Paycheck predictor
How much of your hourly + tips do you actually keep?
Real 2026 federal brackets, FICA, and your state rate. Enter your weekly numbers — get your projected annual take-home and your per-paycheck net.
Your numbers
Enter a typical week. The calculator annualizes by ×52.
Federal tipped minimum is $2.13/hr
Average net tips per week after tip-out
0% for AK, FL, NV, NH, SD, TN, TX, WA, WY
What this calculator does
It estimates your federal income tax, Social Security tax, Medicare tax, and a flat state tax from your weekly hourly + tip income, annualized over 52 weeks. The math:
- Gross annual = (hourly wage × hours × 52) + (weekly tips × 52)
- Taxable income = Gross − standard deduction for your filing status
- Federal income tax = applied progressively through the 2026 brackets (10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, 37%)
- Social Security = 6.2% on the first $176,100 of gross (the 2026 wage base)
- Medicare = 1.45% on all gross (Additional Medicare 0.9% over $200K single / $250K joint not modeled)
- State tax = your entered rate × taxable income
2026 federal brackets (single)
- 10% on the first $12,400 of taxable income
- 12% on $12,401 to $50,400
- 22% on $50,401 to $107,500
- 24% on $107,501 to $205,300
- 32% on $205,301 to $260,900
- 35% on $260,901 to $652,250
- 37% above $652,250
Brackets for married filing jointly are roughly double; head-of-household sits between. The calculator handles all three.
FAQ
Does this include state income tax?
It applies a flat state rate that you enter. For real progressive state brackets (California, New York, etc.) the actual liability will differ slightly. Set the rate to 0 for the nine no-income-tax states: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.
Are tips taxed differently than wages?
No. Tips are taxed at the same rates as your regular wages — federal, FICA (Social Security + Medicare), and state. The IRS treats reported tips as ordinary wage income. If your employer doesn't withhold enough to cover the tip portion, you'll owe at tax time.
What's FICA?
FICA is the combined 7.65% payroll tax: 6.2% Social Security (up to the $176,100 wage base for 2026) plus 1.45% Medicare. Your employer matches this with another 7.65%, so 15.3% goes to FICA in total. Self-employed workers pay the whole 15.3% themselves — see our SE tax calculator for that.
Why does the standard deduction get subtracted before tax?
Federal income tax is calculated on your taxable income, which is gross income minus the standard deduction (or itemized deductions). For 2026, the standard deduction is $15,750 for single filers, $31,500 for married filing jointly, and $23,625 for head of household.
How accurate is this?
It applies the published 2026 federal brackets, the FICA caps, and your state rate to your annualized income. It does not model 401(k) contributions, HSA, FSA, child tax credits, EITC, additional Medicare tax (above $200K single / $250K joint), or local taxes. For an exact paycheck, ask your employer for the W-4 calculation or consult a tax pro.