Your Real Take-Home Pay

✅ Paycheck Optimization Checklist

Five free moves that put more money in your pocket every payday. Tap each one to learn how.

How the Paycheck Calculator Works

Your gross salary is not the money that hits your bank account. Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and your state income tax all come out first. PayCalc Pro estimates your real take-home pay for all 50 states, for both salaried and hourly workers, and includes the 2026 tax changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill — the new tip income exclusion, the overtime deduction, and the car loan interest deduction.

Why your state matters so much

Nine states have no income tax at all — Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Living in one can mean thousands of dollars more in take-home pay each year. The calculator above lets you switch states to see the exact difference.

Maryland workers: read this

Maryland is unique because it has both a state income tax (2%–6.5%, with the top two brackets only kicking in above $500,000) AND a separate county income tax (up to 3.2%). For a typical worker, the state rate lands around 4.75%–5.75%, so total state+local tax burden in a county like Montgomery is usually close to 8%, not 9% — but it does climb toward 9%+ at high income levels. Read our full Maryland paycheck guide for a complete breakdown.

Where our numbers come from

Federal tax figures use the 2026 IRS brackets and standard deductions. Social Security and Medicare rates follow current FICA law (6.2% and 1.45%). State income tax rates reflect each state's published 2026 rates. We review these numbers regularly and update them as the IRS and states release new information.

All results are estimates for general information only and are not financial, tax, or legal advice. Always confirm with your employer's HR department or a licensed tax professional.

Worked Example

Say you're a single filer in Montgomery County, Maryland earning a $70,000 salary, paid biweekly, with no overtime or tips. Here's roughly how the math breaks down for one paycheck ($2,692.31 gross):

• Federal income tax (after standard deduction, 2026 brackets): about $260
• Social Security (6.2%): $166.92
• Medicare (1.45%): $39.04
• Maryland state tax (~4.75% effective at this income): about $128
• Montgomery County tax (3.2%): about $86

Total deductions land around $680, leaving take-home pay of roughly $2,012 per paycheck — about 75% of gross. That's before any 401(k), health insurance, or HSA contributions, which would lower the paycheck further but also lower the taxable income used above. Switch the state, county, or add pre-tax deductions in the calculator to see how your own numbers shift.

Limitations

This calculator does not account for: local taxes outside Maryland (most states don't have county-level income tax, but a few like Ohio and Pennsylvania do), pre-tax deductions such as 401(k), HSA, or health insurance premiums unless you enter them yourself, additional Medicare tax (0.9% on income over $200,000), multi-state work situations (living in one state and working in another), or employer-specific benefits like bonuses taxed at supplemental withholding rates. It also assumes standard W-4 withholding — if you've requested extra withholding or claimed exemptions, your actual paycheck will differ.

Common Mistakes

• Comparing gross salary between states without adjusting for tax. A $75,000 salary in Texas (no state tax) can beat an $85,000 salary in a high-tax Maryland county after take-home is calculated.
• Forgetting county tax exists. Many people budget off the state tax rate alone and are surprised when their paycheck is lower than expected.
• Assuming a big tax refund is "free money." It usually means too much was withheld all year — an interest-free loan to the government that could have been in your paycheck instead.
• Not updating withholding after a raise or life change. A new job, marriage, or new dependent should trigger a fresh W-4, or you risk under- or over-withholding all year.

Frequently Asked Questions