual income across all paychecks, so it can't be derived from a single check. Enter your estimated effective rate — your latest pay stub is a good guide.
Do pre-tax deductions lower my taxes?
Yes. Contributions to a traditional 401(k), HSA, or similar reduce your taxable income, so you pay less income tax now. They still reduce your take-home pay because the money goes into those accounts.