Netwise Paycheck Calculator

Netwise Paycheck Calculator estimates 2026 US take-home pay per paycheck and per year from a salary, an hourly wage, or gross pay per check. It is used by employees weighing a job offer, HR and recruiting teams explaining net pay, and small employers checking a payroll estimate.

Give the pay, pay frequency, filing status, and state. The result shows each line of the paycheck:

• Federal income tax withholding with the IRS Publication 15-T (2026) percentage method and Form W-4 inputs: filing status, the Step 2 box, Step 3 dependents, and Steps 4(a) to 4(c)
• Social Security at 6.2% up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500, Medicare at 1.45%, and the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax over $200,000, check by check through the year
• State income tax withholding for supported states, plus state employee payroll taxes such as California SDI, New York PFL, New Jersey FLI, and Washington Cares; New York City and Yonkers local tax on request
• Pre-tax 401(k), HSA, and health premiums, and Roth 401(k)
• Net pay per check and per year, effective tax rates, and the paycheck where Social Security stops

Two more tools build on the same rules. Compare two scenarios side by side, such as an offer in Texas against one in New York City, or a higher 401(k) rate. Or work backward from a take-home target to the salary or hourly rate that produces it.

The view shows a pay breakdown chart with a per-check or per-year toggle and editable inputs. Downloads: a PDF estimate and a CSV with one row per 2026 paycheck.

Example: "What is $85,000 a year biweekly after taxes in California, single?"

Limitations: results are estimates for tax year 2026, not pay stubs, payroll, or tax advice. States without a verified 2026 method are marked as not included. Most city, county, and school district taxes, bonuses and supplemental wages, tips, and self-employment tax are not modeled. It does not compare cost of living or benefits.