Partner
Tax software
Turn this estimate into a filing plan when you’re ready.
See partnerTax year 2026
What do you actually take home?
Federal, FICA, state, and local taxes — based on where you live.
Loading the 2026 calculator…
How to read the stub
Gross pay comes first. Pre-tax deductions come off next, and they do not all affect the same wage. A traditional 401(k) lowers income tax. It does not lower Social Security or Medicare. An HSA or a Section 125 health premium usually lowers both.
Then the withholdings, each named: federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare if wages clear the filing-status threshold, state income tax, state payroll programs such as California SDI, and local tax only when you selected a place. Net is what remains. The year column is that paycheck times the number of checks, so the stub adds up.
The sample stub is a real $85,000 single calculation, labeled as a sample until you enter your own pay. How the rates were chosen.
Partner
Savings account
A place to park take-home pay once the paycheck lands.
Learn moreQuestions
Does this send my salary to a server?
No. The rate tables download once. The math runs in your browser. A shared link stores the inputs in the address bar, which you control.
Why is local tax sometimes zero?
It is added only when you pick a city or county, or type a custom percent. New York City is not applied to the rest of New York.
Does a 401(k) lower Social Security withholding?
No. A traditional 401(k) reduces federal (and most state) income-tax wages. Social Security and Medicare wages stay the same. HSA contributions and Section 125 health premiums do reduce FICA wages.
Is this my exact paycheck?
No. It is an annualized educational estimate for 2026. Actual paychecks depend on your W-4, benefits, employer payroll system, and local rules.
Which tax year is this?
2026. Federal income tax uses an annualized bracket withholding estimate from Rev. Proc. 2025-32 — not Publication 15-T wage-bracket tables. The Social Security wage base is $184,500.
Why do paycheck calculators disagree?
Many tools use different methods: some approximate Pub 15-T tables, some annualize brackets, and some invent flat local rates. LocalTakehome annualizes federal brackets, applies named locals only when selected, and leaves unsourced locals blank rather than guessing.
Do I pay NYC tax if I work in NYC but live in New Jersey?
Not the NYC resident tax in this model. Uncheck “I live in this city” (or leave NYC unselected). City resident brackets are off for nonresidents. You may still owe New York State tax on New York wages; this estimate does not prepare a New Jersey return or multi-state credits.
Why is my bonus withheld at a high rate?
Many employers withhold federal tax on supplemental wages at a flat 22%. That is a withholding convention, not a special bonus bracket. The aggregate method here shows the annual tax difference when the bonus is added to salary. State and local still follow that difference.
Does Texas mean no tax at all?
No. Texas has no state wage income tax, but federal income tax and FICA still apply. Social Security is 6.2% up to $184,500 and Medicare is 1.45% with no cap.
Browse by place
True take-home pay for where you actually live. Start with the full state directory, or open a major guide:
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