Take Home Pay Calculator USA 2026
Estimate — simplified model. Federal income tax at the 2026 IRS brackets (10% to 37%) after the standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly). Social Security 6.2% up to the $184,500 wage base; Medicare 1.45% on all wages plus 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax above $200,000 (single) / $250,000 (joint). Not included: 401(k)/HSA pre-tax deductions, credits such as the Child Tax Credit, itemized deductions, or state income tax outside Texas. Figures are estimates, not tax advice.
How the calculation works
American take-home pay has three federal pieces. First, federal income tax: the standard deduction comes off your gross pay first ($16,100 if you file single, $32,200 if married filing jointly in 2026), then the brackets apply — 10% to $12,400 of taxable income, 12% to $50,400, 22% to $105,700, 24% to $201,775, 32% to $256,225, 35% to $640,600 and 37% above that. Each rate applies only to the slice inside that band. Second, Social Security (FICA): 6.2% of wages up to the $184,500 wage base in 2026, for a maximum of $11,439 a year — wages above the base are not taxed. Third, Medicare: 1.45% of all wages with no cap, plus an extra 0.9% (Additional Medicare Tax) on wages above $200,000 for single filers or $250,000 for joint filers.
The standard deduction got bigger for 2026: the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed 4 July 2025) made the enlarged deduction permanent and raised it — $16,100 single and $32,200 joint, up from $15,750 and $31,500 in 2025. The personal exemption remains $0. There is also a separate senior deduction of up to $6,000 for people 65+ (2025–2028), which this calculator does not add by default.
Worked example: $70,000 salary, single, Texas
| Year | Month | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $70,000.00 | $5,833.33 |
| Standard deduction | −$16,100.00 | — |
| Taxable income | $53,900.00 | — |
| Federal income tax | −$6,570.00 | −$547.50 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$4,340.00 | −$361.67 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | −$1,015.00 | −$84.58 |
| State income tax (Texas) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Take-home pay | $58,075.00 | $4,839.58 |
On $100,000 the same worker keeps $79,180 a year: federal tax $13,170, Social Security $6,200 and Medicare $1,450. Your marginal federal rate at $70,000 is 22%, so each extra dollar keeps 78 cents after federal tax (before FICA). Cross $200,000 and the Additional Medicare Tax adds 0.9% on the excess.
Texas: no state income tax
Texas is one of nine states with no state personal income tax — and no local income tax either. The Texas Constitution (Art. 8, §24-a, adopted by voters in 2019) forbids the legislature from taxing the net incomes of individuals. There is no Texas income-tax return to file and nothing is withheld for state tax. Texas also has no state disability insurance deduction and no local wage taxes; unemployment insurance is employer-paid only. That is why a Texas paycheck is simpler than a California or New York one — but Texas funds its government through sales tax (6.25% state plus up to 2% local) and local property taxes instead. See our Texas take home pay guide for the full picture.
What affects your take-home pay?
- 401(k) and HSA contributions — pre-tax deductions reduce your taxable income and your federal tax, and 401(k) contributions also reduce Social Security and Medicare wages. Not included here; add the tax saving on top.
- Your state — outside Texas, state income tax takes another slice: California's top rate is 13.3%, New York's is 10.9% (plus New York City tax). This calculator shows federal tax and FICA only for other states.
- Credits — the Child Tax Credit is $2,200 per child for 2026, and it comes off your tax bill directly. Not included here.
- Your W-4 — the allowances and extra withholding you claim on Form W-4 change what is withheld per paycheck, but not your final annual tax.
Related: Texas Take Home Pay 2026 · What Is Take Home Pay? · Federal Tax Brackets 2026 · UK Take Home Pay Calculator
Sources: IRS, Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (Internal Revenue Bulletin 2025-45) and News Release IR-2025-103; IRS, Topic No. 751 (Social Security and Medicare withholding rates) and “Questions and answers for the Additional Medicare Tax”; Social Security Administration, “Contribution and Benefit Base”; Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, “A Field Guide to the Taxes of Texas” (December 2025). Checked 13 November 2026.