California Paycheck Calculator 2026
Salary or hourly. See what reaches your bank account after payroll withholding.
Includes California Method B withholding and SDI. SDI includes PFL; it is not charged again.
Selected paycheck take-home
—
| Line | Paycheck | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | — | — |
| Federal withholding | — | — |
| Social Security | — | — |
| Medicare incl. Additional Medicare | — | — |
| State withholding | — | — |
| CA SDI | — | — |
| Benefit deductions | — | — |
| Net pay | — | — |
| Effective withholding rate | — | — |
Annual totals assume a full year at this pay and one bonus. They are not this paycheck multiplied by pay frequency. State and local taxes are excluded on the national page.
This link includes the numbers you entered.
Show the math
- Gross payPay periods: Pub. 15-T
- Federal withholdingWorksheet 1A
- Social Security and MedicarePub. 15 payroll taxes
- State withholdingOfficial withholding source
- State disability insuranceEDD SDI rates
- Benefit deductionsBenefit tax treatment
- Net pay and effective ratePayroll withholding components
Worked example: $60,000 salary
Biweekly pay, paycheck 1, single, Step 2 unchecked, no W-4 adjustments, benefits or bonus. California: single with zero DE 4 allowances.
| Gross pay | $2,307.69 |
|---|---|
| Federal withholding | $193.08 |
| Social Security | $143.08 |
| Medicare incl. Additional Medicare | $33.46 |
| State withholding | $75.89 |
| CA SDI | $30.00 |
| Benefit deductions | $0.00 |
| Net pay | $1,832.18 |
| Effective withholding rate | 20.61% |
Before you rely on this
Not tax, legal, or financial advice. Educational withholding estimate, not your final tax liability. Assumes a resident employee working in the selected state, ordinary wages, and a valid 2020+ W-4. Exempt W-4s, nonresident aliens, tips, multi-state work, local taxes, garnishments and special payroll arrangements are not modeled.
401(k) contributions reduce income-tax wages, but not Social Security or Medicare wages. Qualified Section 125 and payroll HSA contributions reduce federal/FICA wages. California does not exclude HSA contributions from PIT or SDI. Federal overtime deductions are not automatically subtracted from withholding; use your completed W-4 amounts. The federal deduction for qualified overtime pay is claimed on your tax return. To have it reflected in your withholding, include it in your W-4 Step 4(b) deductions.
Official sources & tax year
- IRS Publication 15-T — 2026 Worksheet 1A and percentage tables — verified October 24, 2026
- SSA contribution and benefit base — 2026: $184,500
- IRS Publication 15 — payroll taxes and supplemental wages — verified October 24, 2026
- EDD 2026 Method B — Tables 1–28
- EDD SDI rates
- EDD supplemental wages
- EDD employee benefits — HSA and Section 125
Frequently asked questions
How does hourly pay become a paycheck?
Regular weekly hours plus overtime hours at 1.5 times your hourly rate are multiplied by 52, then divided by the number of paychecks. Enter overtime separately; do not count it again as regular hours.
Why does my paycheck change during the year?
Social Security stops at the annual wage base. Additional Medicare withholding starts after this employer pays you $200,000, regardless of filing status. Select the paycheck number to see these changes.
Is withholding the same as the tax I owe?
No. Withholding is a prepayment. Your tax return reconciles income, deductions and credits. A 22% bonus withholding rate is not necessarily your final tax rate.
Are my inputs sent to a server?
The calculation runs in your browser. Typed values are not written to the address bar. Copy link intentionally includes your inputs; only share it with people you choose. When someone opens a shared link, the numbers in it reach our web host as part of the web address, like any page request.
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