Understanding roughly what will actually land in your bank account from a given gross paycheck means accounting for several standard payroll withholdings — federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare — each calculated differently.
This calculator applies the fixed Social Security rate (6.2%) and Medicare rate (1.45%), both set by federal law, plus your own estimated federal income tax withholding percentage (which varies based on your income, filing status, and W-4 elections) to estimate your take-home pay per paycheck.
This is a simplified estimate covering federal payroll taxes only — it doesn't include state or local income tax, which varies significantly by location, or other paycheck deductions like health insurance premiums or retirement contributions that would further reduce actual take-home pay.
Because everything runs locally in your browser, results appear instantly and nothing you type or upload is ever sent to a server.
Bookmark this page if you expect to use this tool regularly — it loads fast and behaves the same way every time, with no account needed.
This kind of task shows up constantly in everyday writing, coding, design, and admin work, which is exactly why a dedicated, focused tool saves so much back-and-forth.
A tool that does one job well, without a cluttered interface or unrelated features competing for attention, tends to be faster to use than a heavier all-in-one app.
If you find yourself needing this often, keeping this page open in a tab is usually faster than digging through a bigger software suite's menus.
Frequently asked questions
Are Social Security and Medicare rates the same for everyone?
Yes, these are fixed federal rates (6.2% and 1.45% respectively) applied to most employees' wages up to certain limits, unlike federal income tax withholding which varies by individual circumstances.
Does this include state income tax withholding?
No, this estimates federal payroll taxes only; state and local income tax (where applicable) would need to be calculated separately and varies significantly by location.