FinCalcPlus
HomeCalculatorsBlogAboutContact

Free Paycheck Calculator 2026

Estimate take-home pay with updated 2026 federal withholding rules, state income tax settings, Social Security and Medicare calculations, and modern Form W-4 inputs. This calculator supports Step 2(b) multiple-jobs withholding, Step 3 dependent amounts, Step 4(a) other income, Step 4(b) annual deduction worksheet figures, Step 4(c) extra withholding, and common pre-tax and post-tax deductions.

2026 Form W-4 Withholding Guide

The 2026 paycheck calculator follows the modern dollar-based Form W-4 workflow. Instead of relying only on old-style allowances, the current version supports Step 2(b) for multiple jobs, Step 3 dependent amounts, Step 4(a) other income, Step 4(b) annual deduction worksheet amounts, and Step 4(c) extra withholding per paycheck.

Step 2(b)
Use the multiple-jobs worksheet when you or your spouse have more than one job. This adds extra federal withholding so a second paycheck does not under-withhold all year.
Step 3
The calculator uses 2026 dependent amounts of $2,200 for each qualifying child under 17 and $500 for each other dependent when estimating federal withholding.
Step 4(a) & 4(c)
Step 4(a) lets you add annual other income such as interest, dividends, or rental income. Step 4(c) lets you add a flat extra withholding amount to every paycheck.
Step 4(b)
Step 4(b) uses annual deduction worksheet figures, not per-paycheck amounts. That includes itemized deductions, student loan interest, educator expenses, senior deductions, and cash charitable gifts.

2026 Federal Numbers Used by the Calculator

2026 Standard Deduction
  • Single: $16,100
  • Married filing jointly: $32,200
  • Married filing separately: $16,100
  • Head of household: $24,150
2026 FICA & Medicare
  • Social Security: 6.20% up to $184,500
  • Medicare: 1.45% on all wages
  • Additional Medicare: 0.90% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married filing jointly / $125,000 married filing separately

Deductions, State Taxes, and What Changes Net Pay

Pre-tax vs Post-tax
Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce federal taxable income, but they usually still count for Social Security and Medicare. Section 125 health insurance premiums, HSA contributions, and FSA contributions generally reduce both income-tax wages and FICA wages. Roth 401(k) contributions are post-tax.
State Taxes Still Vary
Federal withholding rules are the same nationwide, but your take-home pay still changes by state because state income taxes, standard deductions, personal exemptions, and in some places local payroll taxes can vary widely.
No-Tax Wage States

These states currently have no state income tax on wages:

Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming

State-Specific Paycheck Calculators

State income taxes, local taxes, and rules vary by state. Select your state below to calculate accurate paycheck deductions with local data:

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
FAQ

Paycheck Calculator FAQ

Everything you need to know about paychecks, taxes, deductions, and maximizing your take-home pay

The 2026 Form W-4 tells payroll how much federal income tax to withhold. This calculator follows the modern W-4 steps: Step 2(b) for multiple jobs or a working spouse, Step 3 for dependent amounts, Step 4(a) for other annual income, Step 4(b) for annual deduction worksheet amounts, and Step 4(c) for extra withholding per paycheck.
Step 2(b) is the multiple-jobs worksheet on the W-4. If you have more than one job, or if both spouses work, it increases federal withholding so your combined paychecks do not under-withhold during the year. This calculator uses an IRS-style lookup table approach for that extra withholding.
Step 3 lowers federal withholding based on dependents. In this calculator, the 2026 dependent amounts are $2,200 for each qualifying child under 17 and $500 for each other dependent. Larger Step 3 amounts usually increase take-home pay during the year by reducing federal withholding.
Step 4(a) adds other annual income such as interest, dividends, or rental income into withholding calculations. Step 4(b) reduces taxable income using annual worksheet amounts like itemized deductions, student loan interest, educator expenses, and senior deductions. Step 4(c) adds a flat extra withholding amount to each paycheck.
Most employees pay federal income tax withholding, Social Security tax of 6.2% up to $184,500 of wages, and Medicare tax of 1.45% on all wages. Additional Medicare tax of 0.9% applies to wages above $200,000 for single filers, $250,000 for married filing jointly, $125,000 for married filing separately, and $200,000 for head of household filers. State income tax may also apply depending on where you work.
Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce federal taxable income, but they usually still count toward Social Security and Medicare wages. Section 125 health insurance premiums, HSA contributions, and FSA contributions usually reduce both income-tax wages and FICA wages. Roth 401(k) contributions are post-tax and do not reduce current federal withholding.
Gross pay is your total pay before taxes and deductions. Net pay is your take-home pay after federal withholding, state tax when applicable, Social Security, Medicare, pre-tax deductions, and post-tax deductions are subtracted.
The no-wage-income-tax states in this calculator are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming. If you work in one of these states, your paycheck will not include state income tax withholding on wages, although federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, and possible local taxes can still apply.
No. This calculator estimates federal withholding, FICA, and state income tax rules used by the calculator engine, but it does not add city, county, or school district payroll taxes. If you work in a place like New York City, Philadelphia, or an Ohio municipality with local wage taxes, your real net pay may be lower.
This calculator is built around 2026 federal brackets, 2026 FICA settings, state tax rules in the project data, and modern W-4 inputs. It is still an estimate. Actual payroll may differ because of employer-specific withholding systems, local taxes, imputed income, benefit treatment, or state-specific rules not handled in payroll exactly the same way.

2026 W-4 Steps

Quick reference for the withholding inputs used by the calculator:

  • Step 2(b): Multiple jobs / working spouse
  • Step 3: $2,200 child / $500 other dependent
  • Step 4(a): Annual other income
  • Step 4(b): Annual deductions worksheet
  • Step 4(c): Extra withholding per paycheck

2026 Standard Deduction

  • Single: $16,100
  • Married Filing Jointly: $32,200
  • Married Filing Separately: $16,100
  • Head of Household: $24,150

2026 Payroll Taxes

  • Social Security: 6.20% up to $184,500
  • Medicare: 1.45% on all wages
  • Additional Medicare: 0.90% over threshold
  • No-wage-income-tax states: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming

Disclaimer

This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only and should not be considered tax or financial advice. Tax rates and rules may change. For accurate payroll calculations, consult your employer's HR department or a qualified tax professional. This calculator does not account for local taxes, which may apply in some jurisdictions like New York City, Philadelphia, or various Ohio cities.