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    Payroll ยท Free tool

    Payroll Calculator

    Estimate an employee's take-home pay, plus your total employer cost per pay period.

    Paystub, employees, and cash illustration
    100% free, no signup
    Aligned with IRS guidance
    Instant results in-browser
    Reviewed by real accountants
    The Calculator

    Run the numbers

    $
    %
    %
    $
    Social Security (6.2%) 55.00
    Medicare (1.45%)$36.25
    Federal withholding$300.00
    State withholding 10.00
    Net take-home ,898.75
    Employer tax burden 92.87
    Total employer cost$2,692.87

    How it works

    Every paycheck has three layers: employee taxes (withheld from gross), employer taxes (paid on top), and voluntary deductions like retirement or health premiums. The employee sees "net pay", you as the employer write a check for gross plus employer FICA and unemployment.

    This calculator uses flat withholding percentages for simplicity. Real payroll systems use IRS wage-bracket tables based on W-4 elections.

    Examples

    $2,500 bi-weekly

    Roughly ,900 take-home in Colorado; employer cost is about $2,700.

    $5,000 semi-monthly with $500 401(k)

    Pre-tax deferral lowers taxable wages; income tax drops while FICA stays the same on 401(k) contributions.

    Frequently asked questions

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