Paycheck · California · 2026

California Paycheck Calculator

California taxes wages at 1% to 13.3%. Estimate your 2026 take-home pay after federal and California taxes.

Last reviewed October 9, 2026 · Calculation tax.paycheck v2.0.0

Your pay and filing details

2026 federal rules plus your state's income tax, local tax and payroll programs. Your numbers stay in your browser.

State you live and work in

We assume you live and work in the same state.

How you're paid

Salary (yearly)Hourly

Annual gross pay from this job

Before any deductions.

Hourly rate

Regular hours a week

Overtime hours a week (optional)

Overtime pay rate (optional)

Filing status

Pay frequency

Dependents (optional)

Used for state exemptions and credits. For federal credits, use the fields below.

Spouse's yearly wages (optional)

Affects the yearly tax estimate on a joint return. If blank, we show the result as if there is no other household income — and say so.

Pre-tax deductions (per year)

Reduce income tax only (optional)

Usually traditional 401(k) or 403(b) contributions. Social Security and Medicare still apply.

Reduce income tax and Social Security/Medicare (optional)

Usually health, dental or vision premiums and FSA/HSA contributions through a Section 125 plan. Check your pay stub or ask payroll.

Federal tax credits you expect to claim (optional)

For the yearly estimate only, e.g. the child tax credit. We don't work out eligibility.

Form W-4 entries (optional — affects federal withholding)

W-4 Step 1(c) filing status

Step 2 box checked (two jobs, or spouse works)

Step 3: claim dependents and other credits (optional)

Step 4(a): other income (per year) (optional)

Step 4(b): deductions (per year) (optional)

The 2026 W-4 worksheet lets you include expected tips, overtime, car-loan interest and senior deductions here.

Step 4(c): extra withholding per paycheck (optional)

Estimated take-home pay per paycheck

$1,845.02

after federal, California taxes and state payroll deductions

Estimate · 2026 tax rules

Each paycheck · 26 a year

Gross pay: $2,307.69
Pre-tax deductions: −$0.00
Federal income tax withheld: −$193.08
Social Security (6.2%): −$143.08
Medicare (1.45%): −$33.46
State income tax (estimate): −$63.06
Local income tax (estimate): −$0.00
State payroll deductions: −$30.00
Take-home pay: $1,845.02

For the whole year

Gross pay: $60,000.00
Take-home pay: $47,970.47
Share of gross you keep: 80%
Federal income tax owed (estimate): $5,020.00
Federal effective / marginal rate: 8.4% / 12%
State income tax owed (estimate): $1,639.53
State effective / marginal rate: 2.7% / 6%

California details

State taxable income: $54,294.00
State credits applied: −$153.00
State income tax for the year: $1,639.53
SDI (State Disability Insurance, includes Paid Family Leave): $780.00 a year

Uses 2025 California brackets, deduction and credits because the 2026 indexed figures weren't published when we checked; payroll tables for 2026 use the same amounts.
Doesn't reduce exemption credits at high income, and leaves out CalEITC and the renter's credit.

California paycheck guide: rates, deductions and sources

Federal withholding vs. estimated federal tax

Federal income tax withheld over the year: $5,020.00
Difference: About even

A positive difference suggests a federal refund; a negative one suggests you may owe. Other income, deductions and credits change it.

Federal tax brackets applied to your taxable income

How your federal taxable income is taxed
Rate	Income in this bracket	Tax
10%	$12,400.00	$1,240.00
12%	$31,500.00	$3,780.00

How state tax is estimated

We estimate the state income tax you'll owe for the year — wages, minus pre-tax deductions your state allows, minus its standard deduction and exemptions — then apply the state's 2026 brackets and credits, and divide by your number of paychecks. Your employer's withholding uses each state's own formula, so individual paychecks can differ by a few dollars. Employee-paid state programs (disability insurance, paid family leave and similar) are shown separately with their wage caps.

Calculation tax.state-wages v1.0.0; paycheck tax.paycheck v2.0.0; federal tax.federal-paycheck v1.0.0.

California paycheck taxes at a glance

California payroll taxes for 2026
Item	California
State income tax on wages	1% to 13.3%
Brackets	10 for single filers
Standard deduction (single)	$5,706
Local income tax	None on wages
Employee-paid state programs	SDI (State Disability Insurance, includes Paid Family Leave): 1.3%
Take-home on $60,000 (single, biweekly)	$1,845.02 per paycheck · $47,970 a year
Rank for take-home on $60,000	37 of 51 (1 = keeps the most)

California income tax brackets

California taxes each slice of taxable income at its own rate, like the federal system. Taxable income is your wages minus the pre-tax deductions California allows and the deductions and exemptions below.

California 2025 income tax brackets (taxable income)
Rate	Single	Married filing jointly	Head of household
1%	$0 – $11,079	$0 – $22,158	$0 – $22,173
2%	$11,079 – $26,264	$22,158 – $52,528	$22,173 – $52,530
4%	$26,264 – $41,452	$52,528 – $82,904	$52,530 – $67,716
6%	$41,452 – $57,542	$82,904 – $115,084	$67,716 – $83,805
8%	$57,542 – $72,724	$115,084 – $145,448	$83,805 – $98,990
9.3%	$72,724 – $371,479	$145,448 – $742,958	$98,990 – $505,208
10.3%	$371,479 – $445,771	$742,958 – $891,542	$505,208 – $606,251
11.3%	$445,771 – $742,953	$891,542 – $1,000,000	$606,251 – $1,000,000
12.3%	$742,953 – $1,000,000	$1,000,000 – $1,485,906	$1,000,000 – $1,010,417
13.3%	Over $1,000,000	Over $1,485,906	Over $1,010,417

Deductions, exemptions and credits

California standard deduction, exemptions and personal credits
Filing status	Standard deduction	Personal exemption	Personal credit
Single	$5,706	None	$153 credit
Married filing jointly	$11,412	None	$306 credit
Married filing separately	$5,706	None	$153 credit
Head of household	$11,412	None	$153 credit

Dependents: $475 credit each.
Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce California taxable wages.
Section 125 health premiums reduce California taxable wages.

Payroll deductions besides tax

Employee-paid California payroll programs, 2026
Program	Employee rate	Wage cap	Maximum a year
SDI (State Disability Insurance, includes Paid Family Leave)	1.3%	No cap	No maximum

Example paychecks in California

Single filer, biweekly pay, no pre-tax deductions
Annual pay	Gross per paycheck	Federal tax + FICA	State & local tax	State programs	Take-home per paycheck	Share kept
$40,000	$1,538.46	$218.46	$22.41	$20.00	$1,277.59	83%
$60,000	$2,307.69	$369.62	$63.06	$30.00	$1,845.02	80%
$80,000	$3,076.92	$572.69	$122.88	$40.00	$2,341.35	76.1%
$100,000	$3,846.15	$800.77	$194.42	$50.00	$2,800.96	72.8%
$150,000	$5,769.23	$1,392.65	$373.27	$75.00	$3,928.31	68.1%

California vs. neighboring states

Single filer, $60,000 a year, biweekly, no local tax
State	Income tax on wages	Take-home a year	Per paycheck
California	1% to 13.3%	$47,970	$1,845.02
Arizona	Flat 2.5%	$49,284	$1,895.53
Nevada	No income tax on wages	$50,390	$1,938.08
Oregon	4.75% to 9.9%	$46,056	$1,771.38

See all 50 states and DC side by side at any salary.

Bonuses and other supplemental pay

Federal withholding on a bonus paid separately is usually a flat 22% (37% on supplemental pay over $1 million in a year). California publishes a flat supplemental rate of 10.23% for bonuses and stock options. Use the bonus tax calculator to see what a bonus check will look like.

What this estimate leaves out

Uses 2025 California brackets, deduction and credits because the 2026 indexed figures weren't published when we checked; payroll tables for 2026 use the same amounts.
Doesn't reduce exemption credits at high income, and leaves out CalEITC and the renter's credit.
California doesn't exclude employee HSA contributions; if part of your pre-tax deductions is an HSA, California tax is a little higher than shown.
We assume you live and work in California. Federal limitations are listed on the main paycheck calculator.

Sources and verification

Figures checked on October 9, 2026 (read from the state's own publications). 2025 brackets read from FTB 2025 tax rate schedules; exemption credits from FTB 2025 Form 540NR; standard deduction from EDD 2026 Method B withholding schedules (which reuse 2025 values). Tax Foundation's CA standard deduction ($5,540) is a stale 2024 figure.

2025 California Tax Rate Schedules — Franchise Tax Board. Accessed 2026-10-09.
2025 Form 540NR (exemption credit amounts $153 / $475, AGI threshold $252,203) — Franchise Tax Board. Accessed 2026-10-09.
2026 California Withholding Schedules - Method B (Exact Calculation) — Employment Development Department. Accessed 2026-10-09.
Tax calculator, tables, rates (lists 2025 as latest year) — Franchise Tax Board. Accessed 2026-10-09.
State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 — Tax Foundation. Accessed 2026-10-09.

Payroll program sources:

Determine Taxable Wages and Calculate Taxes — California EDD. Accessed 2026-10-09.