Bring Home Pay Calculator
US, 2026 tax year · figures follow that year's rules
Bring home pay calculator works out Gross pay this period and Annual gross from Gross pay per period, Pay frequency and Tax year. The default figures on this page give net take-home pay of 4,199.17 USD; change any entry and the result, the working and the sources update together.
Your figures
Updates as you typeHow this is worked out
7 steps
- Annualise: 5000 x 12 pay periods = 60000 a year.
- Federal taxable income = 60000 less the 2026 single standard deduction 16100 = 43900.
- 10% on 12400 = 1240
- 12% on 31500 = 3780
- Federal income tax = 5020 a year.
- Social Security = min(60000, wage base) x 6.2% = 3720; Medicare = 60000 x 1.45% = 870.
- Net = 60000 - 0 pre-tax - 9610 tax - 0 post-tax = 50390 a year, 4199.17 a period.
Federal brackets usedtable
| rate | from | to | taxed | tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 0 | 12,400 | 12,400 | 1,240 |
| 12 | 12,400 | 50,400 | 31,500 | 3,780 |
Figures from US federal tax tables (IRS), 2026 rules, checked 31 August 2026. Its 6 worked examples are re-run on every release, last on 15 September 2026. What changed · how reference data is kept current
Sources and references
8 sources
Keep this result
Save it, change one figure, then compare the two
The calculation stays free. Save this scenario, adjust one assumption, save that too, and put them side by side to see exactly what the change costs you. A free account keeps 5 scenarios and 2 comparisons; Personal makes both unlimited and adds exports and private links. Nothing is saved unless you press Save.
What the bring home pay calculator calculates
Turns gross pay into net take-home pay for a pay period, withholding federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare Tax, state and local tax, and pre-tax and post-tax deductions.
How to use this bring home pay calculator
Enter Gross pay per period, Pay frequency, Tax year and Federal filing status. Gross pay this period updates as you type, and “Use a worked example” loads checked figures you can adjust. Change one figure at a time to see what drives the result.
How the result is worked out
Open “How this is worked out” beside the result for the step-by-step calculation behind Gross pay this period, Annual gross and Pre-tax deductions.
The method follows IRS Publication 15-T, Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods (percentage method, annualised), IRS Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer Tax Guide - FICA rates and wage base, IRC 3121(a)(5)(D) and 3121(v)(1)(A) - elective 401(k) deferrals remain FICA wages, IRC 125 - cafeteria plan contributions are excluded from wages for income tax and FICA and IRS Instructions for Form 8959 - 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax withheld above $200,000 of wages.
$5,000 a month, single, 2026, no deductions example
With Gross pay per period: 5000, Pay frequency: monthly, Tax year: 2026, Federal filing status: single, the calculator returns Annual gross: 60000, Annual federal taxable income: 43900, Federal income tax a year: 5020. This example is checked against an independent source in the test suite.
What you can compare
Change one input at a time to see how it affects Gross pay this period, Annual gross and Pre-tax deductions. The inputs you can vary are Gross pay per period, Pay frequency, Tax year, Federal filing status, Traditional 401(k)/403(b) contribution and Extra retirement contribution per period.
Understanding Gross pay this period, Annual gross and Pre-tax deductions
A withholding estimate, not tax advice. Your employer withholds from your Form W-4 using the IRS Publication 15-T tables; state and local rules vary widely. Check with a payroll professional or tax adviser before relying on these figures.
Results are general information, not financial, tax, legal, medical or engineering advice. Check any decision that matters with a qualified professional.
See something wrong? Report a problem with this calculator
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my bring home pay?
Turns gross pay into net take-home pay for a pay period, withholding federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare Tax, state and local tax, and pre-tax and post-tax deductions. Open “How this is worked out” beside the result to see each step for your own figures.
How much do you bring home if you make $20 an hour?
On the figures this page opens with — gross pay per period 5,000 USD — the net take-home pay is 4,199.17 USD. No single number fits everyone: change any figure above and the answer updates as you type, with each step of the arithmetic beside it.
How can I calculate my take-home pay?
It needs Gross pay per period, Pay frequency, Tax year, Federal filing status, Traditional 401(k)/403(b) contribution and Extra retirement contribution per period. Nothing else is required, and the figures stay in your browser.
What information do I need for the bring home pay calculator?
You need Gross pay per period, Pay frequency, Tax year, Federal filing status, Traditional 401(k)/403(b) contribution, Extra retirement contribution per period, Section 125 pre-tax benefits per period and Other pre-tax deductions per period. The page opens with default figures that give net take-home pay of 4,199.17 USD, so you can see the scale before entering your own.
What does this bring home pay calculator show?
It shows Gross pay this period, Annual gross, Pre-tax deductions, Annual Social Security / Medicare wages, Annual federal taxable income, Federal income tax a year, Federal income tax this period and Social Security a year, with the working and any warnings for your entries.
Can I check how the bring home pay calculator result was calculated?
Yes. The “How this is worked out” section shows the calculation steps, and the sources section identifies the references used for the method.