15–35%
Typical total deduction range from gross pay
7.65%
FICA (employee portion) on every paycheck
$23,500
2025 401(k) employee contribution limit
26
Pay periods in a biweekly pay schedule
What reduces your gross pay
- Federal income tax withholding — based on your W-4 elections and gross income
- State income tax — from 0% in 9 states to over 13% in California
- Social Security tax — 6.2% on wages up to $176,100 (2025 wage base)
- Medicare tax — 1.45% on all wages; 0.9% additional on high earners
- Health, dental, and vision insurance premiums — often pre-tax, reducing taxable income
- 401(k) or 403(b) contributions — traditional contributions reduce federal and state taxable income
- HSA and FSA contributions — fully pre-tax, powerful for medical cost management
Pre-tax vs. post-tax deductions
Pre-tax deductions — traditional 401(k), health insurance, HSA contributions — are subtracted from your gross pay before federal and state income tax is calculated. This reduces your taxable income and lowers your tax bill. Post-tax deductions (Roth 401(k), life insurance above the employer-paid amount, garnishments) come out after taxes are calculated, so they don't reduce your tax burden.
How to use the take-home pay calculator
- Enter your annual gross salary
- Select your pay frequency (weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, monthly)
- Choose filing status and allowances
- Enter your state for state income tax calculation
- Add pre-tax deductions: 401(k) percentage, health insurance premium
- View your per-paycheck net pay and the annual breakdown by category
💡 Open enrollment tip
Run the calculator before and after adding a health insurance plan during open enrollment. A plan with a $200/month higher premium but lower deductible might only reduce your take-home by $140/month after the pre-tax benefit — making the math very different from the headline premium.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Budgeting based on gross salary rather than after-tax take-home
- Overlooking the tax benefit of pre-tax deductions when comparing benefit options
- Not updating your W-4 after major life events (marriage, new child, second job)
- Confusing biweekly (26 paychecks/year) with semi-monthly (24 paychecks/year) schedules
- Ignoring the Social Security wage base — once you hit $176,100, that 6.2% stops, boosting your check
Related calculators
The US Income Tax Calculator gives you the annual federal and state tax picture. Use the W-4 Withholding Calculator to make sure your paycheck withholding matches your expected year-end tax liability. If you're self-employed, the Self-Employment Tax Calculator shows you how the FICA math changes when you pay both employer and employee shares.