California Paycheck Calculator

Use one pay period, the 2026 Form W-4 settings, and the California certificate fields shown by the calculator. Federal, state, local, and supported employee payroll items are calculated separately so the estimate can be audited.

Inputs

Results update as you type.

* Required

Tax yearGross pay for this pay periodPay frequencyFederal filing statusPre-tax deductions this paycheckTotal deductions taken from net pay that reduce federal and state planning wages.FICA-exempt portion of pre-tax deductionsEnter only the portion excluded from Social Security and Medicare wages, such as qualifying Section 125 health, FSA, or HSA deductions. Do not include a traditional 401(k) contribution here.YTD Social Security wages before this paycheckYTD Medicare wages before this paycheckUsed independently for the employer-level $200,000 Additional Medicare Tax withholding threshold.Form W-4 Step 2 checkboxForm W-4 Step 3 annual creditsForm W-4 Step 4(a) annual other incomeForm W-4 Step 4(b) annual deductionsForm W-4 Step 4(c) extra per paycheckCalifornia DE 4 withholding statusUse the status selected on California DE 4. This is separate from federal Form W-4 filing status.Regular California DE 4 allowancesDE 4 estimated-deduction allowancesAdditional California withholding per paycheck

Result

Results update as you type.

Estimate basis: 2026 tax tables
Estimated net pay: $1,976.56
Federal income tax: $216.15
Social Security tax: $155.00
Medicare tax: $36.25
Additional Medicare tax: $0.00
California income tax withholding: $83.54
Local income tax withholding: $0.00
California SDI (2026): $32.50
Total estimated taxes and payroll premiums: $523.44

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How to use the California Paycheck Calculator

Review the 2026 IRS and California source dates, certificate entries, which deductions are actually FICA-exempt, every year-to-date wage base, locality, exemptions, and whether the employer pays any employee program premium.

Read the estimate basis, estimated net pay, federal and FICA items, California income tax withholding, supported local and payroll-program items, and total estimated taxes and premiums.

Formula

California estimated net pay = gross pay − pre-tax deductions − 2026 federal withholding − Social Security − Medicare − calculated California withholding − supported local taxes and employee payroll premiums.

Example

If a California pay period has $2,000 gross pay, no pre-tax deduction, and the displayed federal, FICA, state, and local taxes total $410, estimated net pay is $1,590.

Assumptions and limitations

California withholding must use the selected year’s Employment Development Department personal-income-tax and payroll-deduction rules. This is a 2026 planning estimate, not payroll or tax advice; employer benefit treatment, reciprocity, exemptions, supplemental wages, and unlisted local programs can change the actual check.
California Paycheck Calculator treats the entered values as estimates and does not infer missing project, account, or personal details.
Calculations retain working precision except where the cited method requires an intermediate rounding step; displayed values are then formatted separately. Source rules and dated rates must be rechecked when they change.

Sources

Internal Revenue Service: Publication 15-T, Federal Income Tax Withholding MethodsFederal payroll withholding methods and tax-year tables. Reviewed 2026-08-14.
California Employment Development Department: California Withholding SchedulesThe California Withholding Schedules rules and withholding guidance. Reviewed 2026-08-14.
Internal Revenue Service: Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding MethodsOfficial formula, rate, or program guidance used by this calculator. Reviewed 2026-08-14.
Social Security Administration: Contribution and Benefit Base DeterminationOfficial formula, rate, or program guidance used by this calculator. Reviewed 2026-08-14.
Internal Revenue Service: Questions and Answers for the Additional Medicare TaxOfficial formula, rate, or program guidance used by this calculator. Reviewed 2026-08-14.
Internal Revenue Service: Publication 15-B (2026), Employer's Tax Guide to Fringe BenefitsOfficial formula, rate, or program guidance used by this calculator. Reviewed 2026-08-14.
California Employment Development Department: 2026 Withholding Schedules — Method BOfficial formula, rate, or program guidance used by this calculator. Reviewed 2026-08-14.

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Frequently asked questions

How does the California Paycheck Calculator work?

What information should I enter in the California Paycheck Calculator?

Enter tax year, gross pay, pay frequency, filing status, total pre-tax deductions, the portion exempt from FICA, separate year-to-date wage bases, Form W-4 Steps 2 through 4, and the displayed California withholding-certificate, locality, and payroll-program settings, then verify the 2026 IRS and California source dates, certificate entries, which deductions are actually FICA-exempt, every year-to-date wage base, locality, exemptions, and whether the employer pays any employee program premium.

What should I verify before using this California Paycheck Calculator result?

California withholding must use the selected year’s Employment Development Department personal-income-tax and payroll-deduction rules. This is a 2026 planning estimate, not payroll or tax advice; employer benefit treatment, reciprocity, exemptions, supplemental wages, and unlisted local programs can change the actual check.

Reviewed 2026-08-14 · 2026.3.0 · content-2026-08-14 · Trusty Calculator Editorial Team