How US take-home pay is worked out
Your take-home (net) pay is your gross salary minus taxes. This calculator applies the 2025 federal income tax brackets after the standard deduction, plus FICA taxes Social Security (6.2% up to the wage base) and Medicare (1.45%, with an extra 0.9% on high earners).
What's not included
- State and local income tax these vary widely and some states have none.
- 401(k) or other pre-tax deductions, health insurance premiums and benefits.
- Tax credits (such as the Child Tax Credit) that could lower your bill.
Because of this, treat the result as a solid estimate of your federal position rather than an exact paycheck figure.
Marginal vs effective tax rate
Your marginal rate is the rate on your last dollar earned. Your effectiverate shown above is the average rate across all your income, and is always lower because the first portions of income are taxed at lower rates.