Iowa Paycheck Calculator
Figure basis: Official Iowa Department of RevenueThis Iowa paycheck calculator estimates your take-home pay after the taxes withheld from a typical wage. Enter your gross pay, choose how often you are paid (weekly, every two weeks, twice a month or monthly) and select your filing status to see a full breakdown of every deduction and your net pay. The estimate combines four withholdings: federal income tax, calculated with the 2026 Internal Revenue Service annualised percentage method; Social Security at 6.2% up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500.00; Medicare at 1.45% on all wages; and Iowa state income tax withholding, applied with the brackets published by the Iowa Department of Revenue for tax year 2025. Results update as you type and the page link captures your inputs so you can save or share a calculation. This estimate covers federal withholding, FICA and state income tax only; State Disability Insurance where a state levies it, and any city or county local income tax, are not included and are noted separately. Use it to check a payslip, compare an offer, or plan a pre-tax contribution.
A $5,000 biweekly paycheck (single filer) in Iowa is about $3,683.83 take-home, after federal income tax $766.69, Social Security $310.00, Medicare $72.50 and Iowa income tax $166.98.
How the Iowa paycheck calculation works
annual gross = gross per period x pay periods per year
federal withholding = IRS Pub 15-T annualised percentage method, de-annualised
Social Security = min(annual gross, $184,500.00) x 6.2% / periods
Medicare = annual gross x 1.45% / periods
state withholding = Iowa income tax on annual gross / periods
take-home = gross per period - federal - Social Security - Medicare - state
Worked example
A single filer paid $5,000.00 every two weeks (26 pay periods a year) in Iowa, for 2026:
- Annual gross = $5,000.00 x 26 = $130,000.00
- Federal income tax withheld this period = $766.69
- Social Security = $310.00; Medicare = $72.50
- Iowa income tax withheld = $166.98
- Take-home = $5,000.00 - $766.69 - $310.00 - $72.50 - $166.98 = $3,683.83
What Iowa's flat 3.8% takes out of your paycheck
On an Iowa paycheck, three federal withholdings come out first, wherever you live: federal income tax, Social Security at 6.2% up to the annual wage base, and Medicare at 1.45% on every dollar. Iowa then layers its own income tax withholding on top. Since January 1, 2025 that state piece is refreshingly simple: a single flat 3.8% on Iowa taxable income, at the same rate whether you file single, jointly, or as head of household.
Because Iowa starts its return from federal taxable income, the state conforms to the federal standard deduction, so the wages your employer shields from Iowa tax match the federal figure: $15,750 for a single filer and $31,500 for a married couple filing jointly in 2025. That keeps Iowa's taxable base narrower than in states that use a smaller, home-grown deduction, so the effective bite on a middle income lands well below the 3.8% headline.
Two things surprise people checking an Iowa payslip. First, filing status no longer changes your rate, only your allowances and deductions, a clean break from the old nine-bracket schedule that once ran up to 8.98%. Second, Iowa excludes most retirement income for filers aged 55 and older, so a retiree who returns to part-time work may see very little Iowa tax withheld even as federal tax and FICA keep coming out.
Iowa paycheck calculator: frequently asked questions
How much is take-home pay on a $5,000 biweekly paycheck in Iowa?
A single filer earning $5,000 every two weeks in Iowa keeps about $3,683.83 after federal income tax withholding ($766.69), Social Security ($310.00), Medicare ($72.50) and Iowa state income tax withholding ($166.98). Enter your own gross pay, pay frequency and filing status above for your figure.
Does Iowa have a state income tax withheld from paychecks?
Yes. Iowa income tax is withheld from wages in addition to federal income tax and FICA. This calculator applies the Iowa brackets published by the Iowa Department of Revenue (tax year 2025) using the annualised method.
What FICA taxes are withheld from a Iowa paycheck?
Social Security is withheld at 6.2% on wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500.00, and Medicare at 1.45% on all wages, with an additional 0.9% Medicare tax on wages above the filing-status threshold. These are federal taxes that apply to wages in every state.
Does this Iowa paycheck estimate include SDI or local taxes?
No. This estimate covers federal income tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare and Iowa state income tax withholding. State Disability Insurance (SDI), where a state levies it, and any city or county local income taxes are not included; check your state and local authorities for those.
Official sources
- Federal income tax withholding and standard deduction (tax year 2026): US Internal Revenue Service, as at Jun 12, 2026.
- Social Security wage base and FICA rates (2026): US Social Security Administration and IRS Topic 751, as at Jun 12, 2026.
- Iowa income tax brackets (tax year 2025): Iowa Department of Revenue, as at Jul 16, 2026.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 25 June 2026. See our methodology. General information, not financial or tax advice. State Disability Insurance and local income taxes are not included.