What comes out of your paycheck
- Federal income tax: progressive brackets from 10% to 37% on your wages minus the standard deduction and pre-tax contributions.
- Social Security: 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 in 2026.
- Medicare: 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax above $200,000 ($250,000 married filing jointly).
- State income tax: from 0% in nine states to progressive brackets reaching 13.3% in California; some states also deduct disability or family-leave contributions (1.3% SDI in California).
- 401(k) and pre-tax benefits: traditional 401(k) deferrals lower your income tax but not Social Security and Medicare; Section 125 health premiums lower both.
Every figure comes from IRS, Social Security Administration and state tax department publications; see the methodology and sources.