Bi-Weekly (26x per year)
Weekly (52x per year)
Semi-Monthly (24x per year)
Monthly (12x per year)
Single
Married Filing Jointly
Married Filing Separately
Head of Household
Single
Married Filing Jointly
Married Filing Separately
Head of Household
e.g., 401k, health insurance premiums
e.g., Roth 401k, union dues
Your Estimated Paycheck Details:
Gross Pay:$0.00
Pre-Tax Deductions:$0.00
Taxable Gross Pay:$0.00
Federal Income Tax:$0.00
NC State Income Tax:$0.00
Social Security Tax:$0.00
Medicare Tax:$0.00
Post-Tax Deductions:$0.00
Estimated Net Pay:$0.00
Disclaimer: This calculator provides an estimate based on 2024 tax laws and common withholding methods. It does not account for all possible deductions, credits, or specific tax situations. For precise figures, consult a tax professional or your payroll department.
function calculatePaycheck() {
var hourlyWage = parseFloat(document.getElementById('hourlyWage').value);
var hoursPerWeek = parseFloat(document.getElementById('hoursPerWeek').value);
var payFrequency = document.getElementById('payFrequency').value;
var federalFilingStatus = document.getElementById('federalFilingStatus').value;
var federalAllowances = parseInt(document.getElementById('federalAllowances').value);
var ncFilingStatus = document.getElementById('ncFilingStatus').value;
var preTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById('preTaxDeductions').value);
var postTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById('postTaxDeductions').value);
// Input validation
if (isNaN(hourlyWage) || hourlyWage < 0 ||
isNaN(hoursPerWeek) || hoursPerWeek < 0 ||
isNaN(federalAllowances) || federalAllowances < 0 ||
isNaN(preTaxDeductions) || preTaxDeductions < 0 ||
isNaN(postTaxDeductions) || postTaxDeductions < 0) {
alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields.");
return;
}
var payPeriodsPerYear;
switch (payFrequency) {
case 'weekly':
payPeriodsPerYear = 52;
break;
case 'bi-weekly':
payPeriodsPerYear = 26;
break;
case 'semi-monthly':
payPeriodsPerYear = 24;
break;
case 'monthly':
payPeriodsPerYear = 12;
break;
default:
payPeriodsPerYear = 26; // Default to bi-weekly
}
var grossPayPerPeriod = hourlyWage * hoursPerWeek * (52 / payPeriodsPerYear);
var annualGrossPay = hourlyWage * hoursPerWeek * 52;
var annualPreTaxDeductions = preTaxDeductions * payPeriodsPerYear;
// FICA Taxes (2024 rates)
var socialSecurityRate = 0.062;
var medicareRate = 0.0145;
var socialSecurityLimit = 168600; // 2024 limit
var annualSocialSecurityTaxable = Math.min(annualGrossPay, socialSecurityLimit);
var annualSocialSecurityTax = annualSocialSecurityTaxable * socialSecurityRate;
var annualMedicareTax = annualGrossPay * medicareRate;
var socialSecurityTaxPerPeriod = annualSocialSecurityTax / payPeriodsPerYear;
var medicareTaxPerPeriod = annualMedicareTax / payPeriodsPerYear;
// Taxable Gross Pay for Federal and State (after pre-tax deductions)
var annualTaxableGross = Math.max(0, annualGrossPay – annualPreTaxDeductions);
var taxableGrossPayPerPeriod = Math.max(0, grossPayPerPeriod – preTaxDeductions);
// Federal Income Tax (2024 simplified withholding based on annualized income, standard deductions, and allowances)
var federalStandardDeduction;
switch (federalFilingStatus) {
case 'single':
case 'married_separately':
federalStandardDeduction = 14600;
break;
case 'married_jointly':
federalStandardDeduction = 29200;
break;
case 'head_of_household':
federalStandardDeduction = 21900;
break;
default:
federalStandardDeduction = 14600;
}
// Simplified allowance value for withholding (approximate for 2024)
var federalAllowanceValue = 4700;
var federalAllowanceDeduction = federalAllowances * federalAllowanceValue;
var federalTaxableIncome = Math.max(0, annualTaxableGross – federalStandardDeduction – federalAllowanceDeduction);
var annualFederalTax = 0;
// 2024 Federal Tax Brackets (simplified for calculation)
var brackets;
if (federalFilingStatus === 'single' || federalFilingStatus === 'married_separately') {
brackets = [
{ limit: 11600, rate: 0.10 },
{ limit: 47150, rate: 0.12 },
{ limit: 100525, rate: 0.22 },
{ limit: 191950, rate: 0.24 },
{ limit: 243725, rate: 0.32 },
{ limit: 609350, rate: 0.35 },
{ limit: Infinity, rate: 0.37 }
];
} else if (federalFilingStatus === 'married_jointly') {
brackets = [
{ limit: 23200, rate: 0.10 },
{ limit: 94300, rate: 0.12 },
{ limit: 201050, rate: 0.22 },
{ limit: 383900, rate: 0.24 },
{ limit: 487450, rate: 0.32 },
{ limit: 731200, rate: 0.35 },
{ limit: Infinity, rate: 0.37 }
];
} else if (federalFilingStatus === 'head_of_household') {
brackets = [
{ limit: 16550, rate: 0.10 },
{ limit: 63100, rate: 0.12 },
{ limit: 100500, rate: 0.22 },
{ limit: 191950, rate: 0.24 },
{ limit: 243700, rate: 0.32 },
{ limit: 609350, rate: 0.35 },
{ limit: Infinity, rate: 0.37 }
];
}
var remainingTaxable = federalTaxableIncome;
var previousLimit = 0;
for (var i = 0; i 0) {
annualFederalTax += taxableInBracket * bracket.rate;
remainingTaxable -= taxableInBracket;
}
if (remainingTaxable <= 0) break;
previousLimit = bracket.limit;
}
var federalTaxPerPeriod = annualFederalTax / payPeriodsPerYear;
// North Carolina State Income Tax (2024 flat rate and standard deductions)
var ncTaxRate = 0.0525; // 2024 flat rate
var ncStandardDeduction;
switch (ncFilingStatus) {
case 'single':
case 'married_separately':
ncStandardDeduction = 12750;
break;
case 'married_jointly':
ncStandardDeduction = 25500;
break;
case 'head_of_household':
ncStandardDeduction = 19125;
break;
default:
ncStandardDeduction = 12750;
}
var ncTaxableIncome = Math.max(0, annualTaxableGross – ncStandardDeduction);
var annualNCTax = ncTaxableIncome * ncTaxRate;
var ncStateTaxPerPeriod = annualNCTax / payPeriodsPerYear;
// Calculate Net Pay
var totalDeductions = preTaxDeductions + federalTaxPerPeriod + ncStateTaxPerPeriod + socialSecurityTaxPerPeriod + medicareTaxPerPeriod + postTaxDeductions;
var netPay = grossPayPerPeriod – totalDeductions;
// Display Results
document.getElementById('grossPayResult').innerText = '$' + grossPayPerPeriod.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('preTaxDeductionsResult').innerText = '$' + preTaxDeductions.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('taxableGrossPayResult').innerText = '$' + taxableGrossPayPerPeriod.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('federalTaxResult').innerText = '$' + federalTaxPerPeriod.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('ncStateTaxResult').innerText = '$' + ncStateTaxPerPeriod.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('socialSecurityTaxResult').innerText = '$' + socialSecurityTaxPerPeriod.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('medicareTaxResult').innerText = '$' + medicareTaxPerPeriod.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('postTaxDeductionsResult').innerText = '$' + postTaxDeductions.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('netPayResult').innerText = '$' + netPay.toFixed(2);
}
// Run calculation on page load with default values
window.onload = calculatePaycheck;
Understanding Your North Carolina Hourly Paycheck
Navigating your paycheck can sometimes feel like deciphering a complex code. Our North Carolina Hourly Paycheck Calculator is designed to demystify this process, providing you with a clear estimate of your take-home pay after all the necessary deductions. Understanding how your gross pay transforms into net pay is crucial for budgeting and financial planning.
How Your Paycheck is Calculated
Your hourly paycheck is determined by several factors, starting with your gross earnings and then subtracting various taxes and deductions. Here's a breakdown of the key components:
1. Gross Pay
This is your total earnings before any deductions. It's calculated by multiplying your hourly wage by the number of hours you work in a pay period. For example, if you earn $25/hour and work 40 hours a week, your weekly gross pay is $1,000.
2. Pre-Tax Deductions
These are amounts subtracted from your gross pay before taxes are calculated. Common pre-tax deductions include contributions to a 401(k) retirement plan, health insurance premiums, or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). Because these reduce your taxable income, they can lower your overall tax liability.
Example: If your gross pay is $1,000 and you have $50 in pre-tax 401(k) deductions, your taxable gross pay becomes $950.
3. Federal Income Tax
This is the tax you pay to the U.S. government. The amount withheld depends on your taxable income, your filing status (Single, Married Filing Jointly, Head of Household), and the number of allowances you claim on your W-4 form. More allowances generally mean less tax withheld, but could lead to a larger tax bill at year-end if not adjusted correctly.
Our calculator uses simplified 2024 federal tax brackets and standard deductions to estimate this amount.
4. FICA Taxes (Social Security & Medicare)
FICA stands for Federal Insurance Contributions Act. These are mandatory federal taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare programs.
Social Security: As of 2024, this is 6.2% of your gross pay, up to an annual wage base limit of $168,600.
Medicare: As of 2024, this is 1.45% of all your gross pay, with no wage limit.
These taxes are typically split between the employee and employer, with the employee paying the percentages listed above.
5. North Carolina State Income Tax
North Carolina has a relatively straightforward state income tax system. For 2024, NC uses a flat tax rate of 5.25% on your taxable income. Your taxable income for state purposes is generally your gross income minus any pre-tax deductions and the applicable NC standard deduction based on your filing status.
NC Standard Deductions (2024):
Single: $12,750
Married Filing Jointly: $25,500
Head of Household: $19,125
Married Filing Separately: $12,750
6. Post-Tax Deductions
These are deductions taken from your pay after all taxes have been calculated and withheld. Examples include Roth 401(k) contributions, union dues, charitable contributions, or garnishments.
7. Net Pay
Finally, your net pay is what's left after all federal taxes, state taxes, FICA, and both pre-tax and post-tax deductions have been subtracted from your gross pay. This is the amount that gets deposited into your bank account.
Example Paycheck Calculation
Let's consider an example using the calculator's default values: