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Paycheck calculator: what's my take-home pay?

Direct answer: In 2026 each paycheck loses federal income tax withholding (IRS Pub. 15-T), 6.2% Social Security on pay up to $184,500 and 1.45% Medicare, plus 0.9% on pay over $200,000. Example: $20 an hour, 40 hours, paid every two weeks, single, in Tennessee: about $1,369.45 take-home per check, before any state or local taxes elsewhere.

By the numbers: Median weekly earnings of full-time workers were $1,251 in the second quarter of 2026 (not seasonally adjusted). Source: BLS Usual Weekly Earnings (July 21, 2026)

“you must withhold a 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax from wages you pay to an employee in excess of $200,000 in a calendar year.” — IRS Publication 15 (2026)

Updated 2026-10-17

Quick Q&A

How much tax comes out of my paycheck?

Federal income tax withholding from IRS Pub. 15-T based on your W-4, plus 7.65% for Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%). Example: $20 an hour, 40 hours, biweekly, single in Tennessee: about $108.15 federal and $122.40 FICA per check.

What is the 2026 Social Security wage base?

$184,500. Social Security tax (6.2%) stops on pay above that for the year. For 2027 the SSA has set it at $192,300.

Does this include state income tax?

Only for states where we verified the 2026 withholding method from the state revenue department: no-income-tax states (Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Washington, Nevada, South Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska, New Hampshire) and Pennsylvania, Illinois, North Carolina, Michigan, Kentucky, Colorado, Arizona. For other states it says 'state tax not included yet'.

Is withholding the same as the tax I owe?

No. Withholding is an estimate taken from each check. Your actual tax is settled on your return; the difference is your refund or balance due.

As of Oct. 17, 2026

Next step: Figure my take-home · $15–$50 an hour after taxes · No tax on tips & overtime · 2026 income tax estimator

Paycheck calculator (2026)

Uses a 2026 Form W-4. Nothing you type leaves your phone.

How you're paidHourly rate ($)Hours a weekOvertime hours a week (1.5×)Annual salary ($)Pay frequencyW-4 filing statusState you work inState allowancesIL-W-4 Line 2 allowances ($1,000 each)Arizona A-4 rate

W-4 steps 2–4 and pre-tax deductions (optional)

Step 2 box checked (two jobs)Step 3: children under 17Step 3: other dependentsStep 4(a) other income ($/yr)Step 4(b) deductions ($/yr)Step 4(c) extra withholding ($/check)Pre-tax 401(k) (% of pay)Pre-tax health/benefits ($/check)

Best move: compare this with your pay stub, then fix your W-4 if needed

Check your W-4 once a year, and after a raise, a second job, marriage or a baby. If too little is withheld you'll owe in April; too much and you're lending the IRS money. The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator can tell you what to put on a new W-4.

The math:

$20 × 80 hours = $1,600 every two weeks; × 26 = $41,600 a year. Minus $8,600 (Pub. 15-T line 1g, single) = $33,000.00 adjusted annual wage.
Annual table (single): $33,000.00 is over $19,900 → $1,240 + 12% of the excess = $2,812.00 a year ÷ 26 = $108.15 federal withholding per check.
FICA: $1,600 × 6.2% = $99.20 Social Security + $1,600 × 1.45% = $23.20 Medicare.
Take-home in Tennessee: $1,600 − $108.15 − $99.20 − $23.20 = $1,369.45.

Sources: IRS Pub. 15-T (2026) · IRS Pub. 15 (2026) · 2026 Form W-4

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Your roadmap

Grab your latest pay stub and compare its federal, Social Security and Medicare lines with this estimate.
Big difference? Check the filing status and Step 2–4 entries on the W-4 your employer has.
Paid overtime or tips? See whether the 2025–2028 deduction applies, and whether to reflect it on W-4 Step 4(b).
Want the full-year picture? Use the 2026 income tax estimator or the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator.
Change your W-4 only after you've checked; a new W-4 replaces the old one.

Hourly pay after taxes (2026)

Single, 40 hours a week, paid every two weeks, federal taxes only (same as Tennessee, Texas, Florida and other no-income-tax states).

Hourly	Per year (gross)	Take-home per check	Per hour after taxes
$15 an hour	$31,200	$1,048.05	$13.10
$18 an hour	$37,440	$1,240.89	$15.51
$20 an hour	$41,600	$1,369.45	$17.12
$22 an hour	$45,760	$1,498.01	$18.73
$25 an hour	$52,000	$1,690.85	$21.14
$30 an hour	$62,400	$2,012.25	$25.15
$35 an hour	$72,800	$2,309.42	$28.87
$40 an hour	$83,200	$2,590.82	$32.39
$50 an hour	$104,000	$3,153.62	$39.42

Which states are included

No state income tax on wages (verified): Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming.

State withholding included (2026 method verified): Arizona (2026 Form A-4), Colorado (DR 1098 (2026)), Illinois (IL-700-T (2026)), Kentucky (2026 Withholding Formula), Michigan (Form 446 (2026)), North Carolina (NC-30 (2026)), Pennsylvania (Employer Withholding).

Every other state: “state tax not included yet.” We'd rather show that than guess. Local taxes (city, county, school district) aren't included anywhere.

Social Security and Medicare in 2026

Social Security: 6.2% of pay up to the $184,500 wage base (SSA; Pub. 15). Nothing more after that for the year. The 2027 base is $192,300 (SSA).
Medicare: 1.45% of all pay, no limit.
Additional Medicare: your employer must withhold 0.9% more on pay over $200,000 in a calendar year, regardless of filing status. Your actual liability is settled on your return.
Pre-tax 401(k) contributions still pay Social Security and Medicare; Section 125 health premiums generally don't.

Sources: IRS Pub. 15 (2026) · SSA wage base

Show me the details: limits of this calculator

Uses the 2020-or-later Form W-4 percentage method (Pub. 15-T Worksheet 1A). Older W-4s with allowances aren't modeled.
Checked against every cell of the IRS 2026 wage bracket tables (weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly; standard and Step 2 checkbox columns).
Bonuses and other supplemental wages are often withheld at a flat 22%; not modeled.
Not included: local income taxes, state disability or family-leave premiums, union dues, garnishments, after-tax deductions.
Pre-tax health is treated as a Section 125 deduction (no income tax or FICA); Pennsylvania still taxes 401(k) deferrals.

An estimate, not tax advice. Your employer's payroll system decides your actual withholding; your tax return decides what you owe.

Sources & as-of dates (checked Oct. 17, 2026)

State withholding we verified

Alaska: Alaska Dept. of Revenue, Tax Division annual report — “1980 – The Legislature repealed the parts of AS 43.20 that impose the individual income tax”
Arizona: Arizona Dept. of Revenue, 2026 Form A-4 — “If you do not give this form to your employer the department requires your employer to withhold 2.0% of your gross taxable wages.”
Colorado: Colorado Dept. of Revenue, DR 1098 (2026) — “$11,000 if married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse; or $5,500 otherwise”
Florida: Florida Dept. of Revenue FAQ — “Florida does not impose a personal income tax, so there are no filing requirements.”
Illinois: Illinois Dept. of Revenue, IL-700-T (2026) — “The income tax rate is 4.95 percent and the exemption allowance is $2,925.”
Kentucky: Kentucky Dept. of Revenue, 2026 Withholding Formula — “2026 Kentucky Standard Deduction: $3,360 · 2026 Kentucky Tax Rate: 3.5% of taxable income”
Michigan: Michigan Treasury, Form 446 (2026) — “Withholding Rate: 4.25% Personal Exemption Amount: $5,900”
Nevada: Nevada Dept. of Taxation — “Nevada residents do not pay state tax on income earned from salaries, wages, or similar compensation.”
New Hampshire: New Hampshire Dept. of Revenue Administration — “The State of New Hampshire does not have an income tax on an individual's reported W-2 wages.”
North Carolina: North Carolina Dept. of Revenue, NC-30 (2026) — “The withholding calculations are based on the individual income tax rate of 3.99% plus 0.1%. This results in a withholding tax rate of 4.09%.”
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Dept. of Revenue, Employer Withholding — “Entities are required to withhold PA personal income tax at a flat rate of 3.07 percent of compensation”
South Dakota: South Dakota Dept. of Revenue — “South Dakota is one of seven states that does not impose a state income tax.”
Tennessee: Tennessee Dept. of Revenue, GEN-34 — “Tennessee has no state income tax on earned income and therefore has no withholding requirements.”
Texas: Texas Comptroller — “Texas does not have a personal income tax”
Washington: Washington Dept. of Revenue — “Washington does not currently have an individual income tax.”
Wyoming: State of Wyoming, Dept. of Administration & Information — “the Equality State is one of only seven states with no state income tax”

FAQ

How much tax comes out of my paycheck?

What is the 2026 Social Security wage base?

$184,500. Social Security tax (6.2%) stops on pay above that for the year. For 2027 the SSA has set it at $192,300.

Does this include state income tax?

Is withholding the same as the tax I owe?

No. Withholding is an estimate taken from each check. Your actual tax is settled on your return; the difference is your refund or balance due.

Estimates, not financial advice. Taxes, insurance, PMI and fees vary by lender, county and city; confirm with your lender, dealer and state agency before acting.