Gusto Paycheck Calculator 2026
Gusto Paycheck Calculator: Estimate Take-Home Pay
This free Gusto calculator estimates net take-home pay after federal income tax and FICA — enter an employee's gross pay, salary or hourly, and it runs instantly in your browser.
Working in a specific state? Use a state paycheck calculator with the state tax rate pre-filled.
Estimates use current (2026) federal tax brackets and standard deductions and assume standard withholding. They don't account for pre-tax deductions, credits, or every state rule, so your actual paycheck may differ. Inside Gusto, these calculations run automatically and exactly on every payroll.
Gusto paycheck calculator salary examples
Here's the estimated 2026 take-home pay for a single filer at three common salaries, after federal income tax and FICA only (no state income tax). Use this as a Gusto paycheck calculator salary starting point — then adjust the form above for pay frequency, filing status, or a state rate.
| Annual salary | Federal tax | FICA | Take-home / yr | Take-home / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $45,000 | $3,220 | $3,443 | $38,338 | $3,195 |
| $65,000 | $5,620 | $4,973 | $54,408 | $4,534 |
| $95,000 | $12,070 | $7,268 | $75,663 | $6,305 |
FICA is Social Security (6.2%) plus Medicare (1.45%). Figures assume the standard deduction and no pre-tax deductions. For a state-specific net, open a state paycheck calculator.
Salary or hourly: two ways to use this Gusto calculator
As a Gusto salary calculator
Enter the annual salary, set the pay frequency to Annual (or enter the per-paycheck gross and pick the real frequency), and the Gusto salary calculator shows federal withholding, FICA, and take-home pay per paycheck and per year. The salary-example table above gives three common starting points.
As a Gusto hourly paycheck calculator
Multiply the hourly rate by the hours in one pay period and enter that as gross pay — $20/hour × 80 hours every two weeks is $1,600 gross. From there the hourly paycheck math is identical to salary: taxes come out of gross, and the calculator shows the take-home pay for that check. Overtime works the same way — add the overtime earnings into the period's gross.
Gusto paycheck calculator FAQs
How much of a $65,000 salary is take-home pay?
A single filer earning $65,000 a year takes home about $54,408 — roughly $4,534 a month — after federal income tax and FICA. This Gusto paycheck calculator salary estimate uses 2026 federal brackets and the standard deduction; add a state rate above or use a state paycheck calculator for local tax.
How does the Gusto paycheck calculator estimate salary?
Enter annual salary or per-paycheck gross pay, pick a pay frequency, and choose a filing status. The Gusto paycheck calculator annualizes the wage, subtracts the 2026 standard deduction, applies federal income tax brackets, then adds Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%) to show net pay per paycheck and per year.
Is this a Gusto payroll calculator or an employer tax calculator?
This is an employee take-home Gusto payroll calculator and Gusto paycheck calculator. It does not estimate the employer's matching FICA, FUTA, or state unemployment bill — Gusto calculates those automatically when you run payroll.
Can I use this as a Gusto hourly paycheck calculator?
Yes. For hourly employees, multiply the hourly rate by the hours in one pay period, enter that as gross pay, and pick the matching pay frequency — for example, $20/hour × 80 hours every 2 weeks is $1,600 gross. The Gusto hourly calculator math from there is identical: federal withholding, Social Security, and Medicare come out, and the rest is take-home.
How the Gusto payroll calculator works
This calculator annualizes the gross pay you enter, subtracts the standard deduction for the selected filing status, and applies current federal income tax brackets to estimate withholding. It then adds Social Security (6.2% up to the annual wage base) and Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% on high earners), along with any state and local rate you enter, to arrive at estimated take-home pay per paycheck and per year. For state-specific numbers, use the state paycheck calculators.
What Gusto calculates automatically
When you run payroll in Gusto, you don't do any of this by hand. Gusto pulls each employee's W-4, applies the correct federal, state, and local taxes, handles pre-tax benefit and retirement deductions, and files and pays the taxes for you in all 50 states. See exactly which taxes Gusto handles in our payroll taxes guide.
Ready to try it?
Read the full Gusto Payroll overview, check Gusto's pricing, compare it on the payroll comparison chart, and claim your $300 Visa card when you run your first payroll.