US salary calculator for 2026 take-home pay
Enter your pay and filing status and this US salary calculator estimates your 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, and what reaches your bank account.
Last updated 2026 tax year
Estimates only. This is not tax, legal or financial advice.
How to use the US salary calculator
- Enter your yearly salary before tax. Commas are fine.
- Choose your filing status: single, married filing jointly or head of household.
- Add any yearly 401(k) or HSA contributions taken from your pay before tax.
- Press Calculate take-home pay to see your pay per year, month, two weeks and week.
- Check the breakdown table for your taxable income, income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
How the US salary calculator works
The calculator follows the federal rules for the 2026 tax year. It subtracts pre-tax 401(k) and HSA contributions and the standard deduction for your filing status from your salary to find taxable income, then applies the seven federal brackets, from 10% to 37%, one slice of income at a time.
Payroll taxes are worked out separately on your full wages. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to $184,500, and Medicare is 1.45% of all wages plus an extra 0.9% above $200,000 for single filers or $250,000 for married couples filing jointly. State and local income taxes are not included, so people in states with an income tax will take home less than shown.
Formula
Taxable income = salary − pre-tax 401(k)/HSA − standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household), with a minimum of zero.
Income tax = the sum of each bracket's slice × its rate. Take-home pay = salary − income tax − Social Security − Medicare − pre-tax contributions.
Example
A single filer earning $85,000 with no pre-tax contributions has taxable income of $85,000 − $16,100 = $68,900. Federal tax is 10% of the first $12,400 ($1,240), plus 12% of the next $38,000 ($4,560), plus 22% of the remaining $18,500 ($4,070): $9,870 in total.
Social Security takes $5,270 and Medicare $1,232.50, leaving take-home pay of $68,627.50 a year, about $5,719 a month. The effective federal income tax rate is 11.6%, even though the top slice of income is taxed at 22%.
Tips and common mistakes
Your top rate is not your average rate
Moving into a higher bracket only taxes the dollars above the line at the higher rate, so a raise never lowers your take-home pay.
Pre-tax savings cut income tax, not payroll tax
Putting $6,000 into a traditional 401(k) lowers the example's federal income tax by $1,320, but Social Security and Medicare stay exactly the same.
Remember state income tax
Most states also tax wages, at very different rates. A few, such as Texas and Florida, have no income tax on wages at all.
Paid by the hour?
Turn your hourly rate into a yearly figure with the hourly to salary calculator, then enter it here.
Set a home budget from real pay
Lenders look at gross income, but you pay the mortgage from take-home pay. Compare this result with a payment from our US mortgage calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Does this include state income tax?
No. It covers federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare. State and local taxes vary widely and are not included.
Which tax year does it use?
The 2026 tax year: the brackets and standard deductions published for 2026, and the 2026 Social Security wage base of $184,500.
Does it handle itemized deductions or tax credits?
No. It uses the standard deduction and leaves out credits such as the Child Tax Credit, so your real tax bill can be lower.
Why is my paycheck different?
Employers withhold tax using your W-4 and the IRS withholding tables, and may also deduct health insurance or other benefits. Your final tax is settled when you file.
What is the effective tax rate?
Your federal income tax divided by your gross salary: the average share of your pay that goes to income tax.