Payroll Tax Calculator (US)
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Result
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Estimate what comes out of a US paycheck and what that employee really costs you. Enter gross pay, pay frequency, pre-tax deductions, a flat state tax rate and filing status, and the calculator estimates Social Security, Medicare, federal and state withholding, net pay, the employer FICA match and total employer cost. It is free, needs no sign-up and runs in your browser. It is an estimate, not tax advice.
Enter your numbers below
Your output will appear here.
Shows the employee's taxes and net pay alongside the employer FICA match and total employer cost per paycheck.
Choose weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly or monthly. The calculator annualizes pay, then divides results back to one paycheck.
Subtracts pre-tax deductions from wages before it calculates Social Security, Medicare and income tax.
Lists each tax line with the breakdown under the result, so you can follow and check the math.
Three steps from a blank form to a result you can use.
Add gross pay per paycheck, choose the pay frequency and enter any pre-tax deductions per paycheck.
Enter a flat state income tax percentage and choose Single or Married filing jointly.
Click Calculate to see each tax, net pay and employer cost, then change inputs to compare scenarios.
Gross pay is not what an employee takes home, and it is not what the employer pays either. This calculator estimates both sides of one paycheck so you can budget for a hire or sanity check a payslip.
The calculator is not AI. It runs a fixed formula in your browser, so your numbers are not sent anywhere.
The calculator works on a yearly basis, then brings every figure back to one paycheck:
| Tax | Employee | Employer | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Security | 6.2% | 6.2% | Wages up to $184,500 for 2026 |
| Medicare | 1.45% | 1.45% | No wage limit |
| Additional Medicare Tax | 0.9% withheld on wages over $200,000 in a year | No employer match | Threshold applies regardless of filing status for withholding |
| Federal unemployment (FUTA) | Not paid by employee | 6.0% on the first $7,000 per employee, 0.6% after the maximum state credit | $7,000 per employee |
Social Security, Medicare and Additional Medicare figures are from IRS Topic 751 and the Social Security Administration. FUTA figures are from IRS Topic 759.
Example: an illustration. An employee earns $2,500 every two weeks. Pay frequency is Bi-weekly (26), pre-tax deductions are $0, state income tax is 5% and filing status is Single.
On the employer side, the FICA match is $155.00 + $36.25 = $191.25, so the calculator's total employer cost is $2,500 + $191.25 = $2,691.25. Unemployment taxes, benefits and workers' comp come on top.
With $100 of pre-tax deductions per paycheck instead, the calculator applies Social Security and Medicare to $2,400: $148.80 and $34.80.
Many first-time employers budget for salary and forget the taxes and costs that sit on top. The calculator's total employer cost is gross pay plus the employer FICA match. Real cost per employee is usually higher:
We suggest you add these items to the calculator's total employer cost when you budget for a new hire.
This is an estimate, not tax advice and not a payslip. Real withholding can differ for several reasons:
For payroll you actually run, use your payroll provider or a tax professional.
Quick answers about the Payroll Tax Calculator (US).
For one paycheck, it estimates Social Security, Medicare, federal income tax, state income tax and net pay for the employee. It also shows the employer FICA match and total employer cost. You enter gross pay, pay frequency, pre-tax deductions, a flat state rate and filing status. The result is an estimate, not tax advice.
FICA is the combined Social Security and Medicare tax. According to the IRS, the employee pays 6.2% Social Security and 1.45% Medicare, and the employer pays the same again, for 7.65% each. Social Security applies only up to the yearly wage base, which the SSA sets at $184,500 for 2026.
No. It is an estimate. Actual withholding depends on your Form W-4 choices, your state's real brackets, local taxes and the benefits you enroll in. The calculator uses filing status and the standard deduction only. Use it to understand roughly where your pay goes, then check your payslip for the exact figures.
It is the maximum yearly wages that Social Security tax applies to. The Social Security Administration lists $184,500 for 2026, up from $176,100 for 2025. Once an employee's wages pass the limit in a year, neither the employee nor the employer pays the 6.2% Social Security tax on the rest. Medicare has no limit.
No. The calculator's total employer cost is gross pay plus the employer FICA match. Employers also pay federal unemployment tax, which the IRS sets at 6.0% of the first $7,000 per employee, or 0.6% after the full state credit, plus state unemployment insurance, workers' comp and any benefits.
Yes. It is free, needs no account and runs in your browser, so your numbers are not sent anywhere. Enter the five inputs and click Calculate. You can change pay frequency, deductions or filing status and calculate again as often as you like to compare scenarios for an employee or a planned hire.
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