What is take-home pay?
Take-home pay is gross wages minus federal income tax, state income tax (if any), local tax (if any), Social Security, Medicare, and elected deductions like 401(k).
How to use this take-home pay calculator
Enter your gross pay and frequency, choose your state, then open advanced options for W-4 Step 2/3/4, 401(k), benefits, and ZIP-based local tax. Compare CA, TX, NY, and FL to see how state rules change net pay.
Take-home pay vs salary
A $75,000 salary is not $75,000 in the bank. Use this page for net-pay planning, then jump to state pages for localized examples and scenarios.
Popular state paycheck calculators
Start with the highest-traffic states, then browse all 50.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is take-home pay?
Take-home pay (net pay) is what hits your bank account after taxes and deductions. Gross pay is before those withholdings.
Why is my take-home lower in CA or NY than TX or FL?
California and New York withhold state income tax (NYC adds local tax). Texas and Florida do not tax wages at the state level, so more of your gross usually remains after federal and FICA.
How can I increase take-home pay legally?
Review W-4 extra withholding, contribute to pre-tax 401(k)/HSA where appropriate, and confirm your state and local settings. This calculator shows the paycheck impact instantly.
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.