2026 take-home pay calculator
Enter one salary figure and see what actually reaches your account, with federal tax, Social Security and Medicare broken out and every bracket shown.
401(k), HSA and similar. These lower your taxable income but not the wages Social Security and Medicare are charged on.
Only the income inside each band is taxed at that band's rate. Moving into a higher bracket never reduces your take-home pay.
Federal and state income tax, Social Security and Medicare. This excludes local and municipal income taxes, itemized deductions, state tax credits and personal exemptions, so your actual withholding will differ.
Federal income tax for 2026 runs through seven brackets from 10% to 37%. On top of that, Social Security takes 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 and Medicare takes 1.45% with no cap. The standard deduction of $16,100 for a single filer comes off your income before any federal tax is calculated.
Cut your taxable income first
Pre-tax contributions are the most reliable lever most employees have. Money going into a traditional 401(k) reduces the income your federal tax is calculated on, and the 2026 limit is $24,500. Put a contribution figure into the calculator above and watch the federal line move. See what it grows into with the 401(k) calculator.
Your state changes the answer
9 states charge no income tax on wages at all, while California tops out at 13.3% and New York at 10.9%. Pick yours for a page with its brackets and reference figures.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between my marginal and average tax rate?
Your marginal rate is what you pay on your next dollar of income, meaning the rate of your top bracket. Your average rate is total tax divided by total income, and it is always lower. On an $85,000 salary the marginal federal rate is 22% but the average rate, once the standard deduction and the lower brackets are counted, is far below that.
Does moving into a higher tax bracket reduce my take-home pay?
No. Only the income above each threshold is taxed at the higher rate. A raise that pushes you into the next bracket still leaves you with more money; the higher rate applies only to the portion inside that bracket, never to your whole salary.
What is the standard deduction for 2026?
$16,100 for single filers and $32,200 for married couples filing jointly. Head of household is $24,150. Most filers take the standard deduction rather than itemizing.
Which states have no income tax?
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming do not tax ordinary wage income. Washington taxes capital gains above a threshold but not wages, and New Hampshire repealed its interest and dividends tax as of 2025. You still pay federal tax, Social Security and Medicare in all nine.
How much of my salary goes to Social Security and Medicare?
Social Security is 6.2% on wages up to $184,500 for 2026, above which it stops. Medicare is 1.45% on all wages with no cap, plus an extra 0.9% above $200,000 for single filers and $250,000 for joint filers.
Researching and writing about Canadian personal finance since 2026.
Last reviewed August 2026 · How we research
“Take-Home Pay Calculator 2026.” Vault Nerd, https://www.vaultnerd.com/tools/income-tax-calculator, updated August 2026.
- IRS: tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Revenue Procedure 2025-32)
- Social Security Administration: contribution and benefit base for 2026
- IRS Notice 2025-67: retirement plan limits for 2026