On $3,000 every two weeks, single, with a 5% pre-tax 401(k), the take-home pay is $2,333.12 a paycheck. That is $60,661 a year after $7,472 federal tax, $4,836 Social Security and $1,131 Medicare.
What this calculates
Enter your gross pay for one paycheck, how often you are paid, your filing status, your 401(k) share and your state's income tax rate. This works out the federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax, and the take-home pay for each paycheck and for the year. The brackets, standard deductions and limits are for 2026, from the IRS, and the Social Security wage base is from the SSA. They are reviewed each year.
The formula
Federal tax
tax = (gross − 401(k) − standard deduction) through the bracketsPayroll taxes
Social Security = 6.2% × gross up to the wage base · Medicare = 1.45% × gross (+ 0.9% over $200,000)Take-home
take-home = gross − 401(k) − federal − Social Security − Medicare − stateThe year is worked out first and each paycheck is the year divided by the number of pay periods: 52 weekly, 26 every two weeks, 24 twice a month and 12 monthly.
Worked example
When to use it, and the mistakes to avoid
Use it to check an offer, to see what a bigger 401(k) contribution costs in take-home pay, or to plan a budget by paycheck.
The mistakes that cost the most:
- Expecting the 401(k) to lower FICA. Social Security and Medicare are charged on the full gross.
- Using the wrong filing status. It changes the standard deduction and every bracket.
- Forgetting state tax. Enter your state's rate or the estimate will run high.
- Reading a bracket rate as your whole tax rate. Each rate applies only to its slice.
- Treating it as your W-4 withholding. Your employer's figures can differ; check your pay stub.
FAQ
How is a US paycheck calculated?
From your gross pay, a pre-tax 401(k) is taken out first. Federal income tax is worked on the rest after the standard deduction, Social Security is 6.2% and Medicare 1.45% of your full gross pay, and your state may tax what is left. On $3,000 every two weeks with a 5% 401(k), single, that leaves $2,333.12.
Does a 401(k) contribution lower my taxes?
A traditional pre-tax 401(k) lowers the pay your federal income tax and, usually, state income tax are worked on, so you owe less each year. It does not lower Social Security or Medicare, which are charged on the full gross pay. Your take-home falls by less than the contribution because of the tax you save.
Why is my real paycheck different from this?
Employers withhold using the W-4 you filed and the IRS withholding tables, which can add or remove extra amounts for dependants, a second job or credits. Health insurance, an HSA and local taxes also come out of many paychecks. This spreads the year's tax evenly, so use it as a close estimate and check your pay stub.
What happens to Social Security on a high salary?
Social Security tax stops once your pay for the year reaches the wage base, $184,500 for 2026, so later paychecks carry none and are larger. Medicare has no limit, and an extra 0.9% applies to pay over $200,000. The paycheck shown is the year's average.
Does it include state income tax?
Only the rate you enter. States differ widely, and nine have no income tax on wages, so enter your state's rate as a percentage, or 0 if there is none. The rate is applied to your pay after the 401(k). Local and city taxes, and state payroll deductions such as disability insurance, are not included.