Methodology

How each take-home figure on this site is calculated, where the numbers come from and what is left out. Last reviewed November 15, 2026.

The calculation

Federal income tax. Gross pay minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100 for a single filer), taxed through the seven federal brackets.
Social Security. 6.2% of wages up to $184,500.
Medicare. 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% on wages above $200,000.
State income tax. The state's own standard deduction, exemptions, brackets and credits. Where a state reduces a deduction or credit as income rises, or lets you subtract federal tax, that rule is applied.
State payroll contributions. Disability, paid leave or unemployment contributions paid by employees, where the state has them.
Local income tax. County or city tax where you select a location (Indiana, Maryland and New York City).

Sources

Federal figures come from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and the Social Security Administration. State figures come from each state's tax agency: withholding guides, estimated-tax instructions and rate schedules for 2026. Every state page lists its sources.

Assumptions and limits

Single filer, one job, standard deduction, no dependents.
No pre-tax deductions such as 401(k) contributions or health insurance premiums.
No tax credits beyond the personal credit some states give every filer.
City and county income taxes are included only where you can pick a location. Municipal taxes in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Michigan are not included.
Some high-income rules (benefit recapture in New York and Connecticut) are not applied.
Where a state had not published a 2026 figure when the page was last reviewed, the latest official figure is used and the page says so.

Checks

The calculator is tested against hand-worked cases for every rule it applies, and state results are compared with official withholding formulas. If you find a figure that looks wrong, tell us and we will check it against the source.