How CalcFi computes take-home pay
For each of the 28 salary bins × 4 filing statuses × 4 household sizes × 51 jurisdictions, the CalcFi paycheck grid pre-computes:
- Federal income tax on (gross − federal standard deduction) using the seven 2025 IRS brackets per filing status. Source: IRS Publication 15-T (2025).
- FICA = 6.2% Social Security on wages up to the $176,100 wage base + 1.45% Medicare on all wages + 0.9% Additional Medicare on wages above $200,000.
- State income taxusing each state’s brackets, standard deduction, and personal exemption. Source: Tax Foundation’s January 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates. The nine states with no state income tax (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming) compute as zero state tax.
- Child Tax Credit reducing federal tax owed by $2,000 per dependent (household size − 1 if single/HoH/MFS, − 2 if MFJ). Phase-outs at high incomes not modeled.
Which state has the highest take-home pay in 2026?
On a $80,000 single-filer salary, the highest take-home pay is in the nine states with no state income tax. After federal tax + FICA, take-home is roughly $64,667 in any of these states. Among states that do tax income, Tennessee and Washington also keep more than 80% of gross because their state systems exempt wages.
How much does state income tax actually reduce my paycheck?
On an $80,000 single salary, the spread between lowest- and highest-tax states is roughly $3,500 per year. California (top single bracket 13.3%) takes $61,200 home; Texas takes $64,667. The gap widens at higher incomes — at $250,000, California vs Texas is closer to $20,000 per year.
Why is my real paycheck different from this map?
This map shows federal income tax + FICA + state income tax only. It does NOT include pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA, health premiums), state disability insurance (CA SDI, NY SDI), local income tax (NYC, Yonkers, Ohio municipal, Pennsylvania EIT), or post-tax deductions. Add those to reach your exact net.
Does this account for the Child Tax Credit?
Yes — household size > 1 applies the standard $2,000-per-dependent Child Tax Credit reducing federal tax owed. Phase-outs at higher incomes are not modeled in v0; high earners ($200k+ single, $400k+ joint) should reduce the dependent assumption to 0 to compare apples-to-apples.
How current is the data?
Federal brackets reflect IRS Publication 15-T for tax year 2025. State brackets reflect Tax Foundation’s January 2025 vintage. Last verified 2026-04-19. We re-audit quarterly against state Department of Revenue updates.
Reviewed by CalcFi Editorial · Last verified against IRS Publication 15-T (2025) on 2026-04-19. Methodology + sources documented at /about/editorial. Download the underlying data: CSV · JSON.