Salary Deduction Calculator (Pre-Tax & Post-Tax Deductions Tool)
Deduction Calculator USA 2026 - Paycheck Deductions After Tax
See Every Dollar Leaving Your Paycheck
Enter your gross pay and get a full breakdown: federal tax, state tax, Social Security, Medicare, 401(k), health insurance, and your actual take-home pay. Covers all 50 states, 2026 IRS rates.
Who This Tool Is For
Salaried Employees
See how much of your annual salary actually reaches your bank account after all deductions.
Hourly Workers
Calculate net pay from your hourly rate. Use our hourly to salary calculator first to get your annual gross.
Job Seekers
Evaluating a job offer? Convert the offered salary to take-home pay before you accept. Pair this with our gross to net calculator.
Career Switchers
Changing jobs or moving states? This tool shows the real impact on your take-home when tax rates change.
New Employees
Starting a new job and filling out your W-4? Estimate your withholding before your first paycheck arrives. Also check the W-4 calculator.
HR and Payroll Pros
Quickly verify deduction logic or illustrate paycheck components to employees. Also see our payroll calculator.
Paycheck Deduction Calculator
Enter your pay details to see a full deduction breakdown for 2026.
Full Deduction Breakdown
Where Your Paycheck Goes
Insights for Your Situation
Annual Summary
| Deduction Category | Per Period | Annual Total | % of Gross |
|---|
Results are estimates based on 2026 IRS rates and state averages. Actual withholding depends on your W-4 elections, employer plan details, and local taxes. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
How This Calculator Works
Enter Your Gross Pay
Input your pay before any deductions, along with your pay frequency and state. Gross pay is the starting number on every paycheck.
Apply Pre-Tax Deductions
Traditional 401(k), HSA, FSA, and employer health insurance premiums are subtracted first. This reduces your taxable wages, which lowers your federal and state income tax.
Calculate Federal Tax
Using 2026 IRS tax brackets and your filing status, we apply the standard deduction and calculate the marginal federal income tax on your annual taxable wages. The result is divided by your pay periods to get a per-paycheck amount.
Calculate FICA and State Tax
Social Security (6.2% up to $184,500) and Medicare (1.45% with additional 0.9% above $200,000) are applied to your gross pay. State income tax is calculated using your state's published 2026 rates.
Apply Post-Tax Deductions
Roth 401(k), life insurance, and any garnishments are subtracted after taxes. These do not reduce your tax bill.
Calculate Your Take-Home Pay
What remains after all mandatory and voluntary deductions is your net pay. The tool shows this per period and annualized so you can plan your budget.
Key Deduction Information for 2026
2026 Federal Tax Brackets (Single)
| Rate | Taxable Income |
|---|---|
| 10% | Up to $12,400 |
| 12% | $12,401 to $50,400 |
| 22% | $50,401 to $105,700 |
| 24% | $105,701 to $201,775 |
| 32% | $201,776 to $256,225 |
| 35% | $256,226 to $640,600 |
| 37% | Over $640,600 |
Standard deduction (single): $16,100. These are marginal rates. Only income within each bracket is taxed at that rate. Source: IRS.gov
2026 FICA Tax Rates
| Tax | Rate | Wage Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security | 6.2% | $184,500 |
| Medicare | 1.45% | No limit |
| Add. Medicare | 0.9% | Above $200,000 |
FICA applies to gross wages before pre-tax deductions (with some exceptions for HSA/FSA). Source: SSA.gov
Pre-Tax vs. Post-Tax Deductions
Pre-tax deductions reduce your adjusted gross income before federal and state taxes are calculated. This gives you an immediate tax benefit each paycheck. The most common pre-tax benefits include traditional 401(k) contributions, employer health insurance premiums, HSA contributions, and FSA contributions.
Post-tax deductions like Roth 401(k) contributions do not reduce your taxable income now, but your withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. For a full comparison, see our pre-tax deduction calculator and post-tax deduction calculator.
States With No Income Tax (2026)
Nine states impose no personal income tax on wages: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. New Hampshire and Tennessee tax only investment income (dividends and interest), not wages.
If you work in one of these states, your take-home pay will be noticeably higher than in high-tax states like California, New York, or Oregon. Use the state selector above to compare.
Real Paycheck Examples
These examples show estimated per-paycheck deductions for common US salary levels in 2026. Assumes biweekly pay, single filing status, standard deduction, with a $200/period traditional 401(k) contribution.
Effective federal rate: ~6%. No state tax assumed.
Effective federal rate: ~11.4%. California state tax estimated.
Effective federal rate: ~14.7%. New York state tax estimated.
These are estimates for illustration only. Use the calculator above for your exact figures. Compare with our take-home pay calculator and federal tax calculator for additional breakdowns.
Frequently Asked Questions
A paycheck deduction is any amount subtracted from your gross pay before you receive your check. Deductions fall into two categories: mandatory (federal taxes, state taxes, Social Security, Medicare) and voluntary (401(k), health insurance, HSA, FSA). Pre-tax deductions reduce your taxable income, lowering your overall tax bill.
For 2026, the IRS uses seven marginal tax brackets: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%. The income thresholds depend on your filing status. For single filers, the 10% bracket applies to the first $12,400 of taxable income after the standard deduction. These brackets were adjusted upward by about 2-4% for inflation compared to 2025.
Social Security is 6.2% on wages up to $184,500 in 2026. Medicare is 1.45% on all wages with no cap. If your wages exceed $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly), an Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% applies to the amount above that threshold. These are your employee shares; your employer pays a matching amount.
For 2026, the standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers and married filing separately, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for head of household. This deduction is subtracted from your gross income before tax brackets are applied. The 2026 standard deduction increased by $1,500 (single) and $3,000 (married filing jointly) compared to 2025.
Yes, for a traditional 401(k). Your contribution is subtracted from your gross pay before federal and most state income taxes are calculated, reducing your taxable income that pay period. Roth 401(k) contributions are post-tax and do not reduce taxable income now, but withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. Use our paycheck after 401(k) calculator to model the savings impact.
Nine states have no state income tax on wages: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire (wages only), South Dakota, Tennessee (wages only), Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. All other states have state income tax ranging from under 1% (North Dakota) to over 13% (California for high earners). Select your state in the calculator above to see the estimated impact.
Pre-tax deductions (traditional 401(k), HSA, FSA, employer health/dental/vision premiums) are subtracted from your gross pay before taxes are calculated. They reduce your taxable income and save you money on taxes each pay period. Post-tax deductions (Roth 401(k), life insurance, wage garnishments) are taken out after all taxes have been withheld. They do not affect your current tax liability.
This calculator uses official 2026 IRS federal tax brackets, standard deductions, and FICA rates from the IRS and Social Security Administration. State tax estimates use published 2026 state rates. Results are reliable estimates for planning purposes. Your actual paycheck may differ based on your W-4 allowances and additional withholding, employer-specific benefit costs, local or city taxes, and mid-year income changes.
Data Sources
This calculator uses official 2026 US tax data. All rates and thresholds come from primary government sources.
- IRS 2026 Tax Inflation Adjustments (federal brackets, standard deduction)
- Social Security Administration - 2026 Social Security Wage Base ($184,500)
- IRS Topic 751 - Social Security and Medicare Withholding Rates
- US Department of Labor - Wage Garnishments
- IRS - 401(k) and Retirement Plan Contribution Limits
State income tax rates are sourced from individual state revenue department publications. Rates reflect best available 2026 figures. State rate tables are estimates for withholding guidance and may not reflect all state-specific credits or adjustments.
Your Privacy
This calculator runs entirely in your browser. No income, salary, or personal data is ever transmitted to any server, stored in a database, or shared with third parties. All calculations happen locally using JavaScript. We do not collect, track, or log any information you enter into this tool.
This tool was developed and reviewed for calculation accuracy and usability by Eman Ali Mughal. All 2026 tax rates, FICA figures, and state tax estimates are sourced from official US government publications.