Income & Tax
Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your take-home pay after federal income tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare, and pre-tax deductions.
Enter your salary and pre-tax contributions to estimate the federal portion of each paycheck and what actually lands in your account.
Income & Tax
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Example
On a $60,000 salary, federal income tax plus FICA can take a meaningful slice before pre-tax 401(k) or health deductions are even counted.
Results
Take-home per paycheck
$1,839.92
Annual take-home
$47,838
Effective tax rate
15.3%
Projection
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No timeline is available for the current inputs.
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Result reading
Federal estimate only, using 2025 brackets and the standard deduction. State and local taxes are not included.
Planning cue
Use the output as a scenario test rather than a promise. Small input changes can materially change the result.
Federal estimate only, using 2025 brackets and the standard deduction. State and local taxes are not included.
How it works
What the result is showing you
These sections explain what the calculator measures, which assumptions matter most, and where the number can be misleading.
What comes out of a paycheck
Gross pay is reduced by pre-tax deductions like 401(k) and health premiums, then by federal income tax withholding and FICA taxes for Social Security and Medicare. What remains is your take-home, or net, pay.
Why pre-tax deductions help twice
Money you route into pre-tax accounts lowers the income that federal tax is calculated on, so a dollar saved there costs you less than a dollar in take-home pay. That is part of why workplace retirement and HSA contributions are efficient.
What this estimate leaves out
This is a federal-level estimate. It does not include state or local income tax, and real withholding depends on your W-4, credits, and other details. Treat it as a planning baseline, not an exact paystub.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions people ask most about this calculator.
Does this include state taxes?
No. This calculator estimates federal income tax withholding plus Social Security and Medicare only. State and local income taxes vary widely and are not included, so your actual take-home may be lower.
Why is my real paycheck different?
Actual withholding depends on your W-4 elections, tax credits, additional withholding, and benefit choices. This tool uses 2025 federal brackets and the standard deduction as a simplified baseline.
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