Estimate the taxes withheld from your gross pay to understand your net earnings.
FICA includes Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%).
Estimated Net Pay
$0.00
Understanding Your Paycheck Taxes
Calculating the exact amount of tax withheld from your paycheck can seem complex, as it involves several types of taxes and potential deductions. This calculator provides an estimation based on the information you provide.
How Paycheck Taxes Work
Your paycheck is typically subject to several types of taxes:
Federal Income Tax: This is a progressive tax, meaning higher earners pay a larger percentage. The withholding rate you enter is a simplified representation. Employers use IRS-approved methods (like the percentage method or wage bracket method) based on your W-4 form to determine the exact amount to withhold.
State Income Tax: Similar to federal income tax, but levied by your state. Not all states have an income tax. The rates vary significantly by state.
FICA Taxes (Social Security and Medicare): These are federal taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare programs.
Social Security: A rate of 6.2% applies to earnings up to an annual wage base limit (which changes yearly).
Medicare: A rate of 1.45% applies to all earnings. There's no wage base limit for the regular Medicare tax, but high earners may be subject to an additional Medicare tax.
The combined FICA rate is 7.65%.
Pre-Tax Deductions
Certain deductions are taken before taxes are calculated, reducing your taxable income and thus lowering your tax liability. Common pre-tax deductions include:
Contributions to a 401(k) or other retirement accounts
Health insurance premiums
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) or Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
By reducing your taxable income, pre-tax deductions can increase your take-home pay and save you money on taxes.
The Calculation
The calculator performs the following steps:
Calculate Taxable Gross Pay: Start with your Gross Pay and subtract any Other Pre-Tax Deductions.
Calculate Federal Tax Withholding: Multiply the Taxable Gross Pay by the Federal Income Tax Withholding Rate.
Calculate State Tax Withholding: Multiply the Taxable Gross Pay by the State Income Tax Withholding Rate.
Calculate FICA Taxes: Multiply the Gross Pay by the FICA Tax Rate (7.65%). Note that FICA is typically calculated on gross pay before most pre-tax deductions like 401(k), but after health insurance premiums in many cases. For simplicity, this calculator applies it to the initial gross pay.
Calculate Total Taxes: Sum the Federal Tax, State Tax, and FICA Taxes.
Calculate Net Pay: Subtract the Total Taxes from the original Gross Pay.
Example Scenario
Let's say you have:
Gross Pay: $2,000.00
Federal Tax Rate: 12%
State Tax Rate: 5%
Other Pre-Tax Deductions: $100.00 (e.g., 401k contribution)
Disclaimer: This calculator provides an estimate for educational purposes only. Actual tax withholdings may vary based on your specific tax situation, W-4 elections, local taxes, and tax law changes. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
function calculatePaycheckTaxes() {
var grossPay = parseFloat(document.getElementById("grossPay").value);
var federalTaxRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("federalTaxRate").value) / 100;
var stateTaxRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("stateTaxRate").value) / 100;
var ficaTaxRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("ficaTaxRate").value) / 100; // Fixed value of 7.65%
var otherDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById("otherDeductions").value);
// Input validation
if (isNaN(grossPay) || grossPay < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Gross Pay amount.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(federalTaxRate) || federalTaxRate < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Federal Tax Rate.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(stateTaxRate) || stateTaxRate < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid State Tax Rate.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(otherDeductions) || otherDeductions < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid amount for Other Deductions.");
return;
}
// FICA tax calculation is often based on gross pay before other pre-tax deductions like 401k.
// However, health insurance premiums are sometimes deducted before FICA.
// For simplicity and common use case of 401k as "other deductions", we calculate FICA on grossPay.
var ficaTax = grossPay * ficaTaxRate;
// Taxable income for income tax is gross pay minus pre-tax deductions.
var taxableIncome = grossPay – otherDeductions;
if (taxableIncome < 0) {
taxableIncome = 0; // Taxable income cannot be negative
}
var federalTax = taxableIncome * federalTaxRate;
var stateTax = taxableIncome * stateTaxRate;
var totalTaxes = federalTax + stateTax + ficaTax;
var netPay = grossPay – totalTaxes;
// Ensure net pay is not negative due to excessive deductions/taxes
if (netPay < 0) {
netPay = 0;
}
document.getElementById("netPay").innerText = "$" + netPay.toFixed(2);
}