The story behind your free paycheck calculator.
WageMath is a free online paycheck and take-home pay calculator for US workers. We cover all 50 states plus Washington D.C., using the official IRS federal tax tables and calibrated state income tax rates updated for 2025.
Our goal is simple: give anyone with a salary or hourly wage a clear, honest answer to the question "How much money will I actually take home?" — without having to read 30-page IRS publications or pay for tax software.
WageMath calculates federal income tax using the 2025 IRS progressive tax brackets and the standard deduction for your filing status. We calculate Social Security (6.2% up to the $176,100 wage base) and Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax over $200,000) using the official FICA rates.
For state taxes, we use calibrated effective rates based on each state's official tax brackets and typical deductions. These are well-researched estimates — not exact per-dollar calculations — because state tax systems vary dramatically in their credits, exemptions, and local add-ons.
What we do not include: pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA, health insurance), local city or county taxes, additional state-specific deductions (like California's SDI on the main calculator), and non-standard W-4 elections. These factors can meaningfully change your actual paycheck.
WageMath is an independent personal finance education project built by a small team passionate about financial literacy. We are not affiliated with the IRS, any state tax agency, ADP, or any payroll service provider.
We are not licensed tax professionals, CPAs, or financial advisors. Our calculators are educational tools intended to help you understand your pay — not to replace professional tax preparation or advice. Always confirm your withholding with your employer's payroll department or a qualified tax professional.
We update our tax tables annually when the IRS releases new bracket and standard deduction figures, typically in October/November for the following tax year. Our current data reflects 2025 tax year figures.
If you notice an error in our calculations, please contact us. We take accuracy seriously and will correct any issues promptly.