Good Paychecks answers one question well: how much of my pay will I actually take home?
How we calculate
Every calculator follows the method your employer’s payroll system uses:
- Federal income tax: the IRS percentage method in Publication 15-T for 2026, for both the current W-4 and the older allowance form.
- Social Security and Medicare: 2026 rates, the Social Security wage base and the Additional Medicare threshold.
- State income tax: each state’s own 2026 withholding formula and tables, including allowances, credits and supplemental rates.
- State payroll contributions: disability insurance, paid family leave, long-term care and unemployment shares where employees pay them.
- Local income taxes: in the cities, counties and school districts that levy them.
How we check
Most tax agencies publish worked examples in their withholding guides: “an employee paid $X biweekly, claiming …, has $Y withheld.” We turn every one of those examples into an automated test, and our calculations must match them to the cent before anything goes live. Each state page lists the official publications it is based on.
Your privacy
Calculations run in your browser. We never receive the numbers you type. See our privacy policy.