Federal withholding is estimated separately from payroll taxes. Social Security and Medicare are broken out so the paycheck statement is easier to read.
Tool 02
Paycheck planner
Estimate take-home pay with salary or hourly income, W-4 details, capped deductions, and a location flow that can grow into a full jurisdiction engine.
Gross Paycheck
Biweekly gross paycheck
$0
Taxes
Federal, state, and local tax
0.00%
$0
Federal0.00%$0
State0.00%$0
Local0.00%$0
FICA payroll taxes
Social Security and Medicare
0.00%
$0
Social Security0.00%$0
Medicare0.00%$0
Pre-tax deductions
401(k), HSA, insurance, and custom items
0.00%
$0
Post-tax deductions
After-tax benefits, Roth, and custom items
0.00%
$0
Take Home Salary
Estimated net pay after taxes and deductions
0.00%
$0
Each slice mirrors the statement rows, so the biggest drag on gross pay is easy to spot.
Estimator only. Federal withholding uses 2026 IRS percentage-method schedules; local tax coverage is driven by the available jurisdiction dataset and ZIP/county resolution.
Paycheck calculator guide
Estimate take-home pay after federal, state, local, FICA, and deductions
The ClearWorth paycheck calculator starts with annual salary or hourly pay, then estimates federal income tax, state tax, local wage tax where available, FICA payroll taxes, and user-entered pre-tax or post-tax deductions.
Updated May 12, 2026. Estimator only; verify payroll and tax decisions with official sources.
State estimates use built-in assumptions. ZIP and county matching is used where the starter local wage-tax dataset supports it.
Pre-tax and post-tax deductions can be entered as percentages, per-check amounts, monthly amounts, or annual amounts. 401(k) and HSA estimates respect annual caps.
How to get a better paycheck estimate
Use annual salary if you are salaried, or hourly mode if your hours vary. Then add deductions exactly how you think about them: annual insurance premiums, percentage retirement contributions, or per-check benefit costs.
- Choose the pay frequency on the results side to compare weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, monthly, and annual views.
- Enter ZIP code and confirm the city or county match when available.
- Use W-4 fields as planning inputs, not as a replacement for an official payroll election.
Why your paycheck differs from your salary
Gross pay is only the starting point. Federal withholding, state income tax, local taxes, Social Security, Medicare, benefit deductions, retirement contributions, and post-tax items can all pull money from the check before it reaches your bank account.
For a plain-English breakdown, read how to read your paycheck and how retirement account choices change taxes.
Is this a payroll guarantee?
No. This is a planning estimate. Actual payroll can differ because of employer systems, benefit elections, local rules, supplemental pay, tax credits, and year-to-date wages.
Why does Social Security stop increasing at high income?
Social Security tax applies only up to the annual wage base. Medicare tax continues beyond that and may include additional Medicare tax at higher incomes.
Are 401(k) contributions capped?
Yes. The calculator caps modeled employee contributions so a 100% election does not unrealistically reduce take-home pay to zero once the annual limit is reached.
Why might local tax be missing?
Local wage taxes are highly specific. ClearWorth uses the available ZIP/county dataset and calls out when a local estimate is not modeled.
Sources and research direction: IRS Tax Withholding Estimator, IRS employee withholding guidance, Social Security contribution and benefit base, and ClearWorth methodology notes.