Gross to Net Paycheck Calculator United States
This gross to net paycheck calculator turns a 2026 paycheck's gross pay into take-home pay after pre-tax deductions, FICA, federal withholding and state tax.
What it does
The Gross to Net Paycheck Calculator turns a single paycheck's gross pay into your take-home (net) pay by subtracting pre-tax deductions, FICA (Social Security and Medicare), federal withholding and state tax at the rates you enter.
Data sources & parameters
The figures below drive this calculator. We keep them aligned with the latest official guidance, and each result recalculates automatically whenever a value changes.
| Parameter | Value | Source | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Security (OASDI) rate | 0.062 | irs.gov | Effective 2026-01-01Made open-ended (was valid to 2026-12-31): the 6.2% OASDI rate is fixed by statute (IRC 3101(a)/3111(a)); unchanged for 2027. audit 2026-09-23 |
| Medicare rate | 0.0145 | irs.gov | Effective 2026-01-01Made open-ended (was valid to 2026-12-31): the 1.45% HI rate is fixed by statute (IRC 3101(b)(1)/3111(b)); unchanged for 2027. audit 2026-09-23 |
| Social Security (OASDI) contribution and benefit base, 2026 | 184,500 | federalregister.gov, ssa.gov | Effective 2026-01-01Auto-update: replaced dead source link |
| Additional Medicare rate | 0.009 | irs.gov | Effective 2026-01-01Made open-ended (was valid to 2026-12-31): the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax rate is fixed by statute (IRC 3101(b)(2)); unchanged for 2027. audit 2026-09-23 |
| Additional Medicare threshold | 200,000 | irs.gov | Effective 2026-01-01Made open-ended (was valid to 2026-12-31): the 200,000 threshold is fixed by statute and not indexed (IRC 3101(b)(2)); unchanged for 2027. audit 2026-09-23 |
We always strive to use the latest data for every variable so our results and reports are as accurate as possible. Even so, errors are possible — you should not rely on this tool or its report alone, and we accept no liability for any decision made based on it.
The formula
Net = gross − pre-tax − FICA − federal − state − post-tax, where FICA = taxable × (6.2% + 1.45%) and taxable = gross − pre-tax
How it works
It first removes your pre-tax deductions to find taxable pay, applies the Social Security and Medicare rates plus your federal and state percentages to that taxable amount, then subtracts any post-tax deductions to leave net pay for the period and multiplies by your pay periods for an annual estimate.
Where it is used
- Estimating take-home pay from a job offer or raise
- Checking how a 401(k) or HSA contribution changes your paycheck
- Budgeting from your actual per-period net pay
Worked example
A $2,000.00 paycheck with $100.00 in pre-tax deductions leaves … in take-home pay after … of deductions, or about … a year across 26 pay periods.
Your paycheck rarely equals your salary divided by the number of pay periods. Social Security, Medicare, federal withholding, state tax and any benefits you have signed up for all come out first. This gross to net paycheck calculator goes through those deductions for a single 2026 pay period, showing how gross pay becomes take-home pay and roughly what that adds up to across the year.
How gross pay becomes net pay
The calculation follows the same order as payroll. It starts with your gross pay for the period, subtracts pre-tax deductions to find taxable pay, applies payroll taxes and income tax withholding, and removes any post-tax deductions. What is left is your take-home pay.
Pre-tax deductions come out first because they lower the pay that tax is charged on. Traditional 401(k) contributions, HSA and FSA contributions and most employer health insurance premiums are pre-tax for income tax, so they reduce your tax as well as your spendable pay. Post-tax deductions, such as a Roth 401(k) or a garnishment, come out after tax and reduce net pay dollar for dollar.
The FICA piece: Social Security and Medicare
FICA is the mandatory payroll tax that funds Social Security and Medicare: for most employees, 6.2% for Social Security plus 1.45% for Medicare, a combined 7.65%. Both rates are stored as parameters sourced from the IRS. Health insurance premiums and HSA or FSA contributions made through payroll are exempt from FICA, but traditional 401(k) contributions are not; they reduce income tax only. The calculator subtracts every pre-tax deduction you enter before applying FICA, which is correct for premiums and HSA or FSA contributions, but if your pre-tax figure includes a 401(k) contribution, the FICA shown will be slightly low.
Social Security tax also stops once your earnings for the year reach the annual wage base. This tool looks at one pay period and does not know your year-to-date earnings, so it does not apply that cap. Most workers never reach it, but high earners will see less Social Security withheld from later paychecks than this estimate suggests.
Federal and state withholding
Real federal withholding depends on IRS tables and your W-4, which is hard to predict from salary alone. The calculator asks for a single federal withholding rate and applies it to your taxable pay. A good starting point is the rate from a recent pay stub: the federal tax withheld divided by your taxable pay for that period.
State tax works the same way. Some states have no income tax, so enter zero; others use flat or graduated rates. The calculator applies your state percentage to the same taxable pay as the federal figure.
A worked example
Suppose you are paid $2,000 every two weeks, 26 times a year, and put $100 of each check into an HSA through payroll. That pre-tax deduction lowers your taxable pay to $1,900. FICA at 7.65% of $1,900 is $145.35, a 12% federal rate on $1,900 is $228, and a 5% state rate is $95. Subtracting these and the $100 contribution from $2,000 leaves $1,431.65 of take-home pay. Total deductions are $568.35, and over 26 pay periods your estimated annual net pay is about $37,222.90.
Raising a pre-tax contribution lowers take-home pay by less than the contribution itself, because the larger deduction also reduces the tax charged on your pay.
Using the result for budgeting
Build your budget on take-home pay, not gross salary. Treat the annual net figure as an upper estimate: bonuses, benefit changes, reaching the Social Security wage base and mid-year tax adjustments all change the real total. Compare the estimate with an actual pay stub once or twice a year.
Assumptions and limitations
This is a planning estimate, not a payroll or tax filing tool. It applies the Social Security and Medicare rates from stored IRS parameters and the flat federal and state percentages you provide to a single pay period. It does not use IRS withholding tables or your W-4, does not apply the Social Security wage-base cap or the Additional Medicare Tax on high earners, treats all pre-tax deductions as FICA-exempt, and does not model local city taxes, tax credits or the standard deduction. For an exact figure, check your pay stub or speak to a tax professional.
About This Gross to Net Paycheck Calculator
Use this gross to net paycheck calculator to get an instant, accurate estimate. The figures follow official guidance and every rate and threshold is kept up to date for 2026. Adjust the inputs above to match your situation, or browse all our calculators to plan your next step.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between gross pay and net pay?
How much is FICA taken out of each paycheck?
Do pre-tax deductions lower my take-home pay by their full amount?
Does this calculator apply the Social Security wage-base cap?
Why is my actual paycheck different from this estimate?
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