Paycheck Calculator Estimate take-home pay with federal tax, state tax, Social Security, and Medicare deductions.
Paycheck Calculator
Estimate take-home pay with federal tax, state tax, Social Security, and Medicare deductions.
Enter Gross Pay
Input your gross salary amount and select the pay period.
Set Tax Details
Enter your state tax rate and any pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA, etc.).
View Take-Home Pay
See your net pay with a complete breakdown of all deductions.
What Is Paycheck Calculator?
A paycheck calculator estimates your take-home pay (net pay) by deducting federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security (6.2%), and Medicare (1.45%) from your gross pay. It uses the 2024 US federal tax brackets for single filers to calculate your federal tax liability. Pre-tax deductions like 401(k) contributions and HSA payments reduce your taxable income, lowering your tax bill. The calculator shows your effective tax rate (total tax / gross income × 100), annual net pay, and equivalent monthly, bi-weekly, and weekly take-home amounts. This is an estimation tool — actual paycheck amounts depend on your specific tax situation, filing status, allowances, additional deductions, and local taxes.
Why Use Paycheck Calculator?
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Uses real 2024 US federal tax brackets
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Includes Social Security and Medicare deductions
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Customizable state tax rate
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Pre-tax deduction support (401k, HSA)
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Shows effective tax rate and net pay across all periods
Common Use Cases
Job Offer Evaluation
Estimate actual take-home pay to evaluate job offers realistically.
Budget Planning
Know your monthly take-home pay for accurate household budgeting.
Tax Planning
See how increasing pre-tax deductions (401k) reduces your tax burden.
Salary Negotiation
Understand how a raise affects your actual take-home pay after taxes.
Technical Guide
US federal income tax uses progressive brackets: income is taxed at increasing rates as it passes through each bracket. For 2024 single filers: 10% up to $11,600, 12% to $47,150, 22% to $100,525, 24% to $191,950, 32% to $243,725, 35% to $609,350, 37% above. Tax is computed by summing bracket contributions. Social Security tax is 6.2% of wages up to $168,600 (2024 cap). Medicare is 1.45% of all wages (no cap). State tax varies from 0% (TX, FL, etc.) to 13.3% (CA top rate). The effective tax rate is the total tax divided by gross income, which is always lower than the marginal rate because lower brackets are taxed at lower rates.
Tips & Best Practices
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1Your effective tax rate is always lower than your marginal (top) bracket rate
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2Increasing 401k contributions reduces taxable income dollar-for-dollar
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3States with no income tax: TX, FL, WA, NV, TN, WY, SD, AK, NH
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4This is an estimate — actual taxes depend on filing status, deductions, and credits
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5Don't forget about employer-matched 401k — free money that increases total compensation
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🔢 Math & CalculatorsFrequently Asked Questions
Q Why is my take-home pay less than I expected?
Q What is the difference between gross and net pay?
Q How does a 401k affect my paycheck?
Q Is this accurate for all filing statuses?
Q What is the Social Security wage cap?
About This Tool
Paycheck Calculator is a free online tool by FreeToolkit.ai. All processing happens directly in your browser — your data never leaves your device. No registration or installation required.