Tax calculator

Free payroll deductions calculator

Enter your gross pay — this payroll deductions calculator applies 2024 FICA rates (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare) to show employee and employer contributions per paycheck, updated live, as you type.

On this page10 sections

InputsLive

Gross pay (this period)

Federal income tax rate

Estimate from your tax bracket or W-4.

State income tax rate

Enter 0 if your state has no income tax.

Other deductions

Health insurance, 401(k), etc.

Result

Net pay

$3,267.5

Deductions: $1,732.5 · FICA: $382.5

Net pay$3,267.5

Federal tax$1,100

State tax$250

FICA (SS + Med)$382.5

Estimated only. Actual withholding depends on your W-4 elections, filing status, and local laws. Consult your payroll provider for exact figures.

Results are estimates. Consult a professional.

How it's calculated

How the payroll deductions calculator works

Payroll deductions fall into two categories: mandatory taxes withheld by law (federal income tax, FICA, and sometimes state taxes) and voluntary deductions elected by the employee (401k, health insurance, HSA/FSA). The calculator applies 2024 FICA rates, the current Social Security wage base, and your filing inputs to show how each deduction reduces gross pay.

Employee Social Security Tax = Wages × 6.2% (on first $168,600 of wages in 2024)

Employee Medicare Tax = Wages × 1.45% (no wage cap)

Additional Medicare Tax = (Wages above $200k single / $250k MFJ) × 0.9%

Employer SS Match = Wages × 6.2% (same cap applies)

Employer Medicare Match = Wages × 1.45% (no match on 0.9% surtax)

Total Employee FICA = SS + Medicare (+ Additional Medicare if applicable)

IRS Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide — 2024

Example

Worked example: $90,000 salary, biweekly payroll

Example: $90,000 annual wages, single filer, biweekly pay

Priya earns $90,000 per year paid biweekly (26 pay periods). She contributes $500 per paycheck to her 401(k) (pre-tax) and $200 to employer-sponsored health insurance (pre-tax). Her gross per paycheck is $3,461.54.

Gross per paycheck: $3,461.54

Pre-tax deductions (401k + health): −$700.00

FICA taxable wages: $2,761.54

Social Security (6.2%): −$171.22

Medicare (1.45%): −$40.04

Federal income tax withheld (est.):−$314.00

Net take-home per paycheck: $2,236.28

$2,236

Priya's estimated biweekly take-home after FICA, estimated federal income tax, 401(k), and health insurance — before state taxes.

Quick reference

2024 FICA rates: employee, employer, and self-employed

FICA is split equally between employee and employer for standard W-2 workers. Self-employed individuals pay both halves (15.3%) but may deduct half of SE tax as an above-the-line deduction on their federal return. The 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax has no employer match.

Tax Component	Employee Rate	Employer Rate	Self-Employed Rate	Wage Cap (2024)
Social Security	6.20%	6.20%	12.40%	$168,600
Medicare	1.45%	1.45%	2.90%	None
Additional Medicare	0.90%	No match	0.90%	Above $200k single
Total FICA (base)	7.65%	7.65%	15.30%	SS cap applies

Source: IRS Pub 15 (Circular E); Rev. Proc. 2023-34. 2024 tax year.

Practical tips

Tips for understanding payroll deductions

Many employees overlook how voluntary deductions interact with mandatory payroll taxes. Getting this right means you keep more of each paycheck while building benefits and retirement savings.

Section 125 cafeteria plan deductions reduce FICA — Health insurance, FSA, and dependent care contributions through an employer Section 125 plan reduce both your income tax and FICA taxable wages, making them more valuable than a traditional deduction.
401(k) contributions reduce income tax but not FICA — Traditional 401(k) deferrals lower your W-2 box 1 taxable income but are still reported in boxes 3 and 5 (SS and Medicare wages). You still owe FICA on those dollars.
Track the SS wage base mid-year — Once your cumulative 2024 wages hit $168,600, Social Security withholding stops. Employees near this cap will see noticeably larger paychecks in the second half of the year.
FUTA is an employer-only cost — Employers pay Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) at 6% on the first $7,000 of each employee's wages, reduced to an effective 0.6% after the 5.4% state credit. Employees never pay FUTA from their paycheck.
Verify your pay stub every year after January 1 — FICA wage bases and withholding tables reset January 1. If you switch employers or get a raise, confirm your new employer is using the updated 2024 tables and the correct wage base carryover (or lack thereof) from prior employment.

Accuracy & limits

Accuracy and limitations

This calculator applies 2024 federal FICA rates and the Social Security wage base per IRS Pub 15 and Rev. Proc. 2023-34. Federal income tax withholding is estimated using the 2024 percentage method tables and assumes a standard W-4 with no adjustments. State income taxes, local taxes, and state unemployment insurance (SUI) rates vary by jurisdiction and are not included.

Employer payroll costs include the matching FICA obligation and FUTA, neither of which appears on your pay stub but affect total employment cost. Results are for informational planning only. For compliance guidance, employers should consult IRS Pub 15 or a licensed payroll specialist.

Glossary

Payroll deduction terms defined

Federal Insurance Contributions Act. Mandates withholding of 6.2% Social Security tax and 1.45% Medicare tax from employee wages, with matching contributions from the employer.

The maximum annual wages subject to the 6.2% Social Security tax. For 2024, the cap is $168,600. Wages above this amount are exempt from SS tax (but not Medicare tax).

A 0.9% surtax on wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). Employers withhold it automatically once wages exceed $200k per employee; there is no employer match on this portion.

An employer-sponsored benefit plan allowing employees to pay for qualified benefits (health insurance, FSA, dependent care) with pre-tax dollars, reducing both income tax and FICA taxable wages.

Federal Unemployment Tax Act. An employer-paid tax of 6% on the first $7,000 of each employee's wages, reduced to 0.6% after the standard 5.4% state tax credit. Employees do not pay FUTA.

An employee-elected payroll deduction such as 401(k) contributions, supplemental life insurance, or additional tax withholding. Unlike FICA, these are not required by law.

The taxable value of certain employer-provided benefits (e.g., group-term life insurance coverage above $50,000). Imputed income is added to W-2 wages for tax purposes even though no cash is received.

About

About this payroll deductions calculator

This calculator runs entirely in your browser — nothing you enter is sent to any server.

Browse more in our tax calculators, or explore the complete library on the free calculators page.

Questions

Frequently asked questions about the free payroll deductions calculator

A payroll deductions calculator is a free online tool that helps you calculate Social Security + Medicare payroll deductions per paycheck. FICA total = 7.65% (6.2% SS + 1.45% Medicare). Employer pays a matching amount. It runs entirely in your browser with instant results and no sign-up.

No — these are simplified estimates based on 2024 brackets. Real tax filing requires considering all your deductions, credits, AMT, state taxes, and the latest IRS guidance. Use professional tax software or a CPA for filing.

Marginal rate is what you pay on your next dollar of income. Effective rate is total tax ÷ total income — typically much lower because of the progressive brackets and deductions.

Federal only. State tax varies by jurisdiction; some states have no income tax (TX, FL, WA, etc.), others up to 13%+ (CA, NY). Add state tax separately based on your state.