Take Home Pay Calculator (2026)

Take-home pay starts with your gross salary or hourly wages, subtracts pre-tax payroll deductions (such as 401(k), health insurance, and HSA), and then deducts federal income tax withholding, FICA payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare), and state or local income taxes.

Gross salary is your total compensation before any withholdings or deductions. Net take-home pay is the cash deposit actually transferred into your bank account on payday.

Pre-tax benefits reduce your federal and state taxable income before withholding is computed. Every $100 placed in a pre-tax 401(k) may only reduce your take-home pay by $75 to $80 depending on your marginal tax bracket.

Bi-weekly employees receive 26 paychecks per year, while semi-monthly employees receive 24 paychecks. Although your annual take-home is identical, individual bi-weekly checks are slightly smaller, and two months during the year include a third paycheck.

Employers often withhold federal tax on supplemental income (bonuses) at a mandatory flat 22% rate, or payroll systems annualize high single checks into higher marginal tax brackets. Any excess withheld is reconciled on your tax return as a refund.