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IRS Tax Withholding Estimator

Estimate federal and state withholding and net pay for a paycheck.

Results

Taxable pay
$2,300 USD
Federal withholding
$276 USD
State withholding
$115 USD
Total withholding
$391 USD
Net pay
$1,909 USD

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter gross pay per period and any pretax deductions.
  2. Add dependents and allowance per dependent if applicable.
  3. Enter federal and state withholding percentages.
  4. See taxable pay, federal/state withholding, and net pay.

Inputs explained

Gross pay (per period)
Pay before taxes/deductions for this paycheck.
Pretax deductions
401(k), HSA, FSA, or other pretax amounts.
Dependents
Number of dependents for allowance calculation.
Allowance per dependent
Per-period allowance; multiplies by dependents to reduce taxable pay.
Federal/state withholding %
Simple percentage estimates for this paycheck.

How it works

Taxable pay = gross − pretax deductions − dependent allowances.

Federal/state withholding = taxable pay × respective rates.

Net pay = gross − pretax deductions − total withholding.

Formula

Taxable = Gross − Pretax − Dependents × Allowance
Withholding = Taxable × (Fed% + State%)
Net = Gross − Pretax − Withholding

When to use it

  • Quick paycheck estimate before or after changing deductions.
  • Planning take-home for a new job or bonus (simplified).
  • Seeing impact of adding pretax contributions on net pay.

Tips & cautions

  • Enter realistic pretax contributions (401k/HSA) to see how they lower taxable pay.
  • Use your paystub’s actual withholding percentages for closer estimates.
  • This is simplified; actual payroll uses tax tables and may include local taxes.
  • Does not model IRS wage/bracket methods, local taxes, or FICA separately.
  • Dependent allowance is a simple per-period deduction, not IRS Form W-4 logic.

Worked examples

$2,500 gross, $200 pretax, 1 dependent, 12% fed, 5% state

  • Taxable ≈ $2,100
  • Fed ≈ $252
  • State ≈ $105
  • Net ≈ $1,943

$1,800 gross, $150 pretax, 0 dependents, 10% fed, 4% state

  • Taxable ≈ $1,650
  • Withholding ≈ $231
  • Net ≈ $1,419

Deep dive

This IRS withholding estimator gives a quick paycheck snapshot using simple percentages. Enter gross pay, pretax deductions, dependents, and withholding rates to see taxable pay, federal/state withholding, and net pay.

Use it to plan take-home when adjusting 401(k)/HSA contributions or starting a new job. For precise payroll, refer to official IRS tables and your employer’s system.

FAQs

Does this include FICA?
No. It focuses on simple federal/state withholding. Add Social Security/Medicare separately if needed.
How accurate is this vs. payroll?
It’s a simplified percentage model. Payroll uses IRS tables, filing status, brackets, and may include local taxes.
Can I model pretax benefits?
Yes—enter 401(k)/HSA/FSA under pretax deductions to see their impact on taxable pay.
What about bonuses?
For quick estimates, use this or the bonus tax calculator. Actual bonus withholding may use supplemental methods.
How do dependents affect this?
We subtract a per-dependent allowance you enter. It’s a simplification of W-4 dependent credits.

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Simplified estimate. Real withholding uses IRS tables, filing status, credits, and local taxes. Not tax advice.