Take-Home Pay Calculator
Your salary is a before-taxes number — your life runs on the after. See what actually lands in your account each paycheck once federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, and your 401(k) take their share.
Uses 2025 federal figures with the standard deduction and no other income. Health premiums, HSA/FSA, local taxes, and W-4 extras aren't modeled — your real stub will differ a little.
FICA runs on gross wages; federal income tax runs on what's left after your 401(k) and the standard deduction. That's why pre-tax saving shrinks your check by less than the contribution.
Now put the monthly number to work — build your budget on it →Ultimate Budget Workbook
Most budgets fail because they're built on the salary, not the paycheck. The workbook starts from your actual take-home and gives every dollar of it a job.
See the Budget Workbook →From salary to what actually lands
A $60,000 salary is not $5,000 a month — and the gap surprises almost everyone's first budget. Between FICA, federal withholding, state tax, and retirement contributions, the number on your offer letter and the number in your bank account are different currencies. This calculator converts between them.
The three quiet subtractions
Social Security takes 6.2% (up to an annual wage cap), Medicare takes 1.45% (plus 0.9% on very high wages), and federal income tax takes its bracket-by-bracket share of what remains after the standard deduction. Most states add their own slice on top — enter yours as a flat rate to get close.
The 401(k) discount
Traditional 401(k) money leaves your check before federal tax is calculated, so contributing $100 typically costs you $75–$90 of take-home, depending on your bracket. Slide the contribution up and watch the net change lag the contribution — that gap is tax you simply never pay. It's the closest thing personal finance has to a coupon.
Budget on the paycheck, not the salary
Every budgeting mistake gets easier to make when you start from gross. The monthly take-home number this tool gives you is the honest input for a 50/30/20 split, a debt payoff plan, or a savings goal — it's the amount that actually shows up.
How is take-home pay calculated from salary?
Start with gross pay, subtract pre-tax retirement contributions, then subtract federal income tax (2025 brackets after the standard deduction), Social Security (6.2% up to the annual wage cap), Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% on wages over $200,000), and any state income tax. What's left is your net — this calculator shows it per paycheck and per month.
Why is my paycheck so much smaller than my salary?
Three quiet subtractions: FICA taxes (7.65% for most people, covering Social Security and Medicare), federal income tax withholding, and in most states, state income tax. Together they commonly take 20–30% of gross pay for middle incomes. Retirement and health contributions reduce the check further — but that money is still yours.
Does contributing to a 401(k) lower my paycheck dollar-for-dollar?
No — traditional 401(k) contributions come out before federal income tax, so a $100 contribution typically shrinks your check by only $75–$90 depending on your bracket. The rest is tax you didn't pay. Move the contribution slider and compare the net change to the contribution amount to see your own discount.
How accurate is this take-home pay calculator?
It uses 2025 federal figures — brackets, standard deduction, and FICA rates and caps — and treats state tax as a simple flat rate you enter. It doesn't model health premiums, HSA/FSA, local taxes, credits, or W-4 adjustments, so treat it as a close planning estimate rather than a payroll stub.
Is this take-home pay calculator free?
Yes — free, no ads, no signup, and it runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or stored.