Payroll Tax Withholding Calculator

A payroll tax withholding calculator is a financial tool that computes all mandatory tax withholdings from an employee's gross pay. It calculates federal income tax using the IRS progressive tax brackets and the percentage method based on filing status and pay frequency, FICA taxes (Social Security at 6.2% up to the annual wage base limit of $168,600, and Medicare at 1.45% with no wage cap, plus an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax for high earners), and state income tax based on the selected state's tax system. The payroll tax calculator produces the net pay after all deductions, the employer's tax burden, and the effective tax rate. Our calculator runs entirely in your browser with no data uploaded to any server.

1. Enter Gross Pay & Pay Details: Input the gross pay amount for the pay period and select your pay frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly). Choose your filing status from Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, or Head of Household. Add any additional withholding allowances.
2. Select Your State: Choose your state from the dropdown to calculate state income tax withholding. The calculator includes tax rate tables for all US states that impose income tax. States with no income tax (Texas, Florida, Nevada, Washington, etc.) automatically show $0 state withholding.
3. Review the Complete Tax Breakdown: The calculator displays a detailed breakdown of all tax components: federal income tax (with bracket breakdown), Social Security tax, Medicare tax, state income tax, total employee deductions, net pay, employer tax burden (employer FICA + FUTA + SUTA), and the combined effective tax rate for both employee and employer.

• Federal Income Tax: The amount withheld for federal income tax based on your taxable income, filing status, and pay frequency. Calculated using the IRS percentage method with the 2024-2025 tax brackets (10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, 37%) and the standard deduction applied.
• FICA Tax Breakdown: Shows Social Security tax (6.2% of gross wages up to the annual wage base limit), Medicare tax (1.45% of all gross wages), and any Additional Medicare Tax (0.9% for wages exceeding $200,000 single/$250,000 married filing jointly). The annual wage base limit is checked against the annualized gross pay.
• State Income Tax: Calculated based on the selected state's tax system - flat-rate states use a single percentage (e.g., Pennsylvania 3.07%, Illinois 4.95%), while bracket-based states use progressive rates (e.g., California 1-13.3%, New York 4-10.9%). States with no income tax show $0.
• Employer Tax Burden: Shows the total taxes the employer must pay on behalf of the employee, including the employer portion of FICA (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare), FUTA (Federal Unemployment Tax at 0.6% effective rate), and SUTA (State Unemployment Tax, defaulting to 2.7% but varying by state and experience rating).

The payroll tax withholding calculator is 100% free with no signup required. All calculations are performed locally in your browser - your salary information, tax data, and personal details never leave your device. There are no usage limits or caps. The tool supports all pay frequencies, all filing statuses, and all US states with built-in tax rate tables for federal and state income tax. Use it as many times as you need to calculate payroll withholdings, estimate net pay for job offers, or verify paycheck accuracy.