Estimate your net pay based on your gross earnings and deductions in California.
Weekly
Bi-Weekly (Every 2 weeks)
Semi-Monthly (Twice a month)
Monthly
Your Estimated Net Pay: $0.00
Understanding Your California Paycheck
Calculating your net pay (take-home pay) in California involves several steps, as it's influenced by federal taxes, state taxes, and specific California deductions. This calculator provides an estimate based on common withholding rates and your provided information.
Key Components of Your Paycheck Calculation:
Gross Pay: This is your total earnings before any deductions are taken out. It's the base figure for all tax calculations.
Federal Income Tax: This is determined by your W-4 form. The number of allowances you claim and any additional withholding amounts directly impact how much is deducted. The IRS provides tax brackets and rates that are used to calculate this, often simplified for payroll purposes based on W-4 selections.
Social Security Tax: A federal tax that funds retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. In 2024, the rate is 6.2% of your gross pay, up to an annual wage base limit ($168,600 for 2024).
Medicare Tax: A federal tax that funds Medicare. The rate is 1.45% of your gross pay. There is no wage limit for Medicare tax. An additional 0.9% Medicare surtax applies to earnings over $200,000 for single filers and $250,000 for married couples filing jointly, per pay period.
California State Disability Insurance (SDI): California is one of a few states with its own state disability insurance program. This is typically 6.1% of your gross pay, up to an annual wage limit ($153,164 for 2023, this limit changes annually). This covers non-work-related illness or injury.
California State Income Tax: California has a progressive state income tax system, meaning higher earners pay a higher percentage in taxes. The exact amount depends on your total taxable income for the year and your filing status. Payroll systems use withholding tables provided by the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) to estimate this amount based on your pay frequency and W-4 information.
Pre-Tax Deductions: These are amounts subtracted from your gross pay *before* taxes are calculated. Common examples include contributions to 401(k) retirement plans, health insurance premiums, and some other benefits. Deducting these reduces your taxable income, potentially lowering your overall tax burden.
Post-Tax Deductions: These are deductions taken *after* taxes have been calculated (e.g., wage garnishments, certain voluntary deductions). These do not affect your tax liability.
How the Calculator Works (Simplified):
Calculate Annual Gross Income: Your gross pay per period is multiplied by the number of pay periods in a year based on your selected frequency (Weekly: 52, Bi-Weekly: 26, Semi-Monthly: 24, Monthly: 12).
Calculate Taxable Income: Gross pay is reduced by pre-tax deductions for that pay period.
Estimate Federal Income Tax: This is a complex calculation. The calculator uses a simplified approach based on the provided withholding allowances. It applies a pro-rata portion of the standard tax bracket thresholds and rates. *Note: Actual federal withholding can vary.*
Calculate Social Security Tax: 6.2% of gross pay, capped by the annual wage limit.
Calculate Medicare Tax: 1.45% of gross pay, plus the potential 0.9% surtax if income exceeds thresholds.
Calculate California SDI: 6.1% of gross pay, capped by the annual wage limit.
Estimate California State Income Tax: Similar to federal, this uses progressive tax rates and withholding tables based on your taxable income and W-4 information. This calculator uses a simplified estimation method.
Calculate Total Deductions: Sum of all federal and state taxes, SDI, and any specified post-tax deductions.
Net Pay: Gross Pay minus Pre-Tax Deductions minus Total Deductions.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides an ESTIMATE only. Tax laws and rates can change, and individual circumstances (like tax credits, other income sources, or specific employer payroll setups) can significantly affect your actual paycheck. For precise calculations, consult your employer's HR department or a qualified tax professional.
function calculatePaycheck() {
var grossPay = parseFloat(document.getElementById("grossPay").value);
var payFrequency = document.getElementById("payFrequency").value;
var federalTaxWithholding = parseFloat(document.getElementById("federalTaxWithholding").value);
var socialSecurityRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("socialSecurityWithholding").value) / 100;
var medicareRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("medicareWithholding").value) / 100;
var caSDIRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("californiaSDIT").value) / 100;
var medicareSurtaxRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("medicareSurtax").value) / 100;
var preTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById("preTaxDeductions").value);
var errorMessageElement = document.getElementById("errorMessage");
errorMessageElement.textContent = ""; // Clear previous errors
if (isNaN(grossPay) || grossPay < 0) {
errorMessageElement.textContent = "Please enter a valid Gross Pay amount.";
return;
}
if (isNaN(preTaxDeductions) || preTaxDeductions < 0) {
errorMessageElement.textContent = "Please enter a valid Pre-Tax Deductions amount.";
return;
}
if (grossPay < preTaxDeductions) {
errorMessageElement.textContent = "Pre-Tax Deductions cannot exceed Gross Pay.";
return;
}
// Basic validation for rates, though they are pre-filled
if (isNaN(socialSecurityRate) || socialSecurityRate 1) {
errorMessageElement.textContent = "Invalid Social Security rate."; return;
}
if (isNaN(medicareRate) || medicareRate 1) {
errorMessageElement.textContent = "Invalid Medicare rate."; return;
}
if (isNaN(caSDIRate) || caSDIRate 1) {
errorMessageElement.textContent = "Invalid California SDI rate."; return;
}
if (isNaN(medicareSurtaxRate) || medicareSurtaxRate 1) {
errorMessageElement.textContent = "Invalid Additional Medicare Tax rate."; return;
}
var numPayPeriods;
switch (payFrequency) {
case "weekly":
numPayPeriods = 52;
break;
case "bi-weekly":
numPayPeriods = 26;
break;
case "semi-monthly":
numPayPeriods = 24;
break;
case "monthly":
numPayPeriods = 12;
break;
default:
numPayPeriods = 26; // Default to bi-weekly
}
var annualGrossPay = grossPay * numPayPeriods;
var taxableIncome = grossPay – preTaxDeductions;
// — Simplified Tax Calculations (Estimates) —
// These are highly simplified and do not reflect exact IRS/FTB tables or ETT calculations.
// For illustrative purposes only.
// Federal Income Tax Withholding (Simplified)
// This is a very rough estimate. Actual calculation depends on W-4, tax brackets, and payroll software.
// We'll use a flat rate as a placeholder, which is inaccurate but necessary for a simplified JS calc.
// In reality, this is calculated based on annual income, tax brackets, and W-4 allowances.
var estimatedFederalRate = 0.10; // Example: 10% average federal rate (highly variable!)
if (annualGrossPay > 95375) estimatedFederalRate = 0.12; // Example brackets
if (annualGrossPay > 447425) estimatedFederalRate = 0.22;
// … more brackets for accuracy would be needed here.
var federalIncomeTax = taxableIncome * estimatedFederalRate; // Simplified per period
// Social Security Tax
var socialSecurityWageBaseLimit = 168600; // 2024 limit
var taxableSocialSecurity = Math.min(annualGrossPay, socialSecurityWageBaseLimit);
var socialSecurityTax = taxableSocialSecurity * socialSecurityRate;
// Adjust per period – this is tricky as the limit applies annually.
// A common payroll method is to calculate it until the limit is hit.
// For simplicity, we'll apply the rate to the current gross pay, assuming limit not hit yet.
var socialSecurityWithholding = grossPay * socialSecurityRate;
if (annualGrossPay > socialSecurityWageBaseLimit) {
// If annual gross exceeds limit, calculate portion of this period's pay subject to SS
var remainingSSWages = socialSecurityWageBaseLimit – (annualGrossPay – grossPay);
socialSecurityWithholding = Math.max(0, remainingSSWages) * socialSecurityRate;
}
// Medicare Tax
var medicareTax = grossPay * medicareRate;
var additionalMedicareThresholdSingle = 200000 / numPayPeriods; // Approx per period threshold
var additionalMedicareThresholdMarried = 250000 / numPayPeriods; // Approx per period threshold
var annualIncomeForMedicare = annualGrossPay; // Use annual for surtax check
var medicareSurtax = 0;
if (annualIncomeForMedicare > 200000) { // Simplified check, assumes single filer for example
var incomeAboveThreshold = annualGrossPay – (200000); // Total annual income over threshold
var portionSubjectToSurtax = Math.min(grossPay, incomeAboveThreshold / numPayPeriods); // Portion for this pay period
medicareSurtax = portionSubjectToSurtax * medicareSurtaxRate;
}
var totalMedicareTax = medicareTax + medicareSurtax;
// California State Disability Insurance (SDI)
var caSDIWageLimit = 153164; // Example limit for 2023, updates annually
var taxableCA_SDI = Math.min(annualGrossPay, caSDIWageLimit);
var caSDITax = taxableCA_SDI * caSDIRate;
// Adjust per period – similar complexity to SS limit
var caSDIWithholding = grossPay * caSDIRate;
if (annualGrossPay > caSDIWageLimit) {
var remainingCASDIWages = caSDIWageLimit – (annualGrossPay – grossPay);
caSDIWithholding = Math.max(0, remainingCASDIWages) * caSDIRate;
}
// California State Income Tax (Simplified Estimate)
// This is also highly complex. CA has progressive rates.
// We'll use a simplified flat rate for illustration, acknowledging its inaccuracy.
var estimatedCARate = 0.02; // Example: 2% average CA rate (highly variable!)
if (taxableIncome > 10000) estimatedCARate = 0.04; // Example brackets
if (taxableIncome > 45000) estimatedCARate = 0.06;
// … more brackets needed for accuracy.
var caIncomeTax = taxableIncome * estimatedCARate; // Simplified per period
// Total Deductions
var totalDeductions = preTaxDeductions + federalIncomeTax + socialSecurityWithholding + totalMedicareTax + caSDIWithholding + caIncomeTax;
// Ensure total deductions don't exceed gross pay
if (totalDeductions > grossPay) {
totalDeductions = grossPay; // Cap deductions at gross pay
}
var netPay = grossPay – totalDeductions;
document.getElementById("result").innerHTML = "Your Estimated Net Pay: $" + netPay.toFixed(2) + "";
}
// Initialize values on load if needed, or rely on user input
// window.onload = function() {
// calculatePaycheck(); // Optional: Calculate on load with default values
// };