Take-Home Pay Calculator
What actually reaches your bank account after federal tax, FICA, state tax, and pre-tax deductions.
Where the money goes
| Gross salary | $85,000 |
| Pre-tax deductions | -$7,500 |
| Federal income tax | -$8,220 |
| Social Security | -$5,121 |
| Medicare | -$1,198 |
| State income tax | -$3,875 |
| Take-home pay | $59,086 |
Estimate for tax year 2026 using the standard deduction of $16,100 and IRS bracket tables. Your marginal rate is 22%, meaning that is the federal rate on your next dollar earned. Note that 401(k) contributions reduce income tax but not Social Security or Medicare, which many calculators get wrong. This ignores credits, itemized deductions, and local taxes, and it is not tax advice.
Take-home pay is gross salary minus pre-tax deductions, federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state tax. Federal tax applies to income after the standard deduction and runs through progressive brackets, so only the income inside each band is taxed at that band’s rate. Your marginal rate applies to the next dollar earned, not to everything you make.
Frequently asked questions
Is this an exact figure?
No, it is a planning estimate. It uses the standard deduction and current federal brackets, and ignores credits, itemized deductions, the alternative minimum tax, and local taxes. Employer withholding also follows IRS tables that may differ slightly from your final liability.
What is the difference between marginal and effective tax rate?
The marginal rate is what applies to your next dollar of income. The effective rate is total tax divided by total income, and it is always lower because earlier dollars are taxed in lower brackets. Someone in the 24% bracket typically has an effective federal rate closer to 15%.
Why is Social Security capped but Medicare is not?
Social Security taxes wages only up to an annual base that rises each year, because benefits are capped too. Medicare applies to all wages, with an additional 0.9% above $200,000 for single filers and $250,000 for joint filers.
How do I lower my taxable income?
Pre-tax retirement contributions, HSA contributions if eligible, and FSA elections all reduce taxable income directly. Each also has annual limits set by the IRS, and an HSA is uniquely triple tax advantaged if used for medical expenses.
Related tools
Calculators model hypothetical outcomes from the inputs you provide. They are informational only, not financial, investment, tax, or legal advice.