$Paycheck Calculator.
Updated for tax year 2026

Net-to-Gross Calculator

Know the take-home pay you need? Work backwards to the salary that delivers it, using 2026 federal and state rates.

Target take-home

$
$

Runs in your browser; nothing you type is sent anywhere.

Required gross salary

$79,844 / year

to take home $2,500 every bi-weekly check

Gross per check$3,070.91
Total tax withheld per check-$570.91
Net per check$2,500.00
Effective tax rate18.6%
Checks per year26

When to use it

Budget first, salary second

Rent, loans and savings goals are monthly net numbers; job offers are annual gross numbers. This tool converts between them honestly, bracket math included, so "I need $4,500 a month after taxes" becomes a concrete salary target for negotiations. As a sanity check, gross typically runs 25-40% above the net you keep; the gross pay vs. net pay guide explains every line in between.

Going the other way

Gross to net

Already have the salary and want the paycheck? That's the take-home pay calculator, or the full paycheck calculator with W-4 detail. Comparing two states at the same salary? Every state page shows worked examples at $50,000, $75,000 and $100,000.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What salary do I need to take home $3,000 a paycheck?+

Roughly $95,000-$100,000 in a no-income-tax state for a single filer paid biweekly, and more where the state taxes wages: around $105,000 in California. Enter your own target, state and filing status above; the calculator solves it exactly against the 2026 withholding math.

What is a gross-up?+

Working backwards from a desired net amount to the gross that produces it. Employers gross up bonuses or relocation payments so the employee receives a specific amount after withholding; individuals use the same math to turn a monthly budget into a salary target for job hunting.

Why isn't there a simple formula for net to gross?+

Because tax is progressive: the rate depends on the answer. Dividing net by a flat percentage misses bracket boundaries, FICA caps and state deductions. This calculator solves it iteratively, running the full gross-to-net computation until the net lands on your target.

Does the result account for 401(k) and health insurance?+

Yes, enter your per-check pre-tax deductions and the required gross rises to cover both the deduction and its tax interaction. Post-tax deductions like Roth aren't modeled here; subtract them from your target net first.

Sources

Figures are estimates for planning, not tax advice. Federal figures are verified against the cited IRS, SSA and Department of Labor documents.

Paycheck tools

More paycheck tools and guides