Salary After Tax Calculator

Enter your gross salary and see a rough take-home estimate after FICA and income taxes — annual, monthly, and biweekly — updated live as you type. Everything runs privately in your browser.

📖 How it works & FAQ

Gross annual salary ($)

Effective income tax rate — federal + state (%)

FICA rate (%)

What this calculator does

Enter your gross annual salary and this tool instantly subtracts FICA payroll tax (7.65% by default — 6.2% Social Security plus 1.45% Medicare) and your combined effective federal & state income tax rate. You get estimated net pay per year, per month, and per biweekly paycheck, plus your total tax burden, all recalculated live as you type. Both tax rates are editable, and nothing you enter ever leaves your browser.

These are simplified estimates only — not professional, financial, or tax advice.

How to use it

Type your gross annual salary — the number from your offer letter or contract, before any deductions.
Set your effective federal + state income tax rate. This is the share of total income you actually pay, not your top marginal bracket; somewhere between 12% and 25% is typical for many U.S. earners.
Adjust the FICA rate if needed. Leave it at 7.65% for most W-2 employees; self-employed workers pay both halves, 15.3%.
Read your net annual, monthly, and biweekly pay from the result cards — they update the moment you change any field.

FAQ

What is the difference between effective and marginal tax rates?: Your marginal rate is the bracket your last dollar falls into; your effective rate is total tax divided by total income, which is always lower. Use the effective rate here — dividing total tax by gross income on last year's return gives a solid starting point.
Why doesn't it ask which state I live in?: State income tax ranges from 0% in nine states to over 13% at California's top bracket. Instead of maintaining fifty state tables, this tool lets you fold state tax into one editable effective rate — just add your state's effective rate to your federal one.
Does it account for 401(k), health insurance, or other deductions?: No. Pre-tax deductions like a 401(k) or HSA reduce your taxable income, so your real paycheck may differ. For a closer estimate, subtract those contributions from your gross salary before entering it.
Why biweekly instead of semi-monthly?: Biweekly — 26 paychecks a year — is the most common U.S. pay schedule. If you are paid semi-monthly, divide the annual net by 24 instead.