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Gross → take-home pay
Take-Home Pay · Blog
Articles about Take-Home Pay
Annual salary to monthly take-home after federal tax, FICA, and state tax (2026).
The number on a job offer and the number that lands in your bank account are not the same. Federal income tax withholding, FICA (Social Security and Medicare), and state income tax come out first. Filing status, allowances, and your state of residence all move the result. This category explains the gross-to-net gap for U.S. workers using 2026 rates.
What this category covers
- FICA — Social Security 6.2% and Medicare 1.45%
- Federal withholding — how filing status changes the math
- State income tax — and the states that have none
- Gross vs net — reading a salary offer correctly
Primary sources
- IRS — federal income tax withholding (Publication 15-T)
- Social Security Administration — Social Security and Medicare tax rates
- U.S. Department of Labor — paycheck and wage information
Want to use the tool directly? Head to Take-Home Pay. The articles below are sorted newest first.
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Same Salary, Different Paycheck: Filing Status and State Tax (2026)
Two people earning the same gross salary can take home very different amounts. Here is how filing status and state tax change the math, with 2026 numbers.
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Why your paycheck is smaller than your salary (2026)
The gap between gross salary and take-home pay in 2026 — federal withholding, FICA, the Social Security wage base, state tax, and pre-tax deductions.