Tax guide
What comes out of a Florida paycheck?
Every deduction on a Florida pay stub, with the 2026 figures and where each one comes from.
1. Florida state income tax: $0
Article VII, Section 5 of the Florida constitution bans a personal income tax, and repealing that would take a 60% vote of the public. So nothing is withheld for the state, and no county or city has an income tax either. Florida pays its bills with a 6% sales tax (counties add up to 1.5%), property tax, and a lot of tourists. If you moved from New York or California, this is why your first Florida paycheck looked wrong in a good way.
2. Federal income tax
Your employer withholds federal income tax using the Form W-4 you filled out when you were hired (or the last one you updated). Payroll projects your annual taxable income, which is wages minus pre-tax deductions minus the standard deduction, runs it through the brackets below, and divides by the number of pay periods.
2026 standard deduction
- Single: $16,100
- Married filing jointly: $32,200
- Head of household: $24,150
2026 federal tax brackets
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.0% | $0 - $12,400 | $0 - $24,800 | $0 - $17,700 |
| 12.0% | $12,400 - $50,400 | $24,800 - $100,800 | $17,700 - $67,450 |
| 22.0% | $50,400 - $105,700 | $100,800 - $211,400 | $67,450 - $105,700 |
| 24.0% | $105,700 - $201,775 | $211,400 - $403,550 | $105,700 - $201,775 |
| 32.0% | $201,775 - $256,225 | $403,550 - $512,450 | $201,775 - $256,225 |
| 35.0% | $256,225 - $640,600 | $512,450 - $768,700 | $256,225 - $640,600 |
| 37.0% | Over $640,600 | Over $768,700 | Over $640,600 |
Brackets are marginal. Only the dollars inside each band are taxed at that rate, so a single filer earning $70,000 pays 22% on about $3,500 of it, not on the whole amount. A raise can never leave you with less take-home pay.
3. Social Security tax (6.2%)
6.2% of gross wages until you hit the 2026 wage base of $184,500, then it stops for the rest of the year. People who earn more than that notice their paychecks grow in the fall. Your employer pays another 6.2% that never shows on your stub.
4. Medicare tax (1.45% + 0.9%)
1.45% of every dollar, no cap. Once your wages for the year pass $200,000, payroll adds another 0.9% regardless of your filing status. The real threshold is $250,000 for joint filers and $125,000 for married filing separately; the difference gets settled on your tax return.
5. Pre-tax deductions
Traditional 401(k) and 403(b) contributions come off your federal taxable wages but not your FICA wages. Health, dental and vision premiums run through a Section 125 plan, plus HSA and FSA contributions, come off both. If you want a smaller tax bill without changing your W-4, this is the lever: every $100 into a 401(k) costs a 22%-bracket worker about $78 of take-home.
6. Post-tax deductions
Roth 401(k) contributions, union dues, wage garnishments and child support come out after tax. They lower your net pay but change nothing about withholding.
Other Florida payroll facts
- Minimum wage is $15.00 an hour from September 30, 2026 ($14.00 before that), and $11.98 for tipped workers.
- Florida calls unemployment insurance "reemployment tax". Employers pay it on the first $7,000 of each worker's wages; nothing comes out of your check.
- There is no state law on how often you must be paid. Every two weeks is the norm, but weekly and semi-monthly are common in hospitality and government.
- Florida has no final-paycheck deadline either. Your last check arrives on the next regular payday unless your employer chooses to cut it sooner.
To put your own numbers through this, use the Florida paycheck calculator or the hourly calculator.
Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments), IRS Publication 15-T, Social Security Administration 2026 COLA fact sheet, Florida Department of Revenue. Not tax advice.