Calculate estimated federal income tax withholding for your Texas paycheck.
Weekly
Bi-weekly (Every two weeks)
Semi-monthly (Twice a month)
Monthly
Single
Married Filing Separately
Married Filing Jointly
Head of Household
Enter the total number from Step 4(c) on Form W-4. Higher numbers mean less tax withheld.
Optional: Enter any extra amount you want withheld each paycheck.
Your Estimated Federal Withholding: $0.00
Understanding Your Texas Paycheck Taxes
As a Texas resident, you enjoy the benefit of no state income tax. However, you are still subject to federal income tax withholding, which is calculated based on information you provide on your W-4 form. This calculator helps you estimate the federal income tax that will be withheld from your paycheck.
How Federal Income Tax is Calculated
Federal income tax withholding is an estimate of your annual tax liability. The IRS uses tax tables and formulas to determine how much should be withheld from each paycheck to get you close to your actual tax due by the end of the year. Key factors influencing withholding include:
Gross Pay: The total amount you earn before any deductions.
Pay Frequency: How often you receive your paycheck (weekly, bi-weekly, etc.). This determines the "annualization" of your income.
Filing Status: Your status for tax purposes (Single, Married Filing Jointly, etc.). This affects the tax brackets and standard deduction amounts used in calculations.
Allowances (from W-4): This is a simplification of your tax situation. More allowances generally mean lower withholding, while fewer allowances mean higher withholding. The IRS has moved away from the term "exemptions" towards "allowances" or "steps" on the W-4.
Additional Withholding: An optional amount you can specify to have withheld if you want to ensure you don't owe taxes at the end of the year or if you have other sources of income.
The Calculation Process (Simplified)
This calculator uses a simplified approach based on IRS withholding tables and guidelines. The general steps are:
Determine Annualized Income: Your per-paycheck gross pay is multiplied by the number of pay periods in a year based on your chosen frequency.
Weekly: Gross Pay * 52
Bi-weekly: Gross Pay * 26
Semi-monthly: Gross Pay * 24
Monthly: Gross Pay * 12
Adjust for Allowances: A portion of your income is effectively shielded from withholding based on your allowances. The IRS provides per-allowance amounts that are subtracted from your annualized income. For 2023/2024, this amount is roughly $4,700 per allowance (this figure can change annually).
Apply Standard Deduction: A standard deduction amount based on your filing status is subtracted from the adjusted income. This represents income that is not taxed. (e.g., approx. $13,850 for Single, $27,700 for Married Filing Jointly for 2023).
Calculate Taxable Income: The result after subtracting allowances and the standard deduction is your estimated taxable income for the year.
Apply Tax Brackets: This taxable income is then taxed using the federal income tax brackets for your filing status.
Annualize Tax: The calculated annual tax is divided by the number of pay periods in a year to determine the withholding amount per paycheck.
Add Additional Withholding: Any specified additional withholding amount is added to the calculated per-paycheck federal withholding.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides an *estimate* only. It is based on simplified IRS guidelines and does not account for all possible tax situations, such as other income sources, specific tax credits, or complex W-4 entries. For precise tax calculations or advice, consult a qualified tax professional or refer directly to IRS resources and publications.
function calculateTaxes() {
var grossPay = parseFloat(document.getElementById("grossPay").value);
var payFrequency = document.getElementById("payFrequency").value;
var filingStatus = document.getElementById("filingStatus").value;
var allowances = parseInt(document.getElementById("allowances").value);
var additionalWithholding = parseFloat(document.getElementById("additionalWithholding").value);
if (isNaN(grossPay) || grossPay < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Gross Pay.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(allowances) || allowances < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid number of Allowances.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(additionalWithholding) || additionalWithholding < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Additional Withholding amount.");
return;
}
var periodsPerYear;
switch (payFrequency) {
case "weekly":
periodsPerYear = 52;
break;
case "bi-weekly":
periodsPerYear = 26;
break;
case "semi-monthly":
periodsPerYear = 24;
break;
case "monthly":
periodsPerYear = 12;
break;
default:
periodsPerYear = 26; // Default to bi-weekly if something goes wrong
}
var annualizedGrossPay = grossPay * periodsPerYear;
// Simplified allowance deduction per year (approximation for 2023/2024 – subject to change)
// IRS Publication 15-T provides the exact tables and methods.
// This uses a simplified standard amount per allowance.
var allowanceAmountPerYear = 4700; // Approximate value per allowance
var totalAllowanceDeduction = allowances * allowanceAmountPerYear;
// Standard Deduction amounts (approximation for 2023 – subject to change)
var standardDeduction;
if (filingStatus === "married_filing_jointly" || filingStatus === "qualified_widow") {
standardDeduction = 27700;
} else if (filingStatus === "head_of_household") {
standardDeduction = 20800;
} else { // Single or Married Filing Separately
standardDeduction = 13850;
}
var estimatedTaxableIncome = annualizedGrossPay – totalAllowanceDeduction – standardDeduction;
// Ensure taxable income is not negative
if (estimatedTaxableIncome < 0) {
estimatedTaxableIncome = 0;
}
// — Simplified Tax Bracket Calculation (using 2023 single rates as a base example) —
// IMPORTANT: Real calculations use specific tables (IRS Pub 15-T).
// This is a highly simplified representation.
var annualTax = 0;
var taxRate1 = 0.10; // 10%
var taxRate2 = 0.12; // 12%
var taxRate3 = 0.22; // 22%
var taxRate4 = 0.24; // 24%
var taxRate5 = 0.32; // 32%
var taxRate6 = 0.35; // 35%
var taxRate7 = 0.37; // 37%
// Taxable income thresholds are different for each filing status.
// This simplification uses general bracket progression.
// Real calculation requires precise thresholds for the specific filing status.
if (filingStatus === "married_filing_jointly") {
// Example thresholds for MFJ 2023 (simplified)
if (estimatedTaxableIncome <= 22000) {
annualTax = estimatedTaxableIncome * taxRate1;
} else if (estimatedTaxableIncome <= 89450) {
annualTax = (22000 * taxRate1) + (estimatedTaxableIncome – 22000) * taxRate2;
} else if (estimatedTaxableIncome <= 190750) {
annualTax = (22000 * taxRate1) + (89450 – 22000) * taxRate2 + (estimatedTaxableIncome – 89450) * taxRate3;
} else if (estimatedTaxableIncome <= 364200) {
annualTax = (22000 * taxRate1) + (89450 – 22000) * taxRate2 + (190750 – 89450) * taxRate3 + (estimatedTaxableIncome – 190750) * taxRate4;
} else if (estimatedTaxableIncome <= 462500) {
annualTax = (22000 * taxRate1) + (89450 – 22000) * taxRate2 + (190750 – 89450) * taxRate3 + (364200 – 190750) * taxRate4 + (estimatedTaxableIncome – 364200) * taxRate5;
} else if (estimatedTaxableIncome <= 693750) {
annualTax = (22000 * taxRate1) + (89450 – 22000) * taxRate2 + (190750 – 89450) * taxRate3 + (364200 – 190750) * taxRate4 + (462500 – 364200) * taxRate5 + (estimatedTaxableIncome – 462500) * taxRate6;
} else {
annualTax = (22000 * taxRate1) + (89450 – 22000) * taxRate2 + (190750 – 89450) * taxRate3 + (364200 – 190750) * taxRate4 + (462500 – 364200) * taxRate5 + (693750 – 462500) * taxRate6 + (estimatedTaxableIncome – 693750) * taxRate7;
}
} else { // Single, Head of Household, MFS Simplified
// Example thresholds for Single 2023 (simplified)
if (estimatedTaxableIncome <= 11000) {
annualTax = estimatedTaxableIncome * taxRate1;
} else if (estimatedTaxableIncome <= 44725) {
annualTax = (11000 * taxRate1) + (estimatedTaxableIncome – 11000) * taxRate2;
} else if (estimatedTaxableIncome <= 95375) {
annualTax = (11000 * taxRate1) + (44725 – 11000) * taxRate2 + (estimatedTaxableIncome – 44725) * taxRate3;
} else if (estimatedTaxableIncome <= 182100) {
annualTax = (11000 * taxRate1) + (44725 – 11000) * taxRate2 + (95375 – 44725) * taxRate3 + (estimatedTaxableIncome – 95375) * taxRate4;
} else if (estimatedTaxableIncome <= 231250) {
annualTax = (11000 * taxRate1) + (44725 – 11000) * taxRate2 + (95375 – 44725) * taxRate3 + (182100 – 95375) * taxRate4 + (estimatedTaxableIncome – 182100) * taxRate5;
} else if (estimatedTaxableIncome <= 578125) {
annualTax = (11000 * taxRate1) + (44725 – 11000) * taxRate2 + (95375 – 44725) * taxRate3 + (182100 – 95375) * taxRate4 + (231250 – 182100) * taxRate5 + (estimatedTaxableIncome – 231250) * taxRate6;
} else {
annualTax = (11000 * taxRate1) + (44725 – 11000) * taxRate2 + (95375 – 44725) * taxRate3 + (182100 – 95375) * taxRate4 + (231250 – 182100) * taxRate5 + (578125 – 231250) * taxRate6 + (estimatedTaxableIncome – 578125) * taxRate7;
}
}
// Calculate withholding per paycheck
var federalWithholdingPerPaycheck = annualTax / periodsPerYear;
// Add any additional requested withholding
federalWithholdingPerPaycheck += additionalWithholding;
// Display the result, formatted to two decimal places
document.getElementById("result").innerHTML = "Your Estimated Federal Withholding: $" + federalWithholdingPerPaycheck.toFixed(2) + "";
}