Built for the people who do the work

Most personal finance tools are built for people who already understand taxes. PaycheckExplained was built for everyone else — the person who just started their first job and can't figure out why their $50,000 salary deposited $800 less than expected, or the experienced professional who has been getting direct deposits for twenty years and still can't explain what "FICA" means on their pay stub.

It started with a simple frustration. You accept a job offer, you do the math, you expect a certain number to land in your account every two weeks — and then the actual deposit is noticeably, quietly smaller. Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, state income tax, health insurance, a 401(k) contribution: each one reasonable on its own, all of them together taking a much larger bite than most people expect. And almost nowhere online explains it simply, without jargon, without trying to sell you something.

PaycheckExplained is one person's attempt to fix that. It uses confirmed 2026 IRS tax tables, covers all 50 states and DC, and runs entirely in your browser. Your salary and inputs never leave your device. There's no account to create, no email to confirm, and nothing to pay — just a clear answer to a question everyone who earns a paycheck deserves to understand.

What we calculate

Enter your salary, filing status, and state, and PaycheckExplained shows you a complete, line-by-line breakdown of your paycheck:

• Federal income tax — calculated using 2026 IRS tax brackets and the standard deduction for your filing status. Tax is progressive — only the income in each bracket is taxed at that bracket's rate.
• Social Security & Medicare (FICA) — Social Security is withheld at 6.2% of wages up to the annual wage base. Medicare is 1.45% with no cap. An additional 0.9% Medicare surcharge applies above $200,000.
• State income tax — all 50 states + DC — nine states have no income tax on wages. State tax is shown as an estimate, clearly labeled as such.
• City & local income tax — 22 cities across 9 states, including New York City, Philadelphia, Detroit, and the Ohio and Michigan municipal taxes.
• State disability insurance & PFML — California, New York, New Jersey, and seven other states automatically include SDI or paid-leave contributions.
• Pre-tax deductions — traditional 401(k), health insurance premiums, HSA/FSA, and commuter benefits all reduce your federal taxable income before tax is calculated.
• Post-tax deductions — Roth 401(k), union dues, life insurance, wage garnishment, and other after-tax deductions are shown separately.

What we don't do

PaycheckExplained is a planning tool, not a tax filing service. Here's what falls outside our calculations:

• Tax credits — Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, and other credits can significantly reduce your actual tax bill. We use the standard deduction only.
• Itemized deductions — if you itemize on your federal return, your actual withholding may differ.
• Supplemental wages — bonuses, commissions, and severance are often withheld at a flat 22% federal rate. This calculator handles regular salary and hourly pay only.
• Multiple jobs or household incomes — if you or your spouse have more than one income source, your actual withholding situation may be more complex.