Paycheck Calculator
Estimate net take-home pay after taxes and deductions
Pre-Tax Deductions
Enter pay information to calculate
What is the Paycheck Calculator?
Your gross salary and your take-home pay are two very different numbers. Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, state taxes, and any pre-tax deductions all take a cut before you see a dollar. The Paycheck Calculator shows you what actually lands in your bank account after all of those deductions. It's useful when you're negotiating a salary, evaluating a job offer, adjusting your W-4 withholding, or just trying to figure out how your paycheck breaks down. Most people are surprised by exactly how much disappears between offer letter and deposit.
How Does It Work?
The calculator starts with your gross pay, applies pre-tax deductions, taxes the result, then applies any post-tax deductions.
Net Pay = Gross Pay − Pre-Tax Deductions − Federal Tax − State Tax − FICA − Post-Tax Deductions
Gross Pay is your salary or hourly wage before anything is removed. Pre-tax deductions include 401k contributions and health insurance premiums. FICA covers Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%). Federal and state tax rates vary based on filing status and income level. Post-tax deductions include things like Roth contributions or wage garnishments.
How to Use CalciHub's Paycheck Calculator
1. Enter your gross salary (annual or per-paycheck — specify which).
2. Select your pay frequency: weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly.
3. Choose your filing status and number of allowances.
4. Add any pre-tax deductions like 401k, HSA, or health insurance.
5. Enter your state to apply the correct state income tax rate.
6. Tip: If your withholding always results in a big refund or a big bill at tax time, adjust your W-4 allowances using the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator.
A Quick Example
Emma earns $72,000 a year in Austin, Texas (no state income tax) and is paid biweekly. She contributes 6% of her gross to her 401k and pays $180 per paycheck for employer health insurance.
Gross per paycheck: $2,769.23. Pre-tax deductions: $166.15 (401k) + $180 (health) = $346.15. Taxable wages: $2,423.08. Federal tax (single, 2024 brackets): ≈ $261. FICA: ≈ $185.
Net paycheck: approximately $1,977.
Emma takes home about 71% of her gross — which, with 401k contributions included, is actually a pretty solid outcome
Frequently Asked Questions
'Biweekly' means you're paid every two weeks — 26 paychecks a year. Semi-monthly means twice a month on fixed dates (typically the 1st and 15th) — 24 paychecks a year. The annual gross is the same either way, but each paycheck is slightly different in size. Biweekly paychecks are slightly smaller, and two months a year you'll get three of them.