North Carolina Paycheck Calculator
Use this calculator to estimate your net take-home pay in North Carolina, factoring in federal, state, and FICA taxes, as well as common deductions.
Estimated Paycheck Breakdown
Enter your details and click "Calculate Paycheck" to see your estimated take-home pay.
Understanding Your North Carolina Paycheck
Navigating your paycheck can sometimes feel like deciphering a complex code. This North Carolina Paycheck Calculator aims to demystify the process, providing an estimate of your net take-home pay after various deductions and taxes.
Gross Pay vs. Net Pay
Your Gross Pay is the total amount of money you earn before any deductions are taken out. This is the figure often quoted in job offers. Your Net Pay, or take-home pay, is what you actually receive after all taxes and deductions have been subtracted from your gross pay.
Key Deductions Explained
Several types of deductions typically reduce your gross pay:
- Federal Income Tax: This is withheld based on your gross income, filing status, and any additional withholding you specify on your W-4 form. The calculator uses standard deductions and federal tax brackets to estimate this amount.
- FICA Taxes (Social Security & Medicare): These are mandatory federal taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare programs.
- Social Security: As of 2024, this is 6.2% of your gross wages, up to an annual wage base limit of $168,600.
- Medicare: This is 1.45% of all your gross wages, with no wage base limit.
- North Carolina State Income Tax: North Carolina currently has a flat income tax rate. For 2024, the rate is 4.25%. Your taxable income for state purposes is determined after subtracting your NC standard deduction and any NC withholding allowances you claim.
- Pre-Tax Deductions: These are deductions taken from your gross pay before taxes are calculated, effectively reducing your taxable income. Common examples include contributions to a 401(k) or 403(b) retirement plan, health insurance premiums, and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) contributions.
- Post-Tax Deductions: These deductions are taken from your pay after all taxes have been calculated. Examples include Roth 401(k) contributions, union dues, or certain types of garnishments.
How North Carolina State Tax Works
North Carolina uses a flat tax rate for its state income tax. However, your taxable income is first reduced by a standard deduction and any personal allowances you claim. For 2024, the NC standard deductions are:
- Single: $12,750
- Married Filing Jointly: $25,500
- Head of Household: $19,125
- Married Filing Separately: $12,750
- Qualifying Widow(er): $25,500
Each NC withholding allowance claimed reduces your taxable income by an additional $2,500 (for 2024). The calculator takes these factors into account to estimate your NC state tax.
Disclaimer
This calculator provides an estimate based on the information you provide and current tax laws (2024). It is not financial or tax advice. Actual withholdings may vary due to specific payroll system calculations, additional deductions, or changes in tax laws. For precise figures, consult your employer's payroll department or a qualified tax professional.
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function calculatePaycheck() {
// Input values
var grossPayPerPeriod = parseFloat(document.getElementById("grossPay").value);
var payFrequencyMultiplier = parseFloat(document.getElementById("payFrequency").value);
var federalFilingStatus = document.getElementById("federalFilingStatus").value;
var additionalFederalWithholding = parseFloat(document.getElementById("additionalFederalWithholding").value);
var ncFilingStatus = document.getElementById("ncFilingStatus").value;
var ncAllowances = parseInt(document.getElementById("ncAllowances").value);
var preTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById("preTaxDeductions").value);
var postTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById("postTaxDeductions").value);
// Validate inputs
if (isNaN(grossPayPerPeriod) || grossPayPerPeriod < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Gross Pay per Pay Period.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(additionalFederalWithholding) || additionalFederalWithholding < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Additional Federal Withholding amount.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(ncAllowances) || ncAllowances < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid number for NC Withholding Allowances.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(preTaxDeductions) || preTaxDeductions < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Pre-Tax Deductions amount.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(postTaxDeductions) || postTaxDeductions < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Post-Tax Deductions amount.");
return;
}
// Annualize gross pay and deductions
var annualGrossPay = grossPayPerPeriod * payFrequencyMultiplier;
var annualPreTaxDeductions = preTaxDeductions * payFrequencyMultiplier;
// — FICA Taxes (Social Security & Medicare) —
var socialSecurityRate = 0.062;
var socialSecurityWageBase = 168600; // 2024 limit
var medicareRate = 0.0145;
var annualSocialSecurityTaxable = Math.min(annualGrossPay, socialSecurityWageBase);
var annualSocialSecurityTax = annualSocialSecurityTaxable * socialSecurityRate;
var annualMedicareTax = annualGrossPay * medicareRate;
var annualFicaTax = annualSocialSecurityTax + annualMedicareTax;
var ficaTaxPerPeriod = annualFicaTax / payFrequencyMultiplier;
// — Federal Income Tax —
var federalStandardDeduction;
var federalTaxBrackets; // [ [rate, min_income, max_income], … ]
if (federalFilingStatus === "single") {
federalStandardDeduction = 14600; // 2024
federalTaxBrackets = [
{ rate: 0.10, min: 0, max: 11600 },
{ rate: 0.12, min: 11601, max: 47150 },
{ rate: 0.22, min: 47151, max: 100525 },
{ rate: 0.24, min: 100526, max: 191950 },
{ rate: 0.32, min: 191951, max: 243725 },
{ rate: 0.35, min: 243726, max: 609350 },
{ rate: 0.37, min: 609351, max: Infinity }
];
} else if (federalFilingStatus === "married") {
federalStandardDeduction = 29200; // 2024
federalTaxBrackets = [
{ rate: 0.10, min: 0, max: 23200 },
{ rate: 0.12, min: 23201, max: 94300 },
{ rate: 0.22, min: 94301, max: 201050 },
{ rate: 0.24, min: 201051, max: 383900 },
{ rate: 0.32, min: 383901, max: 487450 },
{ rate: 0.35, min: 487451, max: 731200 },
{ rate: 0.37, min: 731201, max: Infinity }
];
} else if (federalFilingStatus === "hoh") {
federalStandardDeduction = 21900; // 2024
federalTaxBrackets = [
{ rate: 0.10, min: 0, max: 16550 },
{ rate: 0.12, min: 16551, max: 63100 },
{ rate: 0.22, min: 63101, max: 100500 },
{ rate: 0.24, min: 100501, max: 191950 },
{ rate: 0.32, min: 191951, max: 243700 },
{ rate: 0.35, min: 243701, max: 609350 },
{ rate: 0.37, min: 609351, max: Infinity }
];
}
var annualFederalTaxableIncome = annualGrossPay – annualPreTaxDeductions – federalStandardDeduction;
annualFederalTaxableIncome = Math.max(0, annualFederalTaxableIncome); // Cannot be negative
var annualFederalTax = 0;
for (var i = 0; i bracket.min) {
var taxableInBracket = Math.min(annualFederalTaxableIncome, bracket.max) – bracket.min + (bracket.min === 0 ? 0 : 1); // +1 for inclusive upper bound
if (bracket.min === 0) { // Special handling for the first bracket
taxableInBracket = Math.min(annualFederalTaxableIncome, bracket.max);
} else {
taxableInBracket = Math.min(annualFederalTaxableIncome, bracket.max) – (bracket.min – 1);
}
if (taxableInBracket < 0) taxableInBracket = 0; // Ensure no negative calculation
annualFederalTax += taxableInBracket * bracket.rate;
}
}
var federalTaxPerPeriod = (annualFederalTax / payFrequencyMultiplier) + additionalFederalWithholding;
federalTaxPerPeriod = Math.max(0, federalTaxPerPeriod); // Federal tax cannot be negative
// — North Carolina State Income Tax —
var ncTaxRate = 0.0425; // 2024 flat rate
var ncStandardDeduction;
var ncAllowanceValue = 2500; // 2024 value per allowance
if (ncFilingStatus === "single" || ncFilingStatus === "married_separate") {
ncStandardDeduction = 12750; // 2024
} else if (ncFilingStatus === "married" || ncFilingStatus === "qualifying_widow") {
ncStandardDeduction = 25500; // 2024
} else if (ncFilingStatus === "hoh") {
ncStandardDeduction = 19125; // 2024
}
var annualNcTaxableIncome = annualGrossPay – annualPreTaxDeductions – ncStandardDeduction – (ncAllowances * ncAllowanceValue);
annualNcTaxableIncome = Math.max(0, annualNcTaxableIncome); // Cannot be negative
var annualNcTax = annualNcTaxableIncome * ncTaxRate;
var ncTaxPerPeriod = annualNcTax / payFrequencyMultiplier;
ncTaxPerPeriod = Math.max(0, ncTaxPerPeriod); // NC tax cannot be negative
// — Total Deductions and Net Pay —
var totalDeductionsPerPeriod = federalTaxPerPeriod + ficaTaxPerPeriod + ncTaxPerPeriod + preTaxDeductions + postTaxDeductions;
var netPayPerPeriod = grossPayPerPeriod – totalDeductionsPerPeriod;
// Display results
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
resultDiv.innerHTML = `
Gross Pay per Period: $${grossPayPerPeriod.toFixed(2)}
Annual Gross Pay: $${annualGrossPay.toFixed(2)}
Federal Income Tax: $${federalTaxPerPeriod.toFixed(2)}
Social Security Tax: $${(annualSocialSecurityTax / payFrequencyMultiplier).toFixed(2)}
Medicare Tax: $${(annualMedicareTax / payFrequencyMultiplier).toFixed(2)}
North Carolina State Tax: $${ncTaxPerPeriod.toFixed(2)}
Pre-Tax Deductions: $${preTaxDeductions.toFixed(2)}
Post-Tax Deductions: $${postTaxDeductions.toFixed(2)}
Total Deductions per Period: $${totalDeductionsPerPeriod.toFixed(2)}
Estimated Net Pay per Period: $${netPayPerPeriod.toFixed(2)}
`;
}