State of California Paycheck Calculator

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California Paycheck Calculator

Use this calculator to estimate your net pay per pay period in California, taking into account common federal and state deductions. Please note that federal and state income tax withholdings are complex and depend on your W-4 elections, filing status, and income. For simplicity, this calculator asks for your estimated withholding amounts for these taxes. This tool provides an estimate and should not be considered tax advice.

e.g., 26 for bi-weekly, 12 for monthly, 52 for weekly.

This is an estimate. Refer to your W-4 and pay stub for actuals.

This is an estimate. Refer to your DE 4 and pay stub for actuals.

Estimated Paycheck Breakdown

Enter your details and click "Calculate Net Pay" to see your estimated paycheck breakdown.

function calculatePaycheck() { var grossPay = parseFloat(document.getElementById('grossPay').value); var payPeriodsPerYear = parseFloat(document.getElementById('payPeriodsPerYear').value); var preTax401k = parseFloat(document.getElementById('preTax401k').value); var preTaxHealth = parseFloat(document.getElementById('preTaxHealth').value); var fedTaxWithholding = parseFloat(document.getElementById('fedTaxWithholding').value); var caTaxWithholding = parseFloat(document.getElementById('caTaxWithholding').value); var otherPostTax = parseFloat(document.getElementById('otherPostTax').value); // Validate inputs if (isNaN(grossPay) || grossPay < 0 || isNaN(payPeriodsPerYear) || payPeriodsPerYear < 1 || isNaN(preTax401k) || preTax401k < 0 || isNaN(preTaxHealth) || preTaxHealth < 0 || isNaN(fedTaxWithholding) || fedTaxWithholding < 0 || isNaN(caTaxWithholding) || caTaxWithholding < 0 || isNaN(otherPostTax) || otherPostTax < 0) { document.getElementById('result').innerHTML = 'Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields.'; return; } // Constants for tax rates and limits (2024 values) var SS_RATE = 0.062; var SS_LIMIT_ANNUAL = 168600; var MED_RATE = 0.0145; var CA_SDI_RATE = 0.011; var CA_SDI_LIMIT_ANNUAL = 153164; // 1. Gross Pay (per period) var grossPayPerPeriod = grossPay; // 2. Pre-tax Deductions var totalPreTaxDeductions = preTax401k + preTaxHealth; // 3. Taxable Income for FICA/SDI (generally gross pay) var taxableIncomeFICA_SDI = grossPayPerPeriod; // 4. Taxable Income for Income Tax (Gross Pay – Pre-tax Deductions) var taxableIncomeForIncomeTax = grossPayPerPeriod – totalPreTaxDeductions; if (taxableIncomeForIncomeTax < 0) taxableIncomeForIncomeTax = 0; // Cannot be negative // 5. Federal Taxes (FICA) var socialSecurityTax = 0; var medicareTax = 0; // Social Security (6.2% up to annual limit) // For a single pay period, we apply the rate to the current gross. // A full calculator would track cumulative earnings. // We'll apply the rate and add a note about the annual limit. var annualGrossEstimate = grossPayPerPeriod * payPeriodsPerYear; if (annualGrossEstimate <= SS_LIMIT_ANNUAL) { socialSecurityTax = taxableIncomeFICA_SDI * SS_RATE; } else { // If annualized gross exceeds limit, we can't know if the limit was already hit. // For simplicity, we'll apply the rate to the current period's gross, // but acknowledge the limit. The user should be aware that SS stops once the annual limit is reached. socialSecurityTax = taxableIncomeFICA_SDI * SS_RATE; } // Medicare (1.45% with no limit) medicareTax = taxableIncomeFICA_SDI * MED_RATE; // 6. California State Taxes var caSDITax = 0; // CA SDI (1.1% up to annual limit) if (annualGrossEstimate <= CA_SDI_LIMIT_ANNUAL) { caSDITax = taxableIncomeFICA_SDI * CA_SDI_RATE; } else { // Similar to SS, apply rate to current period's gross for simplicity. caSDITax = taxableIncomeFICA_SDI * CA_SDI_RATE; } // 7. Total Deductions var totalDeductions = totalPreTaxDeductions + socialSecurityTax + medicareTax + caSDITax + fedTaxWithholding + caTaxWithholding + otherPostTax; // 8. Net Pay var netPay = grossPayPerPeriod – totalDeductions; // Format results to 2 decimal places var formatCurrency = function(amount) { return '$' + amount.toFixed(2); }; var resultsHtml = '

Summary for ' + formatCurrency(grossPayPerPeriod) + ' Gross Pay

'; resultsHtml += 'Gross Pay per Pay Period: ' + formatCurrency(grossPayPerPeriod) + "; resultsHtml += '

Deductions:

'; resultsHtml += '
    '; resultsHtml += '
  • Pre-tax 401(k) Contribution: ' + formatCurrency(preTax401k) + '
    • '; resultsHtml += '
  • Pre-tax Health Insurance Premium: ' + formatCurrency(preTaxHealth) + '
    • '; resultsHtml += '
  • Social Security Tax (6.2%): ' + formatCurrency(socialSecurityTax) + ' (Applies up to $' + SS_LIMIT_ANNUAL.toLocaleString() + ' annually)
    • '; resultsHtml += '
  • Medicare Tax (1.45%): ' + formatCurrency(medicareTax) + '
    • '; resultsHtml += '
  • California SDI Tax (1.1%): ' + formatCurrency(caSDITax) + ' (Applies up to $' + CA_SDI_LIMIT_ANNUAL.toLocaleString() + ' annually)
    • '; resultsHtml += '
  • Estimated Federal Income Tax Withholding: ' + formatCurrency(fedTaxWithholding) + '
    • '; resultsHtml += '
  • Estimated California Income Tax Withholding: ' + formatCurrency(caTaxWithholding) + '
    • '; resultsHtml += '
  • Other Post-tax Deductions: ' + formatCurrency(otherPostTax) + '
    • '; resultsHtml += '
'; resultsHtml += 'Total Deductions: ' + formatCurrency(totalDeductions) + "; resultsHtml += '

Estimated Net Pay per Pay Period: ' + formatCurrency(netPay) + '

'; resultsHtml += 'Note: This is an estimate. Actual withholdings may vary based on your specific tax situation, W-4/DE 4 elections, and cumulative earnings reaching annual limits. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.'; document.getElementById('result').innerHTML = resultsHtml; } .calculator-container { background-color: #f9f9f9; border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; max-width: 700px; margin: 20px auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; } .calculator-container h2 { color: #333; text-align: center; margin-bottom: 20px; } .calculator-container p { font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 10px; } .calc-input-group { margin-bottom: 15px; } .calc-input-group label { display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; font-weight: bold; color: #555; } .calc-input-group input[type="number"] { width: calc(100% – 22px); padding: 10px; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 4px; font-size: 16px; } .calc-input-group .description { font-size: 13px; color: #777; margin-top: 5px; } .calculate-button { display: block; width: 100%; padding: 12px 20px; background-color: #007bff; color: white; border: none; border-radius: 4px; font-size: 18px; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 20px; transition: background-color 0.3s ease; } .calculate-button:hover { background-color: #0056b3; } .calculator-results { background-color: #e9ecef; border: 1px solid #ced4da; padding: 15px; border-radius: 8px; margin-top: 25px; } .calculator-results h3 { color: #333; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 15px; text-align: center; } .calculator-results h4 { color: #444; margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; } .calculator-results ul { list-style-type: none; padding: 0; margin: 0; } .calculator-results ul li { margin-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 10px; border-left: 3px solid #007bff; } .calculator-results p { font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px; } .calculator-results p.disclaimer { font-size: 13px; color: #666; margin-top: 15px; text-align: center; } .calculator-results strong { color: #333; } .calculator-results small { color: #888; }

Understanding Your California Paycheck: A Comprehensive Guide

Navigating your paycheck can sometimes feel like deciphering a complex code. For employees in California, understanding the various deductions and taxes is crucial for financial planning. This guide breaks down the components of a typical California paycheck, helping you understand where your gross earnings go before they become your net pay.

What is Gross Pay?

Your Gross Pay is the total amount of money you earn before any deductions are taken out. If you're an hourly employee, it's your hourly rate multiplied by the number of hours worked. For salaried employees, it's your annual salary divided by the number of pay periods in a year (e.g., 26 for bi-weekly, 12 for monthly).

Pre-tax Deductions

These are deductions taken from your gross pay before taxes are calculated. They reduce your taxable income, which can lower your overall tax liability. Common pre-tax deductions include:

  • 401(k) Contributions: Money you contribute to your retirement savings plan.
  • Health Insurance Premiums: Your share of the cost for health, dental, or vision insurance.
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) or Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): Contributions to these accounts for healthcare or dependent care expenses.

Federal Taxes

The federal government levies several taxes on your income:

  • Federal Income Tax (FIT): This is the largest federal deduction for most people. The amount withheld depends on your income, filing status (single, married, head of household), and the allowances you claim on your W-4 form. It's a progressive tax, meaning higher earners pay a higher percentage.
  • Social Security Tax (FICA-SS): This funds retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. The current rate is 6.2% of your gross wages, up to an annual wage base limit (e.g., $168,600 for 2024). Once you earn above this limit in a calendar year, Social Security tax is no longer withheld.
  • Medicare Tax (FICA-Med): This funds hospital insurance for the elderly and disabled. The rate is 1.45% of all your gross wages, with no annual wage limit. An additional Medicare tax of 0.9% applies to wages above a certain threshold ($200,000 for single filers, $250,000 for married filing jointly).

California State Taxes

As a California employee, you'll also see state-specific deductions:

  • California State Income Tax (CA PIT): Similar to federal income tax, this is withheld based on your income, filing status, and allowances claimed on your DE 4 form. California also has a progressive income tax system.
  • California State Disability Insurance (CA SDI): This program provides partial wage replacement benefits to eligible workers who are unable to work due to a non-work-related illness or injury, or for family leave. The current rate is 1.1% of your gross wages, up to an annual wage base limit (e.g., $153,164 for 2024).

Post-tax Deductions

These deductions are taken out after all applicable taxes have been calculated and withheld. They do not reduce your taxable income. Examples include:

  • Roth 401(k) Contributions: Unlike traditional 401(k)s, these are funded with after-tax dollars, meaning qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free.
  • Union Dues: If you are part of a union.
  • Garnishments: Court-ordered deductions for debts like child support or student loans.
  • Charitable Contributions: Deductions for donations made directly from your paycheck.

Net Pay

Finally, your Net Pay (or take-home pay) is what's left after all pre-tax deductions, federal taxes, state taxes, and post-tax deductions have been subtracted from your gross pay. This is the amount that gets deposited into your bank account or issued as a check.

Using the California Paycheck Calculator

Our calculator provides an estimate of your net pay. Because federal and state income tax withholdings are highly personalized and depend on your W-4 and DE 4 elections, the calculator asks for your estimated withholding amounts for these taxes. This allows you to input figures directly from a recent pay stub or an estimate from a more detailed tax calculator.

Remember, this calculator is a tool for estimation and general understanding. For precise tax advice or to understand your specific tax situation, always consult with a qualified tax professional or refer to official IRS and California EDD resources.

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