Paycheck Calculator (After-Tax)

Estimate your take-home pay. Adjust tax rates and toggles for how pre-tax benefits affect FICA. Numbers are estimates, not tax advice.

Overview

This paycheck calculator helps you quickly see what will actually land in your bank account per pay period. Enter either a salary or hourly rate, pick a pay frequency, and include common pre-tax benefits such as 401(k), HSA, and Section 125 health plans. The tool separates income-taxable wages from FICA-taxable wages, respects the Social Security wage base, and accounts for Additional Medicare once your year-to-date income crosses the threshold for your filing status. You can tune federal, state, and local withholding as flat rates to match your current paycheck and export a detailed CSV for budgeting or onboarding.

Everything runs in your browser for speed and privacy. The interface is mobile-friendly and uses simple language so you can compare scenarios fast. We also link to related calculators so you can move from a paycheck estimate to a deeper view of state or federal tax settings without losing your place.

Pay & Frequency

Pre-Tax Deductions

401(k) reduces income taxes but usually not FICA (toggle below if needed).

Taxes & Filing

Flat estimate for withholding. Adjust to your situation.

Edit if your current year cap is different.

Auto-picked from your status; you can override.

Post-Tax Deductions

All calculations run in your browser.

Gross per period

$0

Total taxes per period

$0

Net pay per period

$0

Per-Paycheck Breakdown

ItemAmount
Net pay$0

Annualized

ItemAmount
Federal, state, and local are flat rates here so you can tune them. For precise IRS withholding, use your W-4 and current IRS tables.

How to use this paycheck calculator

  1. Select pay type and frequency. Choose Salary for a fixed annual amount, or Hourly to multiply your rate by hours worked. Pick weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly.
  2. Add pre-tax benefits. Enter a 401(k) percent and per-period HSA or Section 125 amounts. Use the toggles if your plan changes FICA wages.
  3. Set your tax rates. Use flat percentages for federal, state, and local withholding so the output mirrors your paycheck. You can refine later.
  4. Include YTD data. If you’re partway through the year, enter your year-to-date wages for Social Security and Medicare so the FICA caps are applied correctly.
  5. Review results. See per-period and annualized views, then export a CSV for budgeting or HR conversations.

Tip: Want to dig deeper into taxes? Try our Federal Tax Calculator or State Tax Calculator next. For percentage quick math, jump to the Percentage Calculator.

Understanding your results

Your gross pay per period reflects your salary or hourly pay before any deductions. Pre-tax deductions lower the wages used to compute income taxes and sometimes FICA taxes, depending on the plan. Income taxes here are flat-rate estimates you control, which is helpful for planning or matching current withholding. FICA includes Social Security at 6.2% up to the annual wage base and Medicare at 1.45% on all wages, with an additional 0.9% once you exceed the threshold for your filing status. Post-tax deductions are amounts taken after taxes, like certain garnishments or voluntary items.

The annualized section scales your per-period numbers by the selected frequency so you can see the full-year effect. If your pay varies during the year (for example, a mid-year raise), treat this as a snapshot and re-run the numbers as things change.

Reminder: This tool provides estimates only and is not tax advice. Always confirm details with your employer or a qualified professional.

FAQ

Does a 401(k) reduce Social Security and Medicare?

Usually no. 401(k) deferrals reduce income taxes but not FICA. If your plan is handled differently, use the toggle to reduce FICA-taxable wages.

Do HSA and Section 125 deductions lower FICA?

Typically yes for cafeteria plans. That’s why the default setting treats them as FICA-reducing, but you can switch it off if it doesn’t apply to you.

When does Social Security stop?

Once your year-to-date wages reach the annual wage base, Social Security stops for the rest of the year. Medicare continues without a cap.

How is Additional Medicare handled?

There’s an extra 0.9% Medicare tax once your wages pass a threshold that depends on filing status. We approximate it per pay period using your YTD entries.

Can I match my current paycheck exactly?

Yes. Adjust the flat federal, state, and local percentages until the net aligns with your real paycheck, then export the CSV for your records.