Use this California paycheck calculator to estimate take-home pay after federal income tax, FICA (Social Security and Medicare), and California state income tax. Enter salary or hourly wages, choose a pay frequency, and adjust filing status to see a clearer picture of what may land in your account.
California combines progressive state income tax with some of the strongest daily overtime rules in the United States. That means two workers with the same annual salary can see different take-home results depending on filing status, pre-tax benefits, and how overtime is scheduled — not only the headline wage.
These results are planning estimates for tax year 2026. They are not an official pay stub, tax advice, or a substitute for your employer’s payroll system.
Federal taxes on a California paycheck
Federal income tax is estimated by annualizing your pay, subtracting an approximate standard deduction, then applying 2026 IRS brackets. Social Security is withheld at 6.2% up to the 2026 wage base, and Medicare at 1.45% (plus Additional Medicare where applicable). Pre-tax deductions such as traditional 401(k) contributions can reduce taxable wages in this model.
California state income tax
California uses progressive brackets. Our calculator applies a simplified bracket model plus a state standard deduction estimate. Higher earners face higher marginal state rates than residents of flat-tax or no-income-tax states. Local city payroll taxes are generally not modeled here.
Why your stub may differ
Employers use IRS withholding methods, benefit elections, garnishments, local taxes, and supplemental wage rules that this tool simplifies. Always compare against your actual pay stub and W-4 settings.
California overtime basics
California generally requires 1.5× pay after 8 hours in a workday or 40 hours in a workweek, and 2× pay after 12 hours in a day and after 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day. Industry and alternative workweek arrangements can change the details.
Example: $60,000 salary, single filer, paid monthly
A single filer earning $5,000 gross per month ($60,000/year) in California will typically see federal income tax, FICA, and state income tax withheld. Compared with a Texas worker at the same salary, California take-home is usually lower because Texas has no state wage income tax. Use the calculator above with monthly frequency and California selected to explore your own numbers.
Also try the California overtime calculator or the self-employment / 1099 tax calculator. Also: pay converter.