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Paycheck Calculator

Estimate your net take-home pay after federal, state, and FICA taxes - plus pre-tax and post-tax deductions.

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per hour
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Per pay period amount (or % of gross pay)
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Per pay period amount (or % of gross pay)
Your Estimated Take-Home Pay
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per pay period

% Where Your Gross Pay Goes

Take-Home: -
Federal Tax: -
FICA Taxes: -
State Tax: -
Deductions: -

📄 Pay Stub Breakdown

AxiomApe Paycheck Estimator
Pay Period Estimate
Earnings Amount
Gross Pay Total pay before any withholdings -
Pre-Tax Deductions Amount
Pre-Tax Deduction(s) Reduces your federally taxable income (e.g., 401k, HSA) -
Tax Withholdings Amount
Federal Income Tax Withheld per IRS progressive tax brackets -
Social Security (FICA) 6.2% on wages up to $176,100 (2025 wage base) -
Medicare (FICA) 1.45% on all wages; no wage cap -
State Income Tax Estimated at your entered flat rate -
Post-Tax Deductions Amount
Post-Tax Deduction(s) Applied after taxes (e.g., Roth 401k, garnishments) -
NET PAY -

≈ Summary Rates

Effective Federal Rate
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Marginal Tax Bracket
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Total FICA Rate
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Total Take-Home Rate
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Understanding Your Paycheck and Tax Deductions

When you receive a paycheck, the amount you actually take home - called your net pay - is nearly always smaller than what you earned, which is called your gross pay. Gross pay is your total compensation before any taxes or deductions have been subtracted. Net pay, sometimes called "take-home pay," is what lands in your bank account after every withholding has been applied. The gap between the two can feel surprising at first, but each deduction serves a specific purpose, whether it funds government programs, your retirement account, or your health insurance premiums.

The largest chunk that most workers see withheld is federal income tax. The United States uses a progressive tax system, which means different portions of your income are taxed at increasing rates as your earnings rise. For example, only the dollars you earn above a certain threshold are taxed at the highest rate that applies to you - the rate that applies to your last dollar of income is called your marginal tax bracket. Your effective tax rate, on the other hand, is the actual average percentage of your entire income that went to federal taxes, which is always lower than your marginal bracket. Understanding both numbers helps you make smarter financial decisions about raises, bonuses, and retirement contributions.

FICA taxes - which stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act - fund two critical government programs: Social Security and Medicare. Every employee pays 6.2% of their wages toward Social Security, up to an annual cap (set at $176,100 for 2025). This cap means higher earners stop paying Social Security tax once they cross the threshold during the year. Medicare is taxed at 1.45% on all wages with no cap. Your employer matches both of these contributions on your behalf, meaning the government receives 12.4% total for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare per employee - but you only see your half on your pay stub. High earners above $200,000 also pay an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax, though that is not reflected in standard paycheck withholding estimates.

Pre-tax deductions are amounts withheld from your gross pay before federal income tax is calculated. Common examples include contributions to a Traditional 401(k) or 403(b) retirement plan, Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions, Flexible Spending Account (FSA) contributions, and employer-sponsored medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums. Because these deductions lower the income that is subject to federal (and often state) income tax, they reduce your overall tax burden. This is often called the "tax shield" on pre-tax contributions - every dollar you put into a Traditional 401(k) is a dollar you do not pay income tax on today. Note that FICA taxes may still apply to some pre-tax deductions depending on the plan type. Post-tax deductions, by contrast, come out after taxes have been calculated and withheld. Examples include Roth 401(k) contributions (which grow tax-free in retirement), wage garnishments ordered by a court, union dues, and some supplemental insurance premiums.

Your filing status - Single, Married Filing Jointly, or Head of Household - has a significant impact on how much federal income tax is withheld from every paycheck. Each filing status comes with a different standard deduction amount and different bracket thresholds. For 2025, a married couple filing jointly benefits from a standard deduction of $30,000 and wider tax brackets than a single filer, meaning more of their income is taxed at lower rates. Head of Household status, available to qualifying single parents or caregivers, provides a larger standard deduction and more favorable brackets than Single status. You declare your filing status on IRS Form W-4, which you submit to your employer. If your life circumstances change - marriage, divorce, having a child - updating your W-4 promptly ensures your withholding stays accurate and helps you avoid a large tax bill or penalty at the end of the year.

Gross pay is your total earnings for a pay period before any money is deducted. If your salary is $60,000 per year and you are paid bi-weekly, your gross pay per paycheck is $2,307.69. Net pay is what you actually receive after federal income tax, FICA taxes, state income tax, pre-tax benefit deductions, and any post-tax deductions have all been subtracted. The difference between the two is often called your "total withholdings." Most people find their net pay is roughly 20% to 40% lower than their gross pay, depending on income level, filing status, and benefit elections.
FICA stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act. It is a federal payroll tax that funds two programs: Social Security (old-age, survivors, and disability insurance) and Medicare (hospital insurance for people 65 and older). As an employee, you pay 6.2% of your wages for Social Security (on income up to the annual wage base limit, which is $176,100 in 2025) and 1.45% for Medicare on all wages. Your employer matches these contributions exactly. If you are self-employed, you pay both halves yourself, called Self-Employment (SE) tax, which totals 15.3% - though you can deduct half of that on your income tax return.
Pre-tax deductions reduce your taxable income - the number the IRS uses to determine how much you owe. Here is a simple example: if your gross pay is $4,000 per month and you contribute $400 to a Traditional 401(k), your federally taxable income drops to $3,600. If you are in the 22% tax bracket, that $400 pre-tax contribution saves you $88 in federal income tax that pay period ($400 x 22% = $88). Over a full year, consistent pre-tax contributions can reduce your tax bill by hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Health insurance premiums paid through an employer cafeteria plan (Section 125) similarly reduce both your income tax and FICA tax, providing an even larger savings than many people realize.
Your filing status determines two key things: (1) the size of your standard deduction - the amount subtracted from your income before taxes are applied - and (2) where the income tax bracket thresholds fall. For 2025, a Single filer has a $15,000 standard deduction, while a Married Filing Jointly couple has $30,000. Additionally, the income ranges for each bracket are wider for joint filers. The result is that for the same gross pay, a person who files Jointly will typically have less federal income tax withheld per paycheck than a Single filer, because more of their income falls into lower rate brackets. Your employer uses the filing status you put on your W-4 to calculate withholding - not your actual filing status from last year's tax return.
Your marginal tax rate (or marginal bracket) is the rate applied to your highest dollar of income. Because the U.S. uses a progressive system, you do not pay that same rate on all of your income - only on the portion that falls into that bracket. For example, if you are a Single filer earning $55,000 and your top bracket is 22%, you only pay 22% on the dollars above $47,150. Everything below that threshold is taxed at 10% and 12% respectively. Your effective tax rate is your total federal tax bill divided by your total taxable income. It represents the true average percentage you paid across all income. Someone in the 22% marginal bracket might have an effective rate closer to 12% to 14% once the lower-bracket dollars are factored in. This distinction matters because people often overestimate how much of a raise they will "keep" by assuming their whole income is taxed at the marginal rate.
Disclaimer: This tool provides an unofficial estimate for educational purposes only. Actual tax withholdings vary based on your specific W-4 selections, state local taxes, and employer benefit structures. Consult a qualified tax professional or payroll specialist for advice specific to your situation.