Federal Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare withholding for 2026 — enter your pay details below to see exactly what’s deducted from every paycheck.
Enter your pay details
How this calculator works
This tool estimates your federal payroll withholding using the official 2026 IRS tax brackets and standard deductions, released under Revenue Procedure 2025-32. It does not include state or local income tax — use one of our state-specific calculators for that.
Taxable wages
We subtract your pre-tax deductions and the 2026 standard deduction from your annual gross pay to get your federal taxable income.
Federal income tax
Your taxable income is run through the seven 2026 tax brackets (10% to 37%) based on your filing status.
FICA taxes
Social Security is withheld at 6.2% up to the $184,500 wage base, and Medicare at 1.45%, plus 0.9% on income above the additional Medicare threshold.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the 2026 federal standard deduction?
$16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for head of household — each up from 2025 due to inflation adjustments under Revenue Procedure 2025-32.
Does 401(k) reduce my Social Security tax?
No. Traditional 401(k) contributions lower your federal taxable income, but Social Security and Medicare are still calculated on your full gross wages.
What is the Social Security wage base for 2026?
$184,500. Once your year-to-date wages cross this amount, Social Security withholding stops for the rest of the year, capping the tax at $11,439.
When does the extra 0.9% Medicare tax apply?
It kicks in on wages above $200,000 for single and head-of-household filers, and above $250,000 for married couples filing jointly.