This calculator works out federal income tax and FICA payroll tax on a US salary for 2026, then shows what is left. State income tax is not in here yet, so treat the result as your federal take-home before any state bill. Enter a gross salary and you get the tax band by band, the payroll deductions, and a monthly figure to budget against.
Income tax and employee contributions, 2026 rates.
| Breakdown | Amount |
|---|
Estimates for a single employee with standard allowances, calculated in your browser. Rates checked October 2026. Not tax advice.
Federal income tax is progressive. A single filer first takes the standard deduction of $16,100 for 2026, and only the income above that is taxed. The bands then climb from 10% on the first slice up to 37%, which only starts once taxable income passes $640,600. Nobody pays 37% on their whole salary. Each band applies to the slice of income inside it, which is why the effective rate on a payslip always lands well below the headline bracket.
Payroll tax sits on top and is simpler. Social Security takes 6.2% of wages, but only up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500, so high earners stop paying it part-way through the year. Medicare takes 1.45% with no cap, and an extra 0.9% kicks in on wages above $200,000 for a single filer. Your employer pays matching amounts on their side, which never show in your take-home.
| Taxable income band | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to $12,400 | 10% |
| $12,400 – $50,400 | 12% |
| $50,400 – $105,700 | 22% |
| $105,700 – $201,775 | 24% |
| $201,775 – $256,225 | 32% |
| $256,225 – $640,600 | 35% |
| Above $640,600 | 37% |
Bands apply to taxable income — what is left after the standard deduction (single filer) of $16,100.
| Gross salary | Income tax | Social | Take-home | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $890 | $1,913 | $22,198 | 11.2% |
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $3,825 | $42,355 | 15.3% |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $7,650 | $79,180 | 20.8% |
| $200,000 | $36,734 | $14,339 | $148,927 | 25.5% |
On $50,000 a year, take-home pay in United States is $42,355 — about $3,530 a month — after $3,820 in income tax and $3,825 in social contributions. Salary levels are the local equivalents of US$25,000 / $50,000 / $100,000 / $200,000 at the ECB reference rate of 28 October 2026, rounded.
| Contribution | Rate | Applies from | Applies up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Security | 6.2% | First $0 | $184,500 |
| Medicare | 1.45% | First $0 | No cap |
| Additional Medicare Tax | 0.9% | $200,000 | No cap |
Employee side only. Employer contributions, where a country charges them, do not come out of your pay and are not in these results.
The same salary under both tax systems, worked through at several income levels.
Compare them →The same salary under both tax systems, worked through at several income levels.
Compare them →The same salary under both tax systems, worked through at several income levels.
Compare them →The same salary under both tax systems, worked through at several income levels.
Compare them →The same salary under both tax systems, worked through at several income levels.
Compare them →The same salary under both tax systems, worked through at several income levels.
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