Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your take-home pay from gross wages, pay frequency, and tax rates
About This Tool
Enter a gross pay amount, how often you're actually paid, and rough tax rates to estimate take-home pay per paycheck. This tool uses a simplified flat-rate estimate rather than full IRS withholding tables, so treat the result as a planning estimate rather than an exact figure. Your real paycheck depends on your specific tax elections, benefits, and local rules.
How the Math Works
Net Pay = Gross Pay per Period − Pre-Tax Deductions − Federal Tax − State Tax − FICA (7.65%) − Post-Tax Deductions. Gross pay per period comes from dividing your annual figure across the number of paychecks you actually receive in a year, which is why switching pay frequency changes the per-paycheck amount even when the yearly total stays the same.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between gross pay and net pay?
Gross pay is everything you earn before anything is withheld. Net pay, also called take-home pay, is what's left after taxes, FICA, and any other deductions come out, and it's the amount that actually lands in your bank account.
What is FICA and why is it taken out of every paycheck?
FICA funds Social Security and Medicare. Employees pay 6.2% for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare, a combined 7.65%, and employers match that amount separately on top of your wages.
What's the difference between pre-tax and post-tax deductions?
Pre-tax deductions, like 401(k) contributions or health insurance premiums, come out before taxes are calculated, which lowers your taxable income. Post-tax deductions come out after taxes are already applied.
Why does my paycheck change even though my salary didn't?
Bonuses, overtime, benefit elections, changes to your withholding form, or hitting an annual wage base limit on certain taxes can all shift the numbers from one pay period to the next, even at a fixed salary.
How do I estimate take-home pay without a payroll account?
Start from gross pay per period, subtract any pre-tax deductions, then subtract an estimated tax rate and FICA. It won't be exact since real payroll systems use bracket-based withholding tables, but it gets you close enough to budget.
What's the difference between biweekly and semi-monthly pay?
Biweekly means every two weeks, for 26 paychecks a year. Semi-monthly means twice a month on fixed dates, for 24 paychecks a year. The per-check amount differs even though the annual total stays the same.
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