Paychecks Calculator

What is Paychecks Calculator?

Paychecks Calculator is a free take-home pay calculator for United States workers who want to see what a salary leaves after federal tax, state tax, and payroll deductions. The site also brands itself Paycheck Atlas and describes itself as an independent calculator website rather than a payroll processor, tax preparation service, or financial adviser.

How to use Paychecks Calculator?

1. Type your state or location and select from the 52 available location engines.
2. Enter your annual gross salary, or switch to the hourly calculator and add an hourly rate, regular hours, overtime hours, and paid weeks per year.
3. Choose a pay frequency: weekly, bi-weekly with 26 pay periods, semi-monthly with 24, or monthly with 12.
4. Pick a filing status of single or married filing separately, married filing jointly, or head of household.
5. Add a 401(k) percentage, other pre-tax amounts, and extra federal withholding, then read the result.

State-specific fields appear where they matter, such as DE 4 allowances for California.

What the estimate includes

• Federal income tax using the 2026 annualized percentage method from IRS Publication 15-T
• Social Security at 6.2 percent up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500
• Medicare at 1.45 percent, plus an additional 0.9 percent above $200,000
• State income tax for 50 states, Washington DC, and New York City
• State payroll programs such as California SDI at 1.3 percent and Washington Paid Leave

Results show biweekly net pay, an annualized figure, and a split between take-home pay, taxes, and deductions. The site also publishes 52 state and city calculators, an hourly calculator with an overtime rate of 1.5 times regular pay, and salary pages from $25,000 to $300,000.

Pricing for Paychecks Calculator

Every calculator is free and no sign-up is required. The site states that it provides paycheck estimates without requiring an account, and no paid tier is offered.

Frequently asked questions about Paychecks Calculator

Is the figure exact?

No. Results are informational estimates, and actual amounts vary with employer deductions, benefits, filing status, and individual circumstances. The site states that it is not payroll software, tax preparation, or legal advice.

Why does the same salary produce different take-home pay?

Location, filing status, deductions, and benefits all change the result, so the site states that no single tax percentage applies to every employee.

Are state taxes included?

Yes, state income tax appears as its own line. States without a broad individual wage tax, such as Texas, Florida, Nevada, Tennessee, and Washington, show zero for it, while Washington still applies covered payroll programs.