Estimate your net pay in Massachusetts after federal, state, and FICA taxes, plus common deductions.
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Semi-Monthly
Monthly
Federal Withholding (W-4 2020+)
Single
Married Filing Jointly
Massachusetts State Withholding
Single
Married Filing Jointly
Deductions
Understanding Your Massachusetts Paycheck
Navigating your paycheck can be complex, especially with various federal, state, and local deductions. This Massachusetts Paycheck Calculator helps you estimate your take-home pay by factoring in common taxes and deductions specific to the Commonwealth.
How Your Paycheck is Calculated
Your gross pay is the total amount you earn before any deductions. From this, several amounts are subtracted to arrive at your net pay (what you actually take home). These deductions typically include:
Federal Income Tax: This is withheld based on the information you provide on your W-4 form. The amount depends on your filing status, any credits you claim, and other adjustments. The calculator uses a simplified version of the 2020+ W-4 method.
FICA Taxes (Social Security & Medicare): These are mandatory federal taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare programs.
Social Security: 6.2% of your gross wages, up to an annual wage base limit ($168,600 for 2024).
Medicare: 1.45% of all your gross wages, with no wage base limit.
Massachusetts State Income Tax: Massachusetts has a flat income tax rate of 5% (as of 2024). However, you can claim personal, spouse, and dependent exemptions which reduce your taxable income.
Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML): Massachusetts employees contribute a percentage of their wages to fund the PFML program, which provides paid leave for family and medical reasons. For 2024, the employee contribution rate is 0.42% (0.31% for medical leave and 0.11% for family leave) on wages up to the Social Security wage base.
Pre-Tax Deductions: These are deductions taken from your gross pay before taxes are calculated, reducing your taxable income. Common examples include contributions to a 401(k), health insurance premiums, or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs).
Post-Tax Deductions: These are deductions taken after taxes have been calculated. Examples include Roth 401(k) contributions, union dues, or certain insurance premiums.
Important Considerations
This calculator provides an estimate and should not be considered financial or tax advice. Actual withholdings can vary based on specific circumstances, additional deductions, local taxes (if any), and changes in tax laws. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor or tax professional for personalized advice.
Example Calculation
Let's consider an example for a bi-weekly paid employee in Massachusetts:
Gross Pay per Pay Period: $2,000
Pay Frequency: Bi-Weekly (26 pay periods/year)
Federal Filing Status: Single
Federal Credits: $0
Other Federal Income/Deductions: $0
MA Filing Status: Single
Claim MA Spouse Exemption: No
MA Dependents: 0
Pre-Tax Deductions: $100 per pay period (e.g., 401k, health insurance)
Post-Tax Deductions: $0
Based on these inputs, here's an estimated breakdown:
Annual Gross Pay: $2,000 * 26 = $52,000
Annual Pre-Tax Deductions: $100 * 26 = $2,600
Annual Taxable Income (Federal): $52,000 – $2,600 (pre-tax) – $14,600 (single standard deduction) = $34,800
Estimated Annual Federal Tax:
10% on $11,600 = $1,160
12% on ($34,800 – $11,600) = 12% on $23,200 = $2,784
Total Annual Federal Tax = $1,160 + $2,784 = $3,944
Federal Tax per Pay Period = $3,944 / 26 = $151.69
Social Security Tax: $2,000 * 0.062 = $124.00
Medicare Tax: $2,000 * 0.0145 = $29.00
Annual Taxable Income (MA): $52,000 – $2,600 (pre-tax) – $4,400 (single personal exemption) = $45,000
Estimated Annual MA State Tax: $45,000 * 0.05 = $2,250
MA State Tax per Pay Period: $2,250 / 26 = $86.54
MA PFML Tax: $2,000 * 0.0042 = $8.40
Total Deductions per Pay Period: $100 (pre-tax) + $151.69 (federal) + $124.00 (SS) + $29.00 (Medicare) + $86.54 (MA State) + $8.40 (MA PFML) = $499.63
Net Pay per Pay Period: $2,000 – $499.63 = $1,500.37
This example demonstrates how various factors contribute to your final take-home pay.
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function calculatePaycheck() {
// Constants for 2024
var SS_RATE = 0.062;
var SS_WAGE_BASE = 168600;
var MEDICARE_RATE = 0.0145;
var MA_STATE_TAX_RATE = 0.05;
var MA_PFML_RATE = 0.0042; // 0.31% medical + 0.11% family = 0.42%
// Federal Standard Deductions (2024)
var FEDERAL_STANDARD_DEDUCTION_SINGLE = 14600;
var FEDERAL_STANDARD_DEDUCTION_MARRIED = 29200;
// MA Exemptions (2024)
var MA_PERSONAL_EXEMPTION_SINGLE = 4400;
var MA_PERSONAL_EXEMPTION_MARRIED = 8800;
var MA_SPOUSE_EXEMPTION = 4400;
var MA_DEPENDENT_EXEMPTION = 1000;
// Get input values
var grossPayPerPeriod = parseFloat(document.getElementById('grossPay').value);
var payPeriodsPerYear = parseInt(document.getElementById('payFrequency').value);
var federalFilingStatus = document.getElementById('federalFilingStatus').value;
var federalCredits = parseFloat(document.getElementById('federalCredits').value);
var federalOtherIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById('federalOtherIncome').value);
var federalOtherDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById('federalOtherDeductions').value);
var maFilingStatus = document.getElementById('maFilingStatus').value;
var maSpouseExemptionClaimed = document.getElementById('maSpouseExemption').checked;
var maDependents = parseInt(document.getElementById('maDependents').value);
var preTaxDeductionsPerPeriod = parseFloat(document.getElementById('preTaxDeductions').value);
var postTaxDeductionsPerPeriod = parseFloat(document.getElementById('postTaxDeductions').value);
// Validate inputs
if (isNaN(grossPayPerPeriod) || grossPayPerPeriod < 0) {
document.getElementById('result').innerHTML = 'Please enter a valid Gross Pay per Pay Period.';
return;
}
if (isNaN(federalCredits) || federalCredits < 0) federalCredits = 0;
if (isNaN(federalOtherIncome) || federalOtherIncome < 0) federalOtherIncome = 0;
if (isNaN(federalOtherDeductions) || federalOtherDeductions < 0) federalOtherDeductions = 0;
if (isNaN(maDependents) || maDependents < 0) maDependents = 0;
if (isNaN(preTaxDeductionsPerPeriod) || preTaxDeductionsPerPeriod < 0) preTaxDeductionsPerPeriod = 0;
if (isNaN(postTaxDeductionsPerPeriod) || postTaxDeductionsPerPeriod < 0) postTaxDeductionsPerPeriod = 0;
// Annualize values
var annualGrossPay = grossPayPerPeriod * payPeriodsPerYear;
var annualPreTaxDeductions = preTaxDeductionsPerPeriod * payPeriodsPerYear;
// — FICA Taxes —
var socialSecurityTax = 0;
var medicareTax = 0;
// Social Security (up to wage base)
var annualSSWageBaseUsed = Math.min(annualGrossPay, SS_WAGE_BASE);
var ssTaxablePerPeriod = Math.min(grossPayPerPeriod, annualSSWageBaseUsed / payPeriodsPerYear);
socialSecurityTax = ssTaxablePerPeriod * SS_RATE;
// Medicare (no wage base limit)
medicareTax = grossPayPerPeriod * MEDICARE_RATE;
// — Federal Income Tax (Simplified W-4 2020+ method) —
var federalStandardDeduction = (federalFilingStatus === 'single') ? FEDERAL_STANDARD_DEDUCTION_SINGLE : FEDERAL_STANDARD_DEDUCTION_MARRIED;
var annualTaxableIncomeFederal = annualGrossPay – annualPreTaxDeductions – federalStandardDeduction – federalOtherDeductions + federalOtherIncome;
annualTaxableIncomeFederal = Math.max(0, annualTaxableIncomeFederal); // Cannot be negative
var annualFederalTax = 0;
var brackets;
if (federalFilingStatus === 'single') {
brackets = [
{ rate: 0.10, limit: 11600 },
{ rate: 0.12, limit: 47150 },
{ rate: 0.22, limit: 100525 },
{ rate: 0.24, limit: 191950 },
{ rate: 0.32, limit: 243725 },
{ rate: 0.35, limit: 609350 },
{ rate: 0.37, limit: Infinity }
];
} else { // Married Filing Jointly
brackets = [
{ rate: 0.10, limit: 23200 },
{ rate: 0.12, limit: 94300 },
{ rate: 0.22, limit: 201050 },
{ rate: 0.24, limit: 383900 },
{ rate: 0.32, limit: 487450 },
{ rate: 0.35, limit: 731200 },
{ rate: 0.37, limit: Infinity }
];
}
var remainingTaxable = annualTaxableIncomeFederal;
var previousLimit = 0;
for (var i = 0; i 0) {
annualFederalTax += taxableInBracket * bracket.rate;
}
remainingTaxable -= taxableInBracket;
previousLimit = bracket.limit;
if (remainingTaxable <= 0) break;
}
// Apply federal credits
annualFederalTax = Math.max(0, annualFederalTax – federalCredits);
var federalIncomeTax = annualFederalTax / payPeriodsPerYear;
// — Massachusetts State Income Tax —
var maPersonalExemption = (maFilingStatus === 'single') ? MA_PERSONAL_EXEMPTION_SINGLE : MA_PERSONAL_EXEMPTION_MARRIED;
var maSpouseExemptionAmount = (maFilingStatus === 'married' && maSpouseExemptionClaimed) ? MA_SPOUSE_EXEMPTION : 0;
var maDependentExemptionAmount = maDependents * MA_DEPENDENT_EXEMPTION;
var totalMaExemptions = maPersonalExemption + maSpouseExemptionAmount + maDependentExemptionAmount;
var annualMaTaxableIncome = annualGrossPay – annualPreTaxDeductions – totalMaExemptions;
annualMaTaxableIncome = Math.max(0, annualMaTaxableIncome); // Cannot be negative
var annualMaStateTax = annualMaTaxableIncome * MA_STATE_TAX_RATE;
var maStateTax = annualMaStateTax / payPeriodsPerYear;
// — Massachusetts PFML Tax —
var maPFMLTaxablePerPeriod = Math.min(grossPayPerPeriod, SS_WAGE_BASE / payPeriodsPerYear);
var maPFMLTax = maPFMLTaxablePerPeriod * MA_PFML_RATE;
// — Total Deductions —
var totalDeductions = socialSecurityTax + medicareTax + federalIncomeTax + maStateTax + maPFMLTax + preTaxDeductionsPerPeriod + postTaxDeductionsPerPeriod;
// — Net Pay —
var netPay = grossPayPerPeriod – totalDeductions;
// Display results
var resultDiv = document.getElementById('result');
resultDiv.innerHTML = '