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Enter your salary and get a complete breakdown — federal tax, state tax, Social Security, Medicare, 401k and health insurance. Free, instant, no signup.
Most people know their annual salary but have no idea what their actual take-home pay will be until they receive their first paycheck. The difference between gross pay (what your employer pays) and net pay (what actually hits your bank account) can be surprisingly large — often 25% to 40% of your total compensation disappears before you see it.
This guide explains every deduction on your paycheck so you always know exactly where your money is going.
Federal income tax is calculated using a progressive bracket system — meaning different portions of your income are taxed at different rates. For 2024, the federal tax brackets for a single filer are:
10% on income up to $11,600
12% on $11,601–$47,150
22% on $47,151–$100,525
24% on $100,526–$191,950
32% on $191,951–$243,725
35% on $243,726–$609,350
37% on income over $609,350
10% on income up to $23,200
12% on $23,201–$94,300
22% on $94,301–$201,050
24% on $201,051–$383,900
32% on $383,901–$487,450
35% on $487,451–$731,200
37% on income over $731,200
Your marginal rate is the rate applied to your last dollar of income. Your effective rate is the average rate across all your income — this is almost always lower than your marginal rate, and is what most people should focus on.
FICA stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act. Every worker pays 6.2% of gross wages to Social Security and 1.45% to Medicare — a combined 7.65% taken from every paycheck. Your employer matches this amount, meaning the total contribution is 15.3% of your wages. The Social Security portion only applies to the first $168,600 of income in 2024.
State income tax varies dramatically by location. Nine states have no income tax at all — Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. California has the highest top marginal rate at 13.3%, while states like Indiana and Pennsylvania use a flat rate for all income levels.
Pre-tax deductions reduce your taxable income before federal and state taxes are calculated. The most common pre-tax deductions are:
Pre-tax deductions are one of the most powerful ways to reduce your tax bill. A $6,000 annual 401k contribution doesn't reduce your take-home by $6,000 — the actual reduction is $6,000 minus the taxes you would have paid on that income. For someone in the 22% federal bracket with a 5% state rate, the real out-of-pocket cost is closer to $4,380.
Our free paycheck calculator gives you an accurate estimate of your take-home pay in under 30 seconds. Here's how to get the most accurate result:
The calculator will show your per-paycheck take-home, annual take-home, effective tax rate, and a visual breakdown of where every dollar goes.
Federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security (6.2%), and Medicare (1.45%) all come out before you see your paycheck. Add health insurance premiums and 401k contributions and it's common for workers to take home 60–75% of their gross salary. Our calculator shows exactly where each dollar goes.
Your marginal rate is the highest bracket you reach — for example, 22%. But only the income above the 12% bracket threshold is taxed at 22%. The income below that threshold is taxed at lower rates. Your effective rate is the average across all brackets — it's almost always significantly lower than your marginal rate. Someone earning $75,000 as a single filer has a 22% marginal rate but an effective federal rate closer to 13–14%.
Yes — traditional 401k contributions are made pre-tax, which means they reduce your taxable income dollar for dollar. If you contribute $5,000 to your 401k and you're in the 22% federal bracket with a 5% state rate, you save approximately $1,350 in taxes. Your take-home only drops by $3,650, not the full $5,000.
Our calculator uses current 2024 federal tax brackets and standard deductions. Results are estimates — your actual paycheck may differ based on additional deductions, local taxes, pre-tax benefits not entered, and W-4 withholding elections. For the most accurate result, use your actual pay stub and compare line by line.
Nine states have no state income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. If you live in one of these states, select "No state tax" in the calculator. Moving from a high-tax state like California or New York to a no-tax state can add thousands to your annual take-home pay.
The most effective ways to increase take-home pay are: (1) adjust your W-4 withholding if you consistently get large refunds — a refund means you over-withheld throughout the year; (2) contribute to an HSA if eligible — HSA contributions are triple tax-advantaged; (3) maximize pre-tax benefits offered by your employer including transit passes and dependent care FSAs; (4) if you're self-employed, consider your entity structure as S-Corps can reduce self-employment taxes.