Estimate annual federal take-home pay from one employee's W-2 wages. Select a filing status and view an average paycheck amount with the 2026 IRS income-tax tables and Social Security/Medicare rates.
Your paycheck details
This is a federal annual tax liability estimate. It does NOT reproduce actual Form W-4 withholding or state/local taxes, nor check your benefit deductions. Pay periods are averages, not actual payslips.
Your estimated take-home
Average net pay — every 2 weeks (26/year)$2,504.23Estimated net annual wages: $65,110.00
Calculation breakdown · 2026
Annual gross pay$80,000.00
2026 standard deduction$16,100.00
Estimated federal taxable wages$63,900.00
Federal income tax (annual liability)$8,770.00
Employee Social Security (6.2%, up to $184,500)$4,960.00
Medicare (1.45%)$1,160.00
Additional Medicare (if applicable)$0.00
Other after-tax deductions you entered$0.00
Annual estimated take-home$65,110.00
2026 federal income tax + employee FICA$14,890.00
A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
How to estimate a 2026 paycheck
01
Enter ONE worker's annual taxable W-2 gross wages. Do not combine both spouses' salaries in a single FICA estimate: each earner has a separate Social Security wage base.
02
Choose filing status. The estimate subtracts the 2026 ordinary standard deduction before using the IRS 2026 progressive federal tax brackets. A joint-filer scenario assumes this worker is the household's only earner.
03
Employee Social Security is 6.2% on up to $184,500; regular Medicare is 1.45% of wages, plus Additional Medicare tax above applicable filing-status thresholds.
04
Choose an average pay frequency and separately enter any estimated yearly state tax, city tax or after-tax benefit deductions. Compare the projection with your employer's payroll or IRS Tax Withholding Estimator.
Understand the limits
Not a state-specific or actual payroll withholding calculator. Excludes state and local income tax unless you enter it, child tax credits, spouse income, overtime effects, itemized deductions, W-4 entries, pre-tax 401(k)/HSA/health benefits, Social Security income exceptions, and other taxes. Additional Medicare uses a yearly filing-status illustration and may differ from employer withholding. Assumes under-65 regular standard deduction, single job and no other income. Negative estimated net pay after deductions is possible if you enter too-large costs.
Common questions
Is the biweekly amount my exact paycheck?
No. It is estimated annual take-home divided by 26. Actual paycheck withholding depends on your W-4 and payroll-period calculations.
Does this automatically calculate state taxes?
No. States and cities use different rules. Enter an independently checked total annual deduction in the optional field if you need a rough net-after-state figure.
Are Social Security and Medicare taxes the same as income tax?
No. FICA is calculated on covered wages, subject to its own wage base and rate rules. Federal income tax uses separate tax brackets and deductions.
Official 2026 tax references
These sources apply to tax year 2026. Review your individual filing situation before relying on the estimate.
US paycheck planning: federal tax, FICA and pay periods explained
Use this calculator if you have a salaried W-2 job and want a federal-only estimate of how an annual wage translates into an average weekly, biweekly, semimonthly or monthly check. It deliberately does not imitate an employer's paycheck system or your personal Form W-4.
01
What does a payroll tax calculation include?
The federal income-tax estimate applies the 2026 standard deduction and progressive brackets for the filing status you choose. An under-65 worker with only this salary is assumed; taxable interest, deductions, spouse wages and credits can substantially alter the actual tax.
FICA is a different set of employee payroll taxes. Regular Social Security is 6.2% of covered wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Medicare is 1.45% on covered wages, with Additional Medicare potentially applying above filing-status income thresholds. These items are separate from federal income tax.
02
Why filing status is not the same as pay frequency
Filing status affects tax deductions, income bands and some thresholds. Pay frequency simply changes how the calculator spreads an annual estimate into example checks: 52 weekly, 26 biweekly, 24 semimonthly or 12 monthly checks.
A couple filing jointly with two wage earners should not put their combined salary into this one-worker model: each employee has an independent Social Security wage base. This tool's married-filing-jointly choice is for a one-earner illustrative household.
03
A job-offer example to try
Enter $80,000 annual wages, select Single and view the average net biweekly amount. Then switch to monthly to see the same annual net divided by 12. The underlying federal tax does not change merely because you switched pay-period display.
If you know an approximate annual state tax or after-tax benefit deduction from another source, enter it as 'other annual after-tax deductions' to compare budgeting outcomes. Do not subtract pre-tax 401(k), employer health benefits or HSA contributions here without a detailed payroll model.
04
Why your real paycheck can differ
Your employer usually calculates withholding using your W-4 details and payroll periods, not an annual liability divided evenly. Bonuses, overtime, two jobs, tax credits, pretax deductions, employer insurance and state/city laws change the answer.
The amount shown is not a tax refund forecast or an IRS tax return. For an actual withholding estimate, use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator and compare with your paystub before changing a W-4.
Educational planning only. Verify relevant official records and lender or tax documents before making decisions.