What is take-home pay?
Take-home (net) pay is what lands in your bank after federal income tax, FICA (Social Security and Medicare), state/local taxes and pre-tax deductions like 401(k) or HSA.
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Step 1 — Start from gross
Gross is your salary before taxes. For hourly workers: hourly rate × hours × pay periods. Use our hourly to salary calculator if needed.
Step 2 — Estimate federal income tax
The US uses progressive brackets. Filing status (single vs married jointly) changes the result. Our US paycheck calculator applies a simplified bracket model for education.
Step 3 — Add FICA
Social Security is 6.2% up to the wage base; Medicare is 1.45% (plus additional Medicare for high earners). Employers match these taxes separately.
Step 4 — State tax
Some states (TX, FL, WA) have no wage income tax. Others (CA, NY) are high. Always adjust the state % — see state calculators in the US paycheck hub.
Step 5 — Pre-tax benefits
401(k), traditional HSA and some premiums lower taxable wages. Roth contributions do not reduce current taxable income.
Educational content only — not tax or financial advice. Verify with IRS.gov or a CPA.