Calculation architecture
All salary calculations run synchronously in your browser from a small JavaScript tax engine. No salary is sent to a tax API, which makes calculations effectively instant and keeps the entered salary local to the browser.
Federal 2026
Federal income tax uses the official 2026 marginal brackets and standard deductions for Single, Married Filing Jointly and Head of Household. Social Security uses the 2026 $184,500 wage base. Medicare and Additional Medicare Tax are modeled separately.
401(k)
The calculator caps the optional employee elective deferral at $24,500 for 2026. It reduces federal taxable income and the state tax base where that state conforms. Employee Social Security and Medicare remain calculated on gross wages.
State methods
State engines use one of three labels: verified state rules, official withholding method, or provisional. California and New York use official 2026 withholding schedules because their actual state liability depends on additional inputs not collected in a simple salary calculator. Colorado is labeled provisional because a year-specific temporary rate adjustment can affect the final rate.
State payroll deductions
TakeHomeMeter explicitly separates state income tax from state payroll deductions. California SDI, Pennsylvania employee UC, New Jersey UI/WF/TDI/FLI, and Washington employee Paid Family & Medical Leave plus WA Cares premiums are included with their published 2026 rates and wage bases. Other state payroll programs are not silently guessed; when not modeled, the state page says so.
Not included
- Dependents and tax credits
- Itemized deductions
- City and local income taxes, including NYC/Yonkers and Pennsylvania local EIT
- Bonuses, equity compensation and self-employment income
- Employer health-plan deductions, HSA/FSA, garnishments and other payroll elections
- State payroll programs unless explicitly listed as modeled
Accuracy philosophy
A transparent estimate is more useful than false precision. Unsupported states remain disabled. State pages identify assumptions and link to the relevant official source.
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