Bi-weekly pay calculator
Bi-weekly pay means 26 paychecks per year — the most common schedule for salaried employees in the United States. Enter your gross bi-weekly amount to see federal, state, and FICA withholding plus net pay. If you know only your annual salary, divide by 26 to get the per-period figure.
Why biweekly is the most popular pay frequency
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 43% of U.S. private-sector workers are paid biweekly. Employers prefer it because it standardizes payroll processing to every other Friday while giving employees reasonably frequent deposits. Two months per year contain three pay dates — a useful budgeting detail many workers overlook.
Biweekly paycheck tax breakdown
On a $60,000 salary (about $2,308 gross per period), a single filer in California sees about $193 federal tax, $63 state tax, $30 SDI, $143 Social Security, and $33 Medicare withheld — leaving about $1,845 net. In Texas (no state wage tax), the same gross yields about $1,938. Use the calculator above with your exact state and filing status for a personalized breakdown.
Optimizing your biweekly take-home
If too much is withheld each period, review your W-4 — increasing allowable deductions (Step 4b) or dependents credit (Step 3) can raise net pay without waiting for a tax refund. Conversely, contributing to a pre-tax 401(k) reduces taxable income now. Model different scenarios instantly with our advanced options.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is take-home pay calculated?
We estimate employer-style withholding: federal income tax (IRS Pub 15-T / W-4), state income tax when applicable, local tax when ZIP-mapped, Social Security, and Medicare. Pre-tax 401(k) and benefits reduce taxable wages per IRS rules.
What taxes are deducted from my paycheck?
Typical US paychecks withhold federal income tax, state income tax (unless you are in a no-tax state like TX/FL), Social Security (6.2% up to the wage base), Medicare (1.45%), and sometimes local city tax (e.g. NYC).
Is this paycheck calculator accurate?
It is built for paycheck withholding accuracy using Pub 15-T, FICA, state tables, and local ZIP rates — the same category as ADP and PaycheckCity free tools. Your real payslip can still differ due to benefits, rounding, or employer setup. See /methodology.
Should I use hourly or salary mode?
Use salary mode for fixed pay per period. Use hourly mode for an hourly rate, weekly hours, and overtime at 1.5×. Both produce federal, state, and FICA estimates.
Which states matter most for take-home pay?
California and New York (especially NYC) generally withhold more state/local tax. Texas and Florida have no state wage income tax, so take-home is often higher at the same gross salary.