$120,000 salary take-home pay
Here’s the estimated take-home pay for a $120,000 salary, single filer, paid bi-weekly.
Different salary, filing status, or pay frequency? Use the take-home paycheck calculator above.
About the take-home paycheck calculator
Take-home pay — also called net pay — is what actually lands in your bank account after federal income tax, FICA payroll taxes, and (if applicable) state income tax are withheld from your gross salary. This calculator starts from your annual gross salary, subtracts the federal standard deduction ($14,600 for single filers, $29,200 for married filing jointly in 2024) to estimate your taxable income, then applies the same progressive 2024 federal tax brackets used by our tax bracket calculator to that taxable income.
On top of federal income tax, every paycheck also has FICA taxes withheld: 6.2% for Social Security, but only on wages up to the 2024 Social Security wage base of $168,600 — any income above that threshold isn't taxed for Social Security — plus 1.45% for Medicare, which applies to all wages with no cap. This calculator applies both automatically so you don't have to look up the current wage base yourself.
State income tax varies enormously by state — nine states charge none at all, while others have their own multi-bracket systems that don't match the federal brackets. Rather than guess or bake in inaccurate assumptions, this calculator lets you enter your own flat state tax rate as a percentage of gross pay, defaulting to 0% so you can see your federal-and-FICA-only take-home pay and then layer in your state's effective rate yourself.
Once total tax is subtracted from gross annual pay, the result — net annual pay — is divided by the number of pay periods in a year based on your chosen frequency: 52 for weekly, 26 for bi-weekly, 24 for semi-monthly, or 12 for monthly. That gives you the estimated amount that shows up in a single paycheck.
This is an estimate, not a paystub. It uses the federal standard deduction rather than itemized deductions, doesn't model pre-tax deductions like 401(k) contributions or health insurance premiums (which would lower your taxable income and change the result), and doesn't account for tax credits, additional Medicare tax on high earners, or local/city income taxes. For an exact number, check your employer's payroll system or a full paycheck calculator that accounts for your specific withholding elections.
Take-home paycheck calculator questions
How gross pay becomes net pay after taxes.
How do I calculate my take-home pay?
Subtract federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), and any state income tax from your gross salary. This calculator does that math for you: enter your gross annual salary, filing status, and pay frequency, and it estimates your net pay per paycheck.
Does this calculator use the federal standard deduction?
Yes. It subtracts the 2024 federal standard deduction — $14,600 for single filers or $29,200 for married filing jointly — from your gross salary before applying tax brackets. It does not model itemized deductions, which could lower your actual tax bill further if they exceed the standard deduction.
What Social Security wage base does this use?
The 2024 Social Security wage base of $168,600. Social Security tax (6.2%) only applies to wages up to that amount — any income above it isn't subject to Social Security tax, though Medicare tax (1.45%) applies to all wages with no cap.
Why is there no state tax by default?
State income tax rules vary too much from state to state to build in accurately — nine states have no income tax at all, and the rest use different brackets and rules than the federal system. Enter your own flat state tax rate percentage to include an estimate for your state.
Does this include 401(k) or health insurance deductions?
No. This calculator estimates gross-to-net pay based on taxes only. It doesn't model pre-tax deductions like 401(k) contributions or health insurance premiums, which would lower your taxable income and increase your net pay relative to this estimate.
Is this an exact paycheck calculation?
No — it's a gross-pay estimate meant for planning purposes. Your actual paycheck depends on your specific W-4 withholding elections, pre-tax benefits, local taxes, and your employer's payroll system. Use your pay stub or your employer's payroll portal for the exact figure.