How to use this calculator
- Choose salary or hourly, then enter your annual salary or your hourly rate and hours per week.
- Pick how often you're paid and your filing status. The state is already set to California.
- Enter your 401(k) contribution and any pre-tax health, HSA, or after-tax deductions per paycheck.
- If you filled in Steps 2–4 of a 2020-or-later Form W-4, open the Form W-4 section and enter the same values.
- Review your take-home pay and switch the breakdown between annual, monthly, and per-paycheck amounts.
How it's calculated
Federal income tax withholding follows the IRS Publication 15-T percentage method for automated payroll systems with a 2020-or-later Form W-4. Your wages are annualized, reduced by pre-tax deductions, adjusted for your W-4 entries, and run through the 2026 withholding rate schedule for your filing status. If you check the Step 2 box, the schedule uses half the standard deduction and half-width brackets, as the IRS tables do.
Social Security tax is 6.2% of wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Medicare tax is 1.5% of all wages, and employers withhold an extra 0.90% Additional Medicare Tax on wages above $200,000.
California taxes wages at rates from 1% to 13.3%, after a $5,706 standard deduction for single filers ($11,412 married filing jointly) and a $153 personal exemption credit ($306 married filing jointly). The calculator applies the 2026 California brackets to your annual wages after the pre-tax deductions California allows, then divides by your number of paychecks. Employees also pay CA SDI (1.3% of all wages).
Per-paycheck amounts are the annual amounts divided by your number of pay periods, rounded to the cent. Take-home pay is gross pay minus every tax and deduction line.
Assumptions
- Includes the 1% Mental Health Services Tax on taxable income over $1,000,000.
- California taxes HSA contributions.
- Brackets, standard deduction and exemption credit are 2025 amounts until FTB publishes 2026 indexing.
- Exemption credit phase-out at high incomes, dependent credits and renter's credit are not included.
- Assumes you work one job for the whole year at the same pay, with no bonuses, commissions, or overtime. Supplemental pay is often withheld at a flat rate that isn't modeled here.
- Federal figures are withholding estimates, not your final tax bill. Your actual tax is settled when you file your return and can differ because of credits, other income, and itemized deductions.
- 401(k) contributions above the 2026 limit of $24,500 are flagged but not capped, since you may be eligible for catch-up contributions.
- Results are estimates for planning only. Check your pay stub or talk with your payroll department or a tax professional for exact figures.
Frequently asked questions
Does California have a state income tax?
Yes. California has a progressive income tax with rates from 1% to 13.3% for 2026. Higher rates apply only to the part of your taxable income in each bracket.
How much is taken out of a $60,000 paycheck in California?
A single filer earning $60,000 a year, paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions, takes home about $1,845 per paycheck. About $193 goes to federal income tax, $177 to Social Security and Medicare, and $93 to California state taxes.
What are the 2026 California income tax brackets?
For single filers, 1% applies to taxable income from $0 to $11,079; 2% applies to taxable income from $11,079 to $26,264; 4% applies to taxable income from $26,264 to $41,452; 6% applies to taxable income from $41,452 to $57,542; 8% applies to taxable income from $57,542 to $72,724; 9.3% applies to taxable income from $72,724 to $371,479; 10.3% applies to taxable income from $371,479 to $445,771; 11.3% applies to taxable income from $445,771 to $742,953; 12.3% applies to taxable income from $742,953 to $1,000,000; 13.3% applies to taxable income over $1,000,000. The full tables for every filing status are below the calculator.
What is CA SDI and how much is withheld?
CA SDI is an employee-paid state payroll contribution of 1.3% of wages with no wage cap. It's shown as its own line in the breakdown.
Does California tax 401(k) contributions?
No. Like the IRS, California excludes traditional 401(k) contributions from taxable wages, so contributing lowers both your federal and California income tax.
How is take-home pay calculated?
Start with gross pay, subtract pre-tax deductions like a traditional 401(k) and health premiums, then subtract federal income tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare, and any state or local taxes. Finally, subtract after-tax deductions like Roth 401(k) contributions. What's left is your net, or take-home, pay.
How much is taken out for FICA in 2026?
Employees pay 6.2% for Social Security on wages up to $184,500 and 1.5% for Medicare on all wages — 7.6% in total for most workers. Once your wages from one employer pass $200,000, your employer also withholds 0.90% Additional Medicare Tax.
Why is my paycheck different from this estimate?
Common reasons include benefits not entered here (commuter, dependent care, life insurance), bonuses or overtime withheld at a supplemental rate, local taxes, mid-year raises, or reaching the Social Security wage base partway through the year. Your employer may also use a slightly different state withholding formula.
2026 California income tax brackets
| Rate | Taxable income |
|---|---|
| 1% | $0 – $11,079 |
| 2% | $11,079 – $26,264 |
| 4% | $26,264 – $41,452 |
| 6% | $41,452 – $57,542 |
| 8% | $57,542 – $72,724 |
| 9.3% | $72,724 – $371,479 |
| 10.3% | $371,479 – $445,771 |
| 11.3% | $445,771 – $742,953 |
| 12.3% | $742,953 – $1,000,000 |
| 13.3% | Over $1,000,000 |
| Rate | Taxable income |
|---|---|
| 1% | $0 – $22,158 |
| 2% | $22,158 – $52,528 |
| 4% | $52,528 – $82,904 |
| 6% | $82,904 – $115,084 |
| 8% | $115,084 – $145,448 |
| 9.3% | $145,448 – $742,958 |
| 10.3% | $742,958 – $891,542 |
| 11.3% | $891,542 – $1,000,000 |
| 12.3% | $1,000,000 – $1,485,906 |
| 13.3% | Over $1,485,906 |
| Rate | Taxable income |
|---|---|
| 1% | $0 – $22,173 |
| 2% | $22,173 – $52,530 |
| 4% | $52,530 – $67,716 |
| 6% | $67,716 – $83,805 |
| 8% | $83,805 – $98,990 |
| 9.3% | $98,990 – $505,208 |
| 10.3% | $505,208 – $606,251 |
| 11.3% | $606,251 – $1,000,000 |
| 12.3% | $1,000,000 – $1,010,417 |
| 13.3% | Over $1,010,417 |
Paycheck calculators for other states
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Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for educational purposes only and is not financial, tax, or legal advice or an offer of credit. Actual payments depend on your lender, loan terms, taxes, and insurance. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.