Take-Home Pay (Net Pay) Calculator
Take-home pay, also called net pay, is the amount that actually reaches your bank account after taxes and other deductions come out of your gross earnings. This calculator works it out with the simplest and most transparent method: net pay equals gross pay minus total deductions. Enter your gross pay for the period and the sum of everything withheld, such as federal and state income tax, Social Security and Medicare, retirement contributions and health premiums, and the tool returns your take-home pay and your effective deduction rate. Seeing the two figures side by side makes it clear how much of each paycheck is withheld and how much you keep. Because withholding depends on your filing status, allowances, state and benefit elections, this tool keeps total deductions as a single editable input rather than guessing a tax table, so you can enter the exact figure from your pay stub or model different scenarios. The US Internal Revenue Service publishes the federal withholding rules and the Tax Withholding Estimator that determine much of that deduction total. Every figure here is computed deterministically from the formula shown in full below, with a worked example that reconciles exactly to the calculator so you can follow each step.
Take-home pay is what remains after deductions: net pay = gross pay minus total deductions. On a gross of $5,000.00 with $1,250.00 in deductions, take-home pay is $3,750.00, a 25.00% deduction rate.
Take-Home Pay (Net Pay) formula
Net pay = Gross pay - Total deductions
Gross pay = earnings before anything is withheld
Total deductions = tax, payroll tax, benefits and other withholdings
Deduction rate = Total deductions / Gross pay
The deduction rate shows what share of gross pay is withheld, which makes it easy to compare paychecks or model a change in withholdings.
Worked example
Find the take-home pay on a gross paycheck of 5,000 with total deductions of 1,250.
- Subtract deductions from gross: 5,000 - 1,250 = 3,750
- Take-home (net) pay = 3,750.00
- Deduction rate = 1,250 / 5,000 = 25.00%
These are the calculator's default inputs, so the result above matches the widget exactly.
Take-Home Pay (Net Pay) Calculator: frequently asked questions
What is take-home pay?
Take-home pay, or net pay, is the money you actually receive after all deductions are subtracted from your gross pay. Deductions typically include federal and state income tax, Social Security and Medicare (FICA), and any voluntary items like retirement contributions or health insurance premiums.
What counts as a deduction?
Common deductions are federal income tax withholding, state and local income tax, Social Security tax, Medicare tax, retirement plan contributions such as a 401k, health and dental premiums, and items like wage garnishments. Enter the total of all of these from your pay stub.
Why does the calculator ask for total deductions instead of calculating tax?
Withholding depends on your filing status, allowances, state, and benefit choices, so there is no single national figure. Keeping total deductions editable lets you enter the exact amount from your pay stub or model different scenarios precisely.
How do I find my deduction total?
Add up every line on your pay stub between gross pay and net pay. The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator can help you check whether your federal withholding is on track for the year.
What is the take-home pay formula?
Net pay equals gross pay minus total deductions. For a 5,000 gross with 1,250 in deductions, take-home pay is 3,750.00.
Official sources
- US federal payroll, withholding and reimbursement guidance: US Internal Revenue Service (IRS). As at 25 June 2026.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 25 June 2026. See our methodology. This is general information, not financial, tax, legal or investment advice.