Your Paycheck
What actually lands in your account, and where the rest of it goes.
2026 federal figures · 2025 state tables · estimate only
Federal brackets, the standard deduction, the Social Security wage base and the 401(k) limit are 2026 figures. State income tax uses 2025 rates and brackets, and no city or local tax is modeled. If you are in New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania or Maryland, your real deduction will be larger. Head-of-household filers get single-filer treatment at the state level only. Commuter and parking benefits are modeled as fully pre-tax; the IRS's monthly limit on that exclusion is not enforced here. Withholding is not the same thing as what you finally owe: credits, other income, and anything unusual in your situation are not modeled here. Check a real pay stub before making plans.
Job Details
Deductions
per paycheck unless noted401(k), traditional percent of gross, pre-tax | % |
401(k), extra dollars flat amount per check | $ |
401(k), Roth after tax, per check | $ |
HSA pre-tax, skips FICA too | $ |
Commuter & parking pre-tax, skips FICA too — IRS monthly limit not modeled | $ |
Health premium your share, pre-tax | $ |
Dental + vision your share, pre-tax | $ |
ESPP after tax, per check | $ |
Other after tax, not counted as withholding | $ |
Extra withholding after tax, counted as tax withheld — W-4 line 4(c) | $ |
What-If & Paycheck Comparison
Compare take-home pay on raises, extra overtime, or a 1-time yearly bonus.
Select a quick raise preset above or enter custom numbers to view immediate net take-home differences without changing your main paycheck.
You keep about 63 cents of every dollar you earn.
Paystub Details
Every two weeks · 26 pay periods a year| Line | This check | Per year | % of gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $3,692.31 | $96,000 | 100.0% |
| 401(k), traditional | -$295.38 | -$7,680 | 8.0% |
| HSA | -$150.00 | -$3,900 | 4.1% |
| Commuter & parking | — | — | — |
| Health + dental | -$187.00 | -$4,862 | 5.1% |
| Taxable wages | $3,059.92 | $79,558 | 82.9% |
| Federal income tax | -$333.57 | -$8,673 | 9.0% |
| State tax · CA | -$136.02 | -$3,537 | 3.7% |
| Social Security | -$208.03 | -$5,409 | 5.6% |
| Medicare | -$48.65 | -$1,265 | 1.3% |
| Extra withholding | — | — | — |
| 401(k), Roth | — | — | — |
| ESPP | — | — | — |
| Other | — | — | — |
| Take home | $2,333.65 | $60,675 | 63.2% |
Rates
- Effective tax rate
- 19.7%
- Marginal federal
- 22%
- Saved to retirement
- $7,680/yr
- Total withheld
- $18,883/yr
Quick Notes
At this pace you put in $7,680 of the $24,500 401(k) limit.
Social Security stops at $184,500 of wages. You are under it.
Employer match is not counted here. If yours matches, that is free money on top of these numbers.
Why this sits next to a retirement plan
The main calculator needs your gross income before taxes. If you only know your take-home pay, work backwards here to find that gross number.
Your effective tax rate here is a good starting point for the main model, but subtract roughly 7.65%. Social Security and Medicare apply only to wages, not portfolio withdrawals. Your tax rate in retirement will almost always be lower than while working.
Two deductions directly affect early retirement:
- HSA: Tax-free going in and coming out. It is the best place to save for medical expenses before Medicare (modeled on the healthcare page).
- Health insurance: Employers pay most of this premium today. When you leave work, this is usually the single expense that jumps the most.
Illustrative only. Not financial advice. ExitYear is a private, client-side financial projection engine licensed strictly for personal, non-commercial use. Commercial use and financial advisor client engagements are strictly prohibited under our Terms of Service. Projections are deterministic mathematical simulations based solely on user assumptions, use simplified tax heuristics, and omit market volatility, sequence of returns risk, and individualized circumstances. Some links may be sponsored affiliate recommendations where we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Do not use ExitYear to make financial decisions. Consult a qualified, licensed professional.