Federal Salary Paycheck Calculator

Question 1

How do I complete a paycheck calculation?

To calculate a paycheck start with the annual salary amount and divide by the number of pay periods in the year. This number is the gross pay per pay period. Subtract any deductions and payroll taxes from the gross pay to get net pay. Don't want to calculate this by hand? The PaycheckCity salary calculator will do the calculating for you.

Question 2

What is gross pay?

Gross pay amount is earnings before taxes and deductions are withheld by the employer. This calculator will take a gross pay and calculate the net pay, which is the employee’s take-home pay.

Question 3

What is the gross pay method?

The gross pay method refers to whether the gross pay is an annual amount or a per period amount. The annual amount is your gross pay for the whole year. Per period amount is your gross pay every payday. For example, if your annual salary were $52,000 and you are paid weekly, your annual amount is $52,000, and your per period amount is $1,000.

Question 4

If my paycheck has a bonus, is it taxed differently?

Congratulations on your bonus! Unfortunately yes, bonuses are taxed more. They are taxed with what’s called the supplemental wage rate. Use our Bonus Calculators to see the paycheck taxes on your bonus.

Question 5

What is pay frequency?

Pay frequency refers to the frequency with which employers pay their employees. The pay frequency starts the entire payroll process and determines when you need to run payroll and withhold taxes.

Question 6

How is pay frequency used to calculate payroll?

For salaried employees, the number of payrolls in a year is used to determine the gross paycheck amount.
For example, let's look at a salaried employee who is paid $52,000 per year:

If this employee's pay frequency is weekly the calculation is: $52,000 / 52 payrolls = $1,000 gross pay
If this employee's pay frequency is semi-monthly the calculation is: $52,000 / 24 payrolls = $2,166.67 gross pay

Question 7

What is the difference between bi-weekly and semi-monthly?

Bi-weekly is once every other week with 26 payrolls per year. Semi-monthly is twice per month with 24 payrolls per year.

Question 8

What are my withholding requirements?

Employers and employees are subject to income tax withholding. There are federal and state withholding requirements. Find federal and state withholding requirements in our Payroll Resources.

Question 9

How do I know if I’m exempt from federal taxes?

You are tax-exempt when you do not meet the requirements for paying tax. This usually happens because your income is lower than the tax threshold. For 2022, you need to make less than $12,950 for single filers, $25,900 for joint filers, or $19,400 for heads of household. For 2023 the standard deductions increased to $13,850 for single filers, $27,700 for joint filers, and $20,800 for heads of household.

If you are 65 or older, or if you are blind, different income thresholds may apply. Check the IRS Publication 505 for current laws.

Claiming exempt from federal tax withholding on your W4 when you aren’t eligible isn’t illegal but it can have major consequences. You might receive a large tax bill and possible penalties after you file your tax return.

Question 10

What’s the difference between single and head of household?

Someone who qualifies as head of household may be taxed less on their income than if filing as single. This is because the tax brackets are wider meaning you can earn more but be taxed at a lower percentage. This status applies for people who aren’t married, but adhere to special rules. If you’ve paid for more than half the cost of your household (with a qualifying dependent), consider this status. Be sure to double check all the stipulations before selecting, however. Picking the wrong filing status could cost you time and money.

Question 11

What was updated in the Federal W4 in 2020?

In 2020, the IRS updated the Federal W4 form that eliminated withholding allowances. The redesigned Form W4 makes it easier for your withholding to match your tax liability. Here’s how to answer the new questions:

Step 2: check the box if you have more than one job or you and your spouse both have jobs. This will increase withholding.
Step 3: enter an amount for dependents.The old W4 used to ask for the number of dependents. The new W4 asks for a dollar amount. Here’s how to calculate it: If your total income will be $200k or less ($400k if married) multiply the number of children under 17 by $2,000 and other dependents by $500. Add up the total.
Step 4a: extra income from outside of your job, such as dividends or interest, that usually don't have withholding taken out of them. By entering it here you will withhold for this extra income so you don't owe tax later when filing your tax return.
Step 4b: any additional withholding you want taken out. Any other estimated tax to withhold can be entered here. The more is withheld, the bigger your refund may be and you’ll avoid owing penalties.

If your W4 on file is in the old format (2019 or older), toggle "Use new Form W-4" to change the questions back to the previous form. Employees are currently not required to update it. However if you do need to update it for any reason, you must now use the new Form W-4.

Question 12

How is Federal Income Tax (FIT) calculated?

The more taxable income you have, the higher tax rate you are subject to. This calculation process can be complex, so PaycheckCity’s free calculators can do it for you!

The federal income tax is a tax on annual earnings for individuals, businesses, and other legal entities. All wages, salaries, cash gifts from employers, business income, tips, gambling income, bonuses, and unemployment benefits are subject to a federal income tax.

For each payroll, federal income tax is calculated based on the answers provided on the W-4 and year to date income, which is then referenced to the tax tables in IRS Publication 15-T. The current tax rates are 0%, 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, or 37%. Again, the percentage chosen is based on the paycheck amount and your W4 answers.

Question 13

What’s the difference between a deduction and withholding?

In addition to withholding federal and state taxes, part of your gross income might also have to contribute to deductions. These are known as “pre-tax deductions” and include contributions to retirement accounts and some health care costs. For example, when you look at your paycheck you might see an amount deducted for your company’s health insurance plan and for your 401k plan. Pre-tax deductions result in lower take-home, but also means less of your income is subject to tax. Some deductions are “post-tax”, like Roth 401(k), and are deducted after being taxed.

In our calculators, you can add deductions under “Voluntary Deductions” and select if it’s a fixed amount (pre-tax), a percentage of the gross-pay (pre-tax), or a percentage of the net pay (post-tax). For hourly calculators, you can also select a fixed amount per hour (pre-tax).