California Paycheck Calculator

California Paycheck Calculator: Calculate Your 2026 Take-Home Pay

Our California Paycheck Calculator helps you estimate your net (take-home) pay after federal and state taxes, FICA (Social Security and Medicare), California SDI (State Disability Insurance), and pre-tax deductions. California uses progressive income tax brackets from 1% to 12.3%, making it one of the highest-tax states in the U.S. For a general estimate of your net pay regardless of location, try the Take Home Paycheck Calculator.

How California State Income Tax Works

California has nine progressive income tax brackets ranging from 1% to 12.3%. Higher earners pay higher rates on income above each threshold. California also imposes a State Disability Insurance (SDI) payroll tax of 1.1% on wages up to the annual wage base.

Key features of California state income tax:

• Nine progressive brackets from 1% to 12.3%
• Standard deduction of $5,540 (single) or $11,080 (MFJ/HOH)
• SDI tax of 1.1% on wages up to the wage base
• No personal exemption for most filers

Federal Tax and FICA Deductions

This calculator applies the 2026 federal income tax brackets based on your filing status. The standard deduction for 2026 is $16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for head of household. FICA taxes include Social Security at 6.2%, Medicare at 1.45%, and Additional Medicare at 0.9% for high earners. Our Income Tax Calculator provides a detailed breakdown of your total tax liability across all federal brackets.

How This Is Calculated

This calculator is based on 2026 IRS federal tax brackets and FICA, plus each state's latest published income-tax schedule. If you are paid by the hour, the Hourly Wage Calculator helps you convert your hourly rate to annual salary and compare different pay structures.

Sources:

• IRS: Federal income tax rates and brackets
• IRS Topic No. 751: Social Security and Medicare withholding rates
• SSA: Social Security wage base (contribution and benefit base)