California has one of the most progressive state income tax systems in the United States. The amount you owe depends on your filing status, taxable income, and any pre‑tax contributions such as 401(k) plans. This calculator provides a quick estimate of your take‑home pay after accounting for:
State Income Tax – Calculated using the 2023 California tax brackets. The tax is applied progressively, meaning each portion of your income is taxed at the rate for its bracket.
Social Security Tax – 6.2 % of wages up to the annual wage base limit ($160,200 for 2023).
Medicare Tax – 1.45 % of all wages (no wage base limit).
Pre‑Tax Deductions – Contributions to retirement accounts (e.g., 401(k)) reduce your taxable income for both state and federal calculations.
California State Income Tax Brackets (2023 – Single)
Income Range ($)
Rate
0 – 10,099
1 %
10,100 – 23,942
2 %
23,943 – 37,788
4 %
37,789 – 52,455
6 %
52,456 – 66,295
8 %
66,296 – 338,639
9.3 %
338,640 – 406,364
10.3 %
406,365 – 677,275
11.3 %
677,276 – 1,000,000
12.3 %
Over 1,000,000
13.3 %
How the Calculator Works
Enter your gross salary and any pre‑tax deductions. The calculator subtracts the deductions from the gross salary to determine your taxable income.
Select your filing status. For simplicity, the calculator currently uses the single‑filing brackets; married filing jointly uses the same rates but with doubled bracket thresholds.
The script then:
Applies the progressive California tax rates to compute the state tax.
Calculates Social Security (6.2 % up to $160,200) and Medicare (1.45 %).
Subtracts all taxes from the gross salary to produce the net annual pay.
The results are displayed in a clear, highlighted box for easy reference.
When to Use This Calculator
This tool is ideal for:
Employees estimating their take‑home pay after a salary increase.
Job seekers comparing offers from California‑based employers.
Financial planners helping clients understand the impact of pre‑tax contributions on state tax liability.
Remember, this is an estimate. For precise tax planning, consider additional factors such as federal taxes, local city taxes, credits, and deductions.
function calculateTax(){
var salary = parseFloat(document.getElementById('grossSalary').value);
var deduction = parseFloat(document.getElementById('preTaxDeduction').value);
var status = document.getElementById('filingStatus').value;
if(isNaN(salary) || salary<=0){
alert('Please enter a valid gross salary.');
return;
}
if(isNaN(deduction) || deductionsalary){
alert('Pre‑tax deductions cannot exceed gross salary.');
return;
}
var taxable = salary – deduction;
// California state tax (progressive)
var brackets = [
{limit:10100, rate:0.01},
{limit:23943, rate:0.02},
{limit:37789, rate:0.04},
{limit:52456, rate:0.06},
{limit:66296, rate:0.08},
{limit:338640, rate:0.093},
{limit:406365, rate:0.103},
{limit:677276, rate:0.113},
{limit:1000000, rate:0.123},
{limit:Infinity, rate:0.133}
];
// Adjust brackets for married filing jointly (double thresholds)
if(status==='married'){
for(var i=0;i<brackets.length;i++){
if(brackets[i].limit!==Infinity){
brackets[i].limit = brackets[i].limit*2;
}
}
}
var remaining = taxable;
var previousLimit = 0;
var stateTax = 0;
for(var i=0;i<brackets.length;i++){
var cap = brackets[i].limit;
if(remaining<=0) break;
var portion = Math.min(remaining, cap-previousLimit);
stateTax += portion * brackets[i].rate;
remaining -= portion;
previousLimit = cap;
}
// Social Security Tax (6.2% up to $160,200)
var ssWageBase = 160200;
var ssTaxable = Math.min(salary, ssWageBase);
var ssTax = ssTaxable * 0.062;
// Medicare Tax (1.45% on all wages)
var medicareTax = salary * 0.0145;
var netPay = salary – (stateTax + ssTax + medicareTax);
// Round to two decimals
stateTax = Math.round(stateTax*100)/100;
ssTax = Math.round(ssTax*100)/100;
medicareTax = Math.round(medicareTax*100)/100;
netPay = Math.round(netPay*100)/100;
document.getElementById('stateTax').innerText = stateTax.toLocaleString();
document.getElementById('ssTax').innerText = ssTax.toLocaleString();
document.getElementById('medicareTax').innerText = medicareTax.toLocaleString();
document.getElementById('netPay').innerText = netPay.toLocaleString();
document.getElementById('result').style.display = 'block';
}