Calculating payroll can seem complex, but it's essentially about determining your gross earnings and then subtracting various deductions to arrive at your net pay. This calculator helps you estimate your take-home pay by breaking down the common components of a paycheck.
What is Gross Pay?
Gross pay is the total amount of money an employee earns before any deductions are taken out. For hourly employees, it's typically calculated as their hourly rate multiplied by the number of hours worked. For salaried employees, it's their fixed salary amount for a given pay period.
Key Payroll Deductions Explained
Deductions are amounts subtracted from your gross pay. They fall into two main categories: pre-tax and post-tax.
Pre-Tax Deductions
These deductions are taken out of your gross pay before taxes are calculated. This reduces your taxable income, which can lower your overall tax liability. Common pre-tax deductions include:
401(k) or 403(b) Contributions: Retirement savings plans where contributions are often tax-deferred.
Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance Premiums: Many employer-sponsored health benefits are paid with pre-tax dollars.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) or Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): Accounts used for healthcare expenses, funded with pre-tax money.
Taxes Withheld
A significant portion of your paycheck goes towards various taxes. These are mandatory deductions:
Federal Income Tax (FIT): Withheld based on your W-4 form, filing status, and income level. This is a progressive tax, meaning higher earners pay a higher percentage.
State Income Tax (SIT): Similar to federal income tax, but levied by your state. Not all states have state income tax.
FICA Taxes (Social Security and Medicare): These are federal taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare programs.
Social Security (OASDI): Funds benefits for retirees, disabled workers, and survivors. The employee portion is 6.2% of wages up to an annual limit (wage base limit).
Medicare (HI): Funds healthcare for individuals aged 65 or older, and certain younger people with disabilities. The employee portion is 1.45% of all wages, with no wage base limit. An additional 0.9% Medicare tax applies to wages above certain thresholds for high earners.
Post-Tax Deductions
These deductions are taken out of your pay after all applicable taxes have been calculated and withheld. They do not reduce your taxable income. Examples include:
Roth 401(k) Contributions: Retirement savings where contributions are made with after-tax dollars, but qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free.
Garnishments: Court-ordered deductions for debts like child support or unpaid taxes.
Union Dues: Fees paid to a labor union.
Charitable Contributions: Deductions for donations made directly from your paycheck.
How to Use the Payroll Calculator
Enter your gross pay per pay period, select your pay frequency, and provide details about your federal filing status, allowances, and any deductions. The calculator will then estimate your net pay and break down the various deductions.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides an estimate for illustrative purposes only. Actual payroll calculations can be more complex due to specific state and local tax laws, additional deductions, and the precise withholding tables used by employers. Consult with a payroll professional or tax advisor for accurate figures.
Payroll Estimator
Estimate your take-home pay after common deductions and taxes.
Weekly
Bi-weekly
Semi-monthly
Monthly
Single
Married Filing Jointly
(Simplified for estimation, actual W-4 uses different method)
(Enter 0 if your state has no income tax)
Estimated Paycheck Breakdown (Per Pay Period)
Gross Pay:
Pre-tax Deductions:
Taxable Gross:
Federal Income Tax:
Social Security Tax:
Medicare Tax:
State Income Tax:
Total Taxes:
Post-tax Deductions:
Net Pay:
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function calculatePayroll() {
// Get input values
var grossPay = parseFloat(document.getElementById("grossPay").value);
var payFrequencyMultiplier = parseFloat(document.getElementById("payFrequency").value);
var federalFilingStatus = document.getElementById("federalFilingStatus").value;
var federalAllowances = parseInt(document.getElementById("federalAllowances").value);
var preTax401kPercent = parseFloat(document.getElementById("preTax401kPercent").value);
var healthInsurancePremium = parseFloat(document.getElementById("healthInsurancePremium").value);
var otherPreTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById("otherPreTaxDeductions").value);
var stateTaxRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("stateTaxRate").value);
var otherPostTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById("otherPostTaxDeductions").value);
// Validate inputs
if (isNaN(grossPay) || grossPay < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Gross Pay per Pay Period.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(federalAllowances) || federalAllowances < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid number for Federal Withholding Allowances.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(preTax401kPercent) || preTax401kPercent 100) {
alert("Please enter a valid Pre-tax 401(k) Contribution percentage (0-100).");
return;
}
if (isNaN(healthInsurancePremium) || healthInsurancePremium < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Health Insurance Premium.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(otherPreTaxDeductions) || otherPreTaxDeductions < 0) {
alert("Please enter valid Other Pre-tax Deductions.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(stateTaxRate) || stateTaxRate 100) {
alert("Please enter a valid State Income Tax Rate (0-100).");
return;
}
if (isNaN(otherPostTaxDeductions) || otherPostTaxDeductions currentGrossPay) {
totalPreTaxDeductions = currentGrossPay; // Cannot deduct more than gross pay
}
var annualPreTaxDeductions = totalPreTaxDeductions * payFrequencyMultiplier;
// 3. Taxable Gross (for income taxes)
var taxableGross = currentGrossPay – totalPreTaxDeductions;
var annualTaxableGross = annualGrossPay – annualPreTaxDeductions;
// 4. FICA Taxes (Social Security and Medicare)
var socialSecurityRate = 0.062; // 6.2%
var medicareRate = 0.0145; // 1.45%
var socialSecurityWageBaseLimit = 168600; // 2024 limit
var annualSocialSecurityTaxable = Math.min(annualGrossPay, socialSecurityWageBaseLimit);
var annualSocialSecurityTax = annualSocialSecurityTaxable * socialSecurityRate;
var currentSocialSecurityTax = annualSocialSecurityTax / payFrequencyMultiplier;
var annualMedicareTax = annualGrossPay * medicareRate;
// Additional Medicare Tax (0.9% on wages over $200k/$250k) is omitted for simplicity in this estimator.
var currentMedicareTax = annualMedicareTax / payFrequencyMultiplier;
// 5. Federal Income Tax (FIT) – Simplified Estimation
// This is a highly simplified estimation and does not reflect actual IRS withholding tables.
// It uses a standard deduction and a simplified progressive tax bracket.
var annualStandardDeduction;
if (federalFilingStatus === "single") {
annualStandardDeduction = 14600; // 2024 Single
} else { // married
annualStandardDeduction = 29200; // 2024 Married Filing Jointly
}
// Allowance value (historical simplification, not current W-4)
var allowanceValue = 4700; // Approximate historical value per allowance
var annualAllowanceReduction = federalAllowances * allowanceValue;
var annualIncomeForFIT = annualTaxableGross – annualStandardDeduction – annualAllowanceReduction;
if (annualIncomeForFIT < 0) {
annualIncomeForFIT = 0;
}
var annualFederalTax = 0;
// Simplified progressive tax brackets (example, not actual IRS brackets)
if (annualIncomeForFIT <= 11600) {
annualFederalTax = annualIncomeForFIT * 0.10;
} else if (annualIncomeForFIT <= 47150) {
annualFederalTax = (11600 * 0.10) + ((annualIncomeForFIT – 11600) * 0.12);
} else if (annualIncomeForFIT <= 100525) {
annualFederalTax = (11600 * 0.10) + ((47150 – 11600) * 0.12) + ((annualIncomeForFIT – 47150) * 0.22);
} else {
annualFederalTax = (11600 * 0.10) + ((47150 – 11600) * 0.12) + ((100525 – 47150) * 0.22) + ((annualIncomeForFIT – 100525) * 0.24);
}
var currentFederalTax = annualFederalTax / payFrequencyMultiplier;
if (currentFederalTax < 0) {
currentFederalTax = 0;
}
// 6. State Income Tax
var currentStateTax = taxableGross * (stateTaxRate / 100);
if (currentStateTax < 0) {
currentStateTax = 0;
}
// 7. Total Taxes
var totalTaxes = currentFederalTax + currentSocialSecurityTax + currentMedicareTax + currentStateTax;
// 8. Post-tax Deductions
var totalPostTaxDeductions = otherPostTaxDeductions;
// 9. Net Pay
var netPay = currentGrossPay – totalPreTaxDeductions – totalTaxes – totalPostTaxDeductions;
if (netPay < 0) {
netPay = 0; // Net pay cannot be negative
}
// Display Results
document.getElementById("displayGrossPay").innerText = "$" + currentGrossPay.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displayPreTaxDeductions").innerText = "$" + totalPreTaxDeductions.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displayTaxableGross").innerText = "$" + taxableGross.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displayFederalTax").innerText = "$" + currentFederalTax.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displaySocialSecurityTax").innerText = "$" + currentSocialSecurityTax.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displayMedicareTax").innerText = "$" + currentMedicareTax.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displayStateTax").innerText = "$" + currentStateTax.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displayTotalTaxes").innerText = "$" + totalTaxes.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displayPostTaxDeductions").innerText = "$" + totalPostTaxDeductions.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displayNetPay").innerText = "$" + netPay.toFixed(2);
}
// Run calculation on page load with default values
window.onload = calculatePayroll;