Net Paycheck Calculator
Use this calculator to estimate your take-home pay (net pay) after various deductions and taxes are applied to your gross earnings. Understanding your paycheck is crucial for personal financial planning.
Understanding Your Paycheck
A paycheck calculator helps you estimate how much money you'll actually take home after all deductions and taxes are subtracted from your gross earnings. This "net pay" is the amount that gets deposited into your bank account or given to you as a physical check.
Key Components of Your Paycheck:
- Gross Pay: This is your total earnings before any deductions or taxes are taken out. It's calculated based on your hourly wage or annual salary and the number of hours worked or pay periods.
- Pay Frequency: How often you get paid (e.g., weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly). This affects how your annual salary is divided into individual paychecks.
- Pre-Tax Deductions: These are amounts subtracted from your gross pay before taxes are calculated. Common examples include contributions to a 401(k) or 403(b) retirement plan, health insurance premiums, and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) contributions. Because they reduce your taxable income, they can lower your overall tax liability.
- Taxes Withheld:
- Federal Income Tax: Money withheld by your employer and sent to the IRS. The amount depends on your income, filing status, and allowances claimed on your W-4 form. For this calculator, we use an estimated percentage.
- State Income Tax: Similar to federal tax, but for your state government. Not all states have income tax. For this calculator, we use an estimated percentage.
- Social Security Tax (FICA): A federal tax that funds Social Security benefits. It's typically 6.2% of your gross pay, up to an annual income limit.
- Medicare Tax (FICA): Another federal tax that funds Medicare. It's typically 1.45% of your gross pay, with no income limit.
- Post-Tax Deductions: These are amounts subtracted from your pay *after* taxes have been calculated. Examples include Roth 401(k) contributions, union dues, garnishments, or certain charitable contributions.
- Net Pay: This is your take-home pay – what's left after all pre-tax deductions, taxes, and post-tax deductions have been subtracted from your gross pay.
Why is this important?
Understanding your net pay helps you budget effectively, plan for savings, and ensure that your employer is withholding the correct amounts. If your net pay seems consistently lower or higher than expected, reviewing your W-4 form or consulting with your HR department can help clarify any discrepancies.
Example Calculation:
Let's say you earn $2,000 gross pay bi-weekly. Your estimated federal tax is 15%, state tax is 5%, you have $150 in pre-tax deductions (e.g., 401k, health insurance), and $20 in post-tax deductions (e.g., union dues).
- Gross Pay: $2,000.00
- Pay Frequency: Bi-Weekly (26 pay periods per year)
- Social Security Tax: $2,000 * 0.062 = $124.00
- Medicare Tax: $2,000 * 0.0145 = $29.00
- Taxable Gross Pay (for Federal/State): $2,000 – $150 (pre-tax deductions) = $1,850.00
- Federal Income Tax: $1,850 * 0.15 = $277.50
- State Income Tax: $1,850 * 0.05 = $92.50
- Total Deductions: $150 (pre-tax) + $124 (SS) + $29 (Medicare) + $277.50 (Federal) + $92.50 (State) + $20 (post-tax) = $693.00
- Net Pay: $2,000 – $693.00 = $1,307.00
Your estimated net pay for this bi-weekly period would be $1,307.00.
.paycheck-calculator-container {
font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
max-width: 700px;
margin: 20px auto;
padding: 25px;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 10px;
background-color: #ffffff;
box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05);
}
.paycheck-calculator-container h2 {
text-align: center;
color: #333;
margin-bottom: 25px;
font-size: 28px;
}
.paycheck-calculator-container h3 {
color: #444;
margin-top: 30px;
margin-bottom: 15px;
font-size: 22px;
}
.paycheck-calculator-container h4 {
color: #555;
margin-top: 20px;
margin-bottom: 10px;
font-size: 18px;
}
.calculator-form .form-group {
margin-bottom: 18px;
}
.calculator-form label {
display: block;
margin-bottom: 7px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #555;
font-size: 15px;
}
.calculator-form input[type="number"],
.calculator-form select {
width: calc(100% – 22px);
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 6px;
font-size: 16px;
box-sizing: border-box;
transition: border-color 0.3s;
}
.calculator-form input[type="number"]:focus,
.calculator-form select:focus {
border-color: #007bff;
outline: none;
box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.25);
}
.calculator-form small {
display: block;
margin-top: 5px;
color: #777;
font-size: 13px;
}
.calculator-form button {
width: 100%;
padding: 14px;
background-color: #28a745;
color: white;
border: none;
border-radius: 6px;
font-size: 18px;
font-weight: bold;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background-color 0.3s ease, transform 0.2s ease;
margin-top: 20px;
}
.calculator-form button:hover {
background-color: #218838;
transform: translateY(-1px);
}
.calculator-form button:active {
background-color: #1e7e34;
transform: translateY(0);
}
.calculator-result {
margin-top: 30px;
padding: 20px;
border: 1px solid #d4edda;
background-color: #e9f7ef;
border-radius: 8px;
font-size: 17px;
color: #155724;
line-height: 1.6;
}
.calculator-result p {
margin-bottom: 8px;
}
.calculator-result strong {
color: #0a3614;
}
.paycheck-article {
margin-top: 40px;
padding-top: 20px;
border-top: 1px solid #eee;
line-height: 1.7;
color: #333;
}
.paycheck-article ul {
list-style-type: disc;
margin-left: 20px;
padding-left: 0;
}
.paycheck-article ul li {
margin-bottom: 8px;
}
.paycheck-article ul ul {
list-style-type: circle;
margin-left: 25px;
}
function calculatePaycheck() {
var grossPay = parseFloat(document.getElementById("grossPay").value);
var payFrequencyMultiplier = parseFloat(document.getElementById("payFrequency").value);
var federalTaxPercentage = parseFloat(document.getElementById("federalTaxPercentage").value);
var stateTaxPercentage = parseFloat(document.getElementById("stateTaxPercentage").value);
var preTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById("preTaxDeductions").value);
var postTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById("postTaxDeductions").value);
// Validate inputs
if (isNaN(grossPay) || grossPay < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Gross Pay per Pay Period.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(federalTaxPercentage) || federalTaxPercentage 100) {
alert("Please enter a valid Federal Income Tax percentage (0-100).");
return;
}
if (isNaN(stateTaxPercentage) || stateTaxPercentage 100) {
alert("Please enter a valid State Income Tax percentage (0-100).");
return;
}
if (isNaN(preTaxDeductions) || preTaxDeductions < 0) {
alert("Please enter valid Pre-Tax Deductions.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(postTaxDeductions) || postTaxDeductions < 0) {
alert("Please enter valid Post-Tax Deductions.");
return;
}
// Social Security and Medicare Tax Rates (FICA)
var socialSecurityRate = 0.062; // 6.2%
var medicareRate = 0.0145; // 1.45%
// Calculate FICA taxes
var socialSecurityTax = grossPay * socialSecurityRate;
var medicareTax = grossPay * medicareRate;
// Calculate taxable gross pay for federal and state income tax
var taxableGrossPay = grossPay – preTaxDeductions;
if (taxableGrossPay < 0) {
taxableGrossPay = 0; // Ensure taxable gross doesn't go negative
}
// Calculate Federal and State Income Tax
var federalIncomeTax = taxableGrossPay * (federalTaxPercentage / 100);
var stateIncomeTax = taxableGrossPay * (stateTaxPercentage / 100);
// Calculate total deductions
var totalDeductions = preTaxDeductions + socialSecurityTax + medicareTax + federalIncomeTax + stateIncomeTax + postTaxDeductions;
// Calculate Net Pay
var netPay = grossPay – totalDeductions;
// Calculate Annual Figures
var annualGrossPay = grossPay * payFrequencyMultiplier;
var annualNetPay = netPay * payFrequencyMultiplier;
var annualTotalTaxes = (socialSecurityTax + medicareTax + federalIncomeTax + stateIncomeTax) * payFrequencyMultiplier;
var annualTotalDeductions = totalDeductions * payFrequencyMultiplier;
// Display results
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("paycheckResult");
resultDiv.innerHTML =
"
— Per Pay Period —" +
"Gross Pay:
$" + grossPay.toFixed(2) + "" +
"Pre-Tax Deductions:
$" + preTaxDeductions.toFixed(2) + "" +
"Social Security Tax:
$" + socialSecurityTax.toFixed(2) + "" +
"Medicare Tax:
$" + medicareTax.toFixed(2) + "" +
"Federal Income Tax:
$" + federalIncomeTax.toFixed(2) + "" +
"State Income Tax:
$" + stateIncomeTax.toFixed(2) + "" +
"Post-Tax Deductions:
$" + postTaxDeductions.toFixed(2) + "" +
"Total Deductions:
$" + totalDeductions.toFixed(2) + "" +
"
Net Pay: $" + netPay.toFixed(2) + "" +
"
— Annual Estimates —" +
"Annual Gross Pay:
$" + annualGrossPay.toFixed(2) + "" +
"Annual Total Taxes & Deductions:
$" + annualTotalDeductions.toFixed(2) + "" +
"Annual Net Pay:
$" + annualNetPay.toFixed(2) + "";
}
// Run calculation on page load with default values
window.onload = calculatePaycheck;