Guides
Plain-English explanations of how US paychecks work in 2026.
How Your Paycheck Is Calculated (2026)
Step by step: from gross pay to take-home pay – pre-tax deductions, federal withholding, FICA and state tax explained.
FICA Taxes in 2026: Social Security & Medicare Rates
2026 FICA rates: 6.2% Social Security up to $184,500 and 1.45% Medicare plus 0.9% above $200,000, with examples.
Pre-Tax Deductions: How a 401(k) or HSA Raises Your Take-Home Value
How traditional 401(k), HSA and health premiums lower your taxes, with 2026 examples of the real cost per paycheck.
Methodology & sources
Exactly how PayCheckly calculates federal, FICA and state tax.