Use this calculator to estimate your net pay in Tennessee, taking into account federal taxes, FICA (Social Security and Medicare), and common deductions. Please note that Tennessee does not have a state income tax on wages.
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Semi-Monthly
Monthly
Single
Married Filing Jointly
Estimated Paycheck Breakdown:
Enter your details and click "Calculate Net Pay" to see your breakdown.
function calculateTennesseePayroll() {
var grossPay = parseFloat(document.getElementById('grossPay').value);
var payFrequencyValue = document.getElementById('payFrequency').value;
var filingStatus = document.getElementById('filingStatus').value;
var dependents = parseInt(document.getElementById('dependents').value);
var preTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById('preTaxDeductions').value);
var additionalFederalWithholding = parseFloat(document.getElementById('additionalFederalWithholding').value);
var otherPostTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById('otherPostTaxDeductions').value);
// Input validation
if (isNaN(grossPay) || grossPay < 0 ||
isNaN(dependents) || dependents < 0 ||
isNaN(preTaxDeductions) || preTaxDeductions < 0 ||
isNaN(additionalFederalWithholding) || additionalFederalWithholding < 0 ||
isNaN(otherPostTaxDeductions) || otherPostTaxDeductions < 0) {
document.getElementById('result').innerHTML = 'Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields.';
return;
}
var payPeriodsPerYear = parseInt(payFrequencyValue);
// — FICA Taxes (Social Security & Medicare) —
var socialSecurityRate = 0.062;
var medicareRate = 0.0145;
var socialSecurityWageBase = 168600; // 2024 limit
var annualGrossPay = grossPay * payPeriodsPerYear;
var annualPreTaxDeductions = preTaxDeductions * payPeriodsPerYear;
var socialSecurityTaxableGross = Math.min(annualGrossPay, socialSecurityWageBase);
var annualSocialSecurityTax = socialSecurityTaxableGross * socialSecurityRate;
var annualMedicareTax = annualGrossPay * medicareRate; // No wage base limit
var socialSecurityTaxPerPeriod = annualSocialSecurityTax / payPeriodsPerYear;
var medicareTaxPerPeriod = annualMedicareTax / payPeriodsPerYear;
// — Federal Income Tax (Simplified Approximation for 2024) —
var annualTaxableGrossForFederal = annualGrossPay – annualPreTaxDeductions;
var standardDeduction;
var taxBrackets;
if (filingStatus === 'single') {
standardDeduction = 14600;
taxBrackets = [
{ 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 { // Married Filing Jointly
standardDeduction = 29200;
taxBrackets = [
{ 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 }
];
}
var annualTaxableIncome = Math.max(0, annualTaxableGrossForFederal – standardDeduction);
var annualFederalTax = 0;
var previousBracketLimit = 0;
for (var i = 0; i previousBracketLimit) {
var taxableInBracket = Math.min(annualTaxableIncome, bracket.limit) – previousBracketLimit;
annualFederalTax += taxableInBracket * bracket.rate;
}
previousBracketLimit = bracket.limit;
if (annualTaxableIncome <= bracket.limit) {
break;
}
}
// Simplified Child Tax Credit (non-refundable portion for calculation)
var childTaxCredit = dependents * 2000; // Max credit per child
annualFederalTax = Math.max(0, annualFederalTax – childTaxCredit);
var federalTaxPerPeriod = (annualFederalTax / payPeriodsPerYear) + additionalFederalWithholding;
federalTaxPerPeriod = Math.max(0, federalTaxPerPeriod); // Ensure tax isn't negative
// — Tennessee State Income Tax —
var tnStateIncomeTaxPerPeriod = 0; // Tennessee has no state income tax on wages
// — Total Deductions —
var totalDeductions = preTaxDeductions + socialSecurityTaxPerPeriod + medicareTaxPerPeriod + federalTaxPerPeriod + otherPostTaxDeductions;
// — Net Pay —
var netPay = grossPay – totalDeductions;
// — Display Results —
var resultHtml = '
Navigating your paycheck can sometimes feel complex, especially with various deductions. This guide will help you understand the components of your Tennessee payroll.
Gross Pay
Your gross pay is the total amount of money you earn before any deductions are taken out. If you're an hourly employee, this is calculated by multiplying your hourly rate by the number of hours worked. For salaried employees, it's your fixed salary amount for the pay period.
Pre-Tax Deductions
These are deductions taken from your gross pay before taxes are calculated. Common pre-tax deductions include contributions to 401(k) plans, health insurance premiums, and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). Because these reduce your taxable income, they can lower your overall tax liability.
Federal Income Tax
Federal income tax is withheld from your paycheck based on the information you provide on your W-4 form (Employee's Withholding Certificate). This form helps your employer determine how much federal tax to withhold. Factors like your filing status (Single, Married Filing Jointly, etc.), the number of dependents you claim, and any additional withholding you request all influence this amount. The calculator uses a simplified approximation of federal tax brackets and standard deductions for estimation.
FICA Taxes (Social Security and Medicare)
FICA stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, which funds Social Security and Medicare. These are mandatory federal taxes:
Social Security: This tax is 6.2% of your gross wages, up to an annual wage base limit (e.g., $168,600 for 2024). Once you earn above this limit in a calendar year, you no longer pay Social Security tax on additional earnings for that year.
Medicare: This tax is 1.45% of all your gross wages, with no wage base limit. There's also an additional Medicare tax of 0.9% on wages above certain thresholds ($200,000 for single filers, $250,000 for married filing jointly), which this calculator does not include for simplicity.
Your employer also pays a matching amount for both Social Security and Medicare taxes.
Tennessee State Income Tax
One of the key advantages of working in Tennessee is that the state does not levy a state income tax on wages. This means your take-home pay will generally be higher compared to states with state income taxes, assuming all other factors are equal. Historically, Tennessee had a "Hall Income Tax" on certain investment income, but this was fully phased out as of January 1, 2021, and no longer applies.
Other Post-Tax Deductions
These are deductions taken from your pay after all applicable taxes have been calculated. Examples include Roth 401(k) contributions, union dues, garnishments, or certain charitable contributions.
Net Pay
Your net pay, also known as take-home pay, is the amount of money you receive after all pre-tax deductions, taxes, and post-tax deductions have been withheld from your gross pay. This is the actual amount that will be deposited into your bank account or issued as a check.
Understanding these components can help you better manage your finances and plan for your future. Always review your pay stubs for accuracy and consult with your HR department or a tax professional if you have specific questions about your individual payroll situation.