Methodology
Every calculator on this site runs the same transparent model, entirely in your browser. No salary you type is ever sent to a server.
The calculation steps
- Federal taxable income = gross salary − pre-tax deductions − federal standard deduction ($16,100 single / $32,200 married filing jointly / $24,150 head of household for 2026).
- Federal tax = 2026 IRS marginal brackets applied to that taxable income.
- State taxable income = gross salary − pre-tax deductions − state standard deduction (or modeled personal exemption where the state has none).
- State tax = the state’s 2026 marginal brackets. Nine states have no wage income tax.
- FICA: Social Security 6.2% on wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500; Medicare 1.45% on all wages; an extra 0.9% on wages over $200,000 single / $250,000 joint.
- Take-home pay = gross − all taxes above − pre-tax deductions − post-tax deductions. Per-paycheck figures divide annual amounts by your pay frequency.
2026 federal brackets (single)
| Taxable income (single, 2026) | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to $12,400 | 10% |
| $12,400 – $50,400 | 12% |
| $50,400 – $105,700 | 22% |
| $105,700 – $201,775 | 24% |
| $201,775 – $256,225 | 32% |
| $256,225 – $640,600 | 35% |
| Over $640,600 | 37% |
Data sources
- IRS Revenue Procedure (Oct 9, 2025): 2026 federal brackets + standard deductions
- SSA: 2026 Social Security wage base $184,500
- Tax Foundation: 2026 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets (as of Feb 11, 2026)
Modeling notes
- Brackets encoded as [TOP, RATE] pairs; TOP=null means no upper limit. Rate applies to income above previous TOP up to TOP.
- State tax = brackets applied to max(0, grossAnnual - pretaxAnnual - stateStdDed). Personal exemptions modeled as deductions where noted. Small credits ignored (see disclaimer).
- FICA wages = grossAnnual (simplification; 401k nuance not modeled).
- CA/ID/ND/VT 2026 bracket widths were not published; Tax Foundation table reflects 2025 inflation-adjusted widths for these states.
- WV uses Tax Foundation published 2026 rates (2.22-4.82%).
- Local/city income taxes excluded everywhere.
Limitations — please read
These are estimates, not tax advice. The calculator excludes city and county wage taxes (e.g. New York City, Philadelphia, Maryland counties), tax credits, and the 401(k)/FICA nuance — in reality 401(k) contributions reduce income tax but generally not Social Security/Medicare wages, while our simplified model applies FICA to gross salary. Withholding also depends on your W-4. For exact figures, check a pay stub or consult a tax professional.