PaycheckExplained.com ("the Site," "we," "us") is a free US paycheck calculator. The calculator runs entirely in your browser. The salary, deductions, and other figures you enter are never transmitted to our servers or stored by us. We do not create user accounts, we do not ask for your name or email, and we do not sell your personal information.
We do not collect, store, or transmit any of the following:
When you use the Share my result feature, the calculator encodes your current inputs — gross salary, pay frequency, filing status, state, and pre-tax deductions — as parameters in a URL. This URL is copied to your clipboard. It is not sent to our servers — it is generated and copied entirely within your browser. Any URL you share is readable by anyone who receives it. Do not share URLs that contain information you consider sensitive.
We do not set any first-party cookies. However, our third-party advertising and analytics partners do set cookies when you visit the Site. These cookies may be used to serve advertisements relevant to you, limit ad frequency, measure campaign effectiveness, and understand how visitors navigate the Site. You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings — this will not affect the calculator's functionality.
This Site uses Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google may use cookies and other tracking technologies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this Site and other sites. You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google's Ads Settings or the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page.
This Site may use Google Analytics to understand aggregate site usage — pages visited, general location, device type. We do not combine analytics data with any personally identifiable information. You can opt out by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
If you message us through the contact form, we receive the name, email, and message you provide so we can respond. We use this only to reply and do not add you to marketing lists.
This Site is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided personal information through this Site, please contact us and we will take steps to remove that information.
Because we do not collect personal data directly, most privacy rights are not applicable to data held by us. You do have choices regarding how third-party partners use data about you:
We do not sell your personal information. Because we do not collect personal information directly from users, we do not have personal information to sell, share, or disclose. Third-party advertising partners such as Google may use tracking technologies that qualify as a "sale" or "sharing" under California law. You can opt out by visiting Google Ads Settings, using a browser with a Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal enabled, or using the NAI opt-out tool.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
Questions about privacy? Reach us through the contact page. We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 30 days.