Take-Home Paycheck Calculator
Free · no sign-up · reviewed July 2026
The salary on your offer letter is not what lands in your bank account. This calculator estimates your real take-home pay after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, state tax and your 401(k), so you know what you'll actually get each paycheck.
Drag your salary and 401(k), pick your filing status and pay schedule, and the ring shows exactly where your money goes.
Drag to adjust
Your take-home pay
$4,555
$2,102 per paycheck · $54,661 per year
💡 After taxes and 401(k), you keep about 73¢ of every dollar. Your effective tax rate is 22.1%, lower than your top bracket, because only your last dollars are taxed at the top rate.
22.1%
Effective tax rate
of gross pay
$16,589
Yearly to taxes
fed + FICA + state
$3,750
Yearly to 401(k)
future you
- Take-home pay$54,661
- Federal tax$7,289
- Social Security + Medicare$5,738
- State tax$3,563
- 401(k)$3,750
- Gross salary
- $75,000
- Federal income tax
- $7,289
- Social Security + Medicare
- $5,738
- State income tax
- $3,563
- 401(k) contribution
- $3,750
- Take-home pay (year)
- $54,661
- Per paycheck (26/yr)
- $2,102
The 2-minute guide
Why your paycheck is smaller than your salary
Every paycheck, money is taken out before you see it: federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare (together called FICA, ~7.65%), usually state tax, and anything you put toward retirement or health insurance. That gap between 'salary' and 'take-home' is normal. Plan your budget around the take-home number, not the salary.
Your tax bracket isn't your tax rate
Being 'in the 22% bracket' does not mean you pay 22% of everything. The US uses marginal tax: only the dollars inside each bracket are taxed at that rate. Your effective rate, what you actually pay overall, is almost always lower. That's the percentage this calculator shows.
The 401(k) trick
Money you put into a traditional 401(k) isn't taxed this year, so contributing lowers your income tax and builds your retirement at the same time. If your employer matches, contribute at least enough to get the full match. It's free money you'd otherwise leave on the table.
Treat this as a close estimate
Real paychecks also involve allowances, local taxes, pre-tax health premiums and other details on your W-4. This gets you within a realistic range for planning. For exact figures, check a pay stub or your HR/payroll system.
Frequently asked questions
Is this my exact paycheck?
It's a close estimate using 2025 federal tax brackets, the standard deduction, and Social Security and Medicare rates. Your real check can differ due to your W-4 elections, local taxes, health premiums and other deductions. Use it for planning, then confirm against a real pay stub.
What is FICA?
FICA is Social Security (6.2%, up to an income cap) plus Medicare (1.45% on all wages), about 7.65% total that funds retirement and healthcare programs. It comes out of every paycheck and is separate from income tax.
Does contributing to my 401(k) really lower my taxes?
Yes, for a traditional 401(k). Contributions come out before income tax is calculated, so your taxable income, and your tax bill, drop. You pay tax later when you withdraw in retirement.
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