2026 paycheck calculator for hourly and salaried pay

Take-home pay is your gross pay minus federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and any state income tax. This calculator annualizes your pay (hourly rate × hours × 52 weeks, plus overtime at 1.5×), estimates each tax for the full year, and divides by the number of paychecks.

Federal income tax uses the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household) and the 2026 brackets from 10% to 37%. Only the income in each bracket is taxed at that bracket’s rate, so your effective rate is always lower than your top bracket.

Employees pay 6.2% Social Security tax on wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500, and 1.45% Medicare tax on all wages. Your employer pays a matching amount.

An additional 0.9% Medicare tax applies to wages above $200,000 for single and head of household filers ($250,000 for married filing jointly). Employers start withholding it once your wages pass $200,000, regardless of filing status, and any difference is settled on your tax return.

Biweekly pay comes every other week, for 26 paychecks a year. Semimonthly pay comes twice a month, usually on the 15th and last day, for 24 paychecks a year.

Your annual pay is the same either way, but each biweekly paycheck is smaller, and two months of the year include a third paycheck.

Overtime is taxed like regular wages: federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state tax all apply. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees earn at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek.

For tax years 2025 through 2028, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act lets eligible workers deduct the premium portion of qualified overtime (the extra “half”) on their federal return, up to $12,500 ($25,000 if married filing jointly). Your paycheck withholding doesn’t reflect that deduction automatically unless you adjust your Form W-4. Use our tips and overtime calculator to estimate it.

Real paychecks usually include pre-tax deductions such as 401(k) contributions, health insurance premiums, and HSA contributions, which lower your taxable wages. Your Form W-4 choices (dependents, other income, extra withholding) also change federal withholding.

Bonuses are often withheld at a flat 22% federal rate, some cities and counties add local income taxes, and a few states charge disability insurance on wages. Treat this calculator as an estimate and compare it with your pay stub.