The number in your contract is not the one you take home. In between are federal income tax, FICA (Social Security + Medicare) and, depending on the state, state income tax. Enter your salary and see the net.
Estimate for an employee (W-2) taking the standard deduction. Does not cover self-employment or itemized deductions.
Three deductions stand between your gross salary and your pocket. Federal income tax is progressive: the standard deduction comes off first ($16,100 for single filers in 2026) and the rest is taxed in brackets from 10% to 37% — only the slice inside each bracket pays that rate, not your whole salary.
FICA funds Social Security and Medicare: 6.2% + 1.45% = 7.65% of gross (Social Security stops above $184,500 of wages in 2026). It is the same for nearly every employee, in every state.
State income tax is the big variable: nine states take nothing from wages (Florida, Texas, Wyoming, Nevada...), others charge a flat rate (Colorado 4.4%, Illinois 4.95%) and graduated states like California or New York scale with income.
| Gross salary | Federal | FICA | Net in Florida/Texas | Net in Colorado (4.4%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $3,825 | $42,355 | $40,863 |
| $80,000 | $8,770 | $6,120 | $65,110 | $62,298 |
| $120,000 | $17,570 | $9,180 | $93,250 | $88,678 |
Computed with this calculator's own 2026 tables (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 brackets, standard deduction, FICA). Rounded to the dollar.
7.65% of your gross pay: 6.2% Social Security (up to a $184,500 annual wage cap in 2026) plus 1.45% Medicare (no cap; an extra 0.9% applies above $200,000). Your employer pays a matching share on top.
Gross is the number in your contract. Net (take-home) is what reaches your account after federal tax, FICA and state tax. This calculator estimates that gap for a W-2 employee taking the standard deduction.
For your paycheck, they help: Florida or Texas take nothing from wages. But states fund themselves anyway — through higher property or sales taxes — so total cost of living can offset the difference.
Because paystubs include things this estimate doesn't cover: pre-tax contributions (401k, health insurance), itemized deductions, credits, local taxes, or your W-4 withholding fine-tuning. The calculator gives the order of magnitude, not the penny.
Are you a non-resident and unsure whether your income is taxed in the U.S.?
Employment, ECI, treaties: the answer depends on your case. 15-minute consultation with a CPA: $29.
And after you calculate?
LLC + EIN, annual compliance (Form 5472, state report), Florida apostilles and online notarization — with a CPA who works with you in English or Spanish.
Meet Emprendenus → 15-min consult · $29