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How much of my paycheck do I actually take home?
Written by Elizabeth Stein
Calculation version: 2026-federal-1. Reference year: 2026.
Source links checked: . This check confirms the linked material is available and relevant. It does not verify every figure or calculation in this lab.
Sampled calculation review on 2026-10-18 by Codex (internal AI-assisted verification), for version 2026-federal-1. This is not independent or professional approval.
Review scope: 2026 CA sample, standard-deduction floor, payroll wage and retirement caps. Flat state rates and equal monthly pay remain estimates; this is not W-4 withholding verification.
Five things come out before the money reaches you: federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security (6.2% of wages up to $184,500 in 2026), Medicare (1.45%), and any deductions you choose, such as health premiums or a 401(k) contribution. This lab shows each one as its own line so you can see which is largest.
Ten: California, New York, Texas, Florida, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Each uses one flat state rate, while real states use brackets, and local taxes are not included. California's state disability insurance is. Treat the result as an estimate to plan with, not a payroll calculation.
A traditional 401(k) contribution lowers the income that federal and state tax apply to, so take-home pay falls by less than the amount you contribute. It does not lower Social Security or Medicare tax. Health premiums paid through an employer plan do skip those two taxes as well. Change the percentage in the lab and read the difference.
Monthly, not annual. $70,000 a year is about $5,833 here.
Pre-tax deduction that reduces your taxable income
A percent of gross pay that leaves before take-home. It lowers taxable pay. It is not a guaranteed gain.
$3,
Compare these deductions with one pay stub.
This is still the sample. Change a number to see your own.
Take-home is 67.8% of gross in this estimate. Your $250 is retirement saving, not a tax. It leaves before the deposit.
State tax is simplified. Health insurance and 401(k) use the deductions shown in the lab. Your pay stub may differ.
Chapter 1 explains gross pay, deductions and take-home. Your monthly gross stays in this browser for its paycheck example.
Continue to chapter 1Chapters 1 to 3 are free. No account needed.
Compare plansFig. 1. Where one month of gross pay goes. Each slice is a share of gross, and the largest is what you keep.
Educational estimate for 2026, assuming twelve equal pay months and the standard deduction. State income tax uses one illustrative flat rate per state, not the state brackets, so it can be well above or below the tax you owe. Credits, W-4 elections, additional Medicare tax, retirement contribution limits, and state leave programs outside California are not modeled. The health premium is assumed to come out before income tax and payroll tax (Social Security, Medicare and California SDI), as through most employer plans. Your pay stub may differ. IRS tax tables · Social Security limit · California SDI
Federal and state income tax take 14.6% of your gross pay. Payroll tax is counted separately.
Pre-tax deductions lower this number, and yours are already in the estimate.
Social Security: $298 (6.2%)
Medicare: $70 (1.45%)
These payroll taxes fund your future benefits. Social Security provides retirement income, while Medicare covers healthcare after age 65.
You're saving $3,000 a year toward retirement.
That is under 10% of gross.
Your take-home is 67.8% of gross.
At or below 70% of gross. Withholding, an HSA, a transit benefit, and a flexible spending account each change this figure.