Estimate how much federal income tax will be withheld from your paycheck.
Weekly
Bi-weekly
Semi-monthly
Monthly
Annually
Single
Married Filing Separately
Married Filing Jointly
Head of Household
Estimated Withholding Per Pay Period:
$0.00
Understanding Tax Withholding
Tax withholding is the process by which your employer deducts estimated income tax from your paycheck and sends it to the government on your behalf. This is an estimate, and your actual tax liability is determined when you file your annual tax return. The goal is to have enough tax withheld throughout the year to avoid owing a large sum or receiving an unnecessarily large refund.
The amount withheld depends on several factors you provide on your Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Certificate. These factors primarily include your income, filing status, and any additional adjustments you wish to make, such as claiming dependents or requesting extra withholding.
How the Calculation Works (Simplified)
This calculator provides a simplified estimation based on general tax principles and common withholding practices. The exact calculation by the IRS can be more complex and may involve specific tax tables, credits, and deductions that can change annually.
Step 1: Determine Taxable Income. This calculator assumes your reported gross annual income is your taxable income for withholding purposes, after accounting for standard deductions or typical adjustments. In reality, deductions and credits significantly impact your final tax liability.
Step 2: Calculate Annual Tax Liability (Estimate). Based on the filing status, a simplified annual tax is estimated. This calculator uses general progressive tax bracket ideas but does not use the official IRS tax brackets which are subject to change yearly. For demonstration, we'll use a conceptual progressive structure:
Single: ~10% on first $10,000, ~12% on next $30,000, ~22% on remainder.
Married Filing Jointly: ~10% on first $20,000, ~12% on next $60,000, ~22% on remainder.
Head of Household: ~10% on first $15,000, ~12% on next $45,000, ~22% on remainder.
Married Filing Separately: Similar to Single, but often with limitations.
Note: These percentages and thresholds are illustrative and not actual IRS tax brackets.
Step 3: Add Additional Withholding. Any amount specified for "Additional Annual Withholding" is added directly to the calculated annual tax liability.
Step 4: Calculate Pay Period Withholding. The total estimated annual tax liability (Step 2 + Step 3) is divided by the number of pay periods in a year based on your chosen pay frequency (e.g., 52 for weekly, 26 for bi-weekly, 12 for monthly).
Disclaimer: This calculator is for estimation purposes only and does not constitute tax advice. Tax laws and figures change frequently. Consult with a qualified tax professional or refer to official IRS publications for precise calculations and advice tailored to your specific situation. The actual withholding may vary.
function calculateWithholding() {
var grossAnnualIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById("grossAnnualIncome").value);
var payFrequency = document.getElementById("payFrequency").value;
var filingStatus = document.getElementById("filingStatus").value;
var additionalWithholding = parseFloat(document.getElementById("additionalWithholding").value);
var resultElement = document.getElementById("result");
var withholdingPerPay = 0;
// — Input Validation —
if (isNaN(grossAnnualIncome) || grossAnnualIncome < 0) {
resultElement.innerHTML = 'Error: Please enter a valid Gross Annual Income.';
return;
}
if (isNaN(additionalWithholding) || additionalWithholding < 0) {
resultElement.innerHTML = 'Error: Please enter a valid Additional Annual Withholding.';
return;
}
// — Determine Pay Periods per Year —
var payPeriodsPerYear = 0;
if (payFrequency === "weekly") {
payPeriodsPerYear = 52;
} else if (payFrequency === "biweekly") {
payPeriodsPerYear = 26;
} else if (payFrequency === "semimonthly") {
payPeriodsPerYear = 24;
} else if (payFrequency === "monthly") {
payPeriodsPerYear = 12;
} else if (payFrequency === "annually") {
payPeriodsPerYear = 1;
}
if (payPeriodsPerYear === 0) {
resultElement.innerHTML = 'Error: Invalid pay frequency selected.';
return;
}
// — Simplified Annual Tax Calculation (Illustrative Brackets) —
// These are illustrative and NOT official IRS tax brackets.
var estimatedAnnualTax = 0;
var taxRate1 = 0.10;
var taxRate2 = 0.12;
var taxRate3 = 0.22;
var bracket1Threshold = 0;
var bracket2Threshold = 0;
var bracket3Threshold = 0;
if (filingStatus === "single" || filingStatus === "marriedFilingSeparately") {
bracket1Threshold = 10000;
bracket2Threshold = 40000; // 10000 + 30000
bracket3Threshold = Infinity; // Income above 40000
if (grossAnnualIncome <= bracket1Threshold) {
estimatedAnnualTax = grossAnnualIncome * taxRate1;
} else if (grossAnnualIncome <= bracket2Threshold) {
estimatedAnnualTax = (bracket1Threshold * taxRate1) + ((grossAnnualIncome – bracket1Threshold) * taxRate2);
} else {
estimatedAnnualTax = (bracket1Threshold * taxRate1) + ((bracket2Threshold – bracket1Threshold) * taxRate2) + ((grossAnnualIncome – bracket2Threshold) * taxRate3);
}
} else if (filingStatus === "marriedFilingJointly") {
bracket1Threshold = 20000;
bracket2Threshold = 80000; // 20000 + 60000
bracket3Threshold = Infinity; // Income above 80000
if (grossAnnualIncome <= bracket1Threshold) {
estimatedAnnualTax = grossAnnualIncome * taxRate1;
} else if (grossAnnualIncome <= bracket2Threshold) {
estimatedAnnualTax = (bracket1Threshold * taxRate1) + ((grossAnnualIncome – bracket1Threshold) * taxRate2);
} else {
estimatedAnnualTax = (bracket1Threshold * taxRate1) + ((bracket2Threshold – bracket1Threshold) * taxRate2) + ((grossAnnualIncome – bracket2Threshold) * taxRate3);
}
} else if (filingStatus === "headOfHousehold") {
bracket1Threshold = 15000;
bracket2Threshold = 60000; // 15000 + 45000
bracket3Threshold = Infinity; // Income above 60000
if (grossAnnualIncome <= bracket1Threshold) {
estimatedAnnualTax = grossAnnualIncome * taxRate1;
} else if (grossAnnualIncome 0) {
withholdingPerPay = totalAnnualTaxLiability / payPeriodsPerYear;
} else {
withholdingPerPay = 0; // Should not happen due to earlier check, but for safety.
}
// — Display Result —
resultElement.innerHTML = 'Estimated Withholding Per Pay Period: $' + withholdingPerPay.toFixed(2);
}