function calculatePayroll() {
var grossPayPerPeriod = parseFloat(document.getElementById("grossPayPerPeriod").value);
var preTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById("preTaxDeductions").value);
var federalTaxRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("federalTaxRate").value);
var stateTaxRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("stateTaxRate").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(preTaxDeductions) || preTaxDeductions < 0) {
alert("Please enter valid Pre-Tax Deductions.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(federalTaxRate) || federalTaxRate 100) {
alert("Please enter a valid Federal Income Tax Rate (0-100%).");
return;
}
if (isNaN(stateTaxRate) || stateTaxRate 100) {
alert("Please enter a valid State Income Tax Rate (0-100%).");
return;
}
if (isNaN(postTaxDeductions) || postTaxDeductions grossPayPerPeriod) {
alert("Pre-tax deductions cannot exceed gross pay.");
preTaxDeductions = grossPayPerPeriod; // Cap it
document.getElementById("preTaxDeductions").value = preTaxDeductions.toFixed(2);
}
// 1. Calculate Taxable Gross Pay
var taxableGross = grossPayPerPeriod – preTaxDeductions;
// 2. Calculate Federal Income Tax
var federalTaxAmount = taxableGross * (federalTaxRate / 100);
// 3. Calculate State Income Tax
var stateTaxAmount = taxableGross * (stateTaxRate / 100);
// 4. Calculate Social Security Tax (FICA – SS) – 6.2% of gross pay
var socialSecurityTax = grossPayPerPeriod * 0.062;
// 5. Calculate Medicare Tax (FICA – Med) – 1.45% of gross pay
var medicareTax = grossPayPerPeriod * 0.0145;
// 6. Calculate Total Taxes
var totalTaxes = federalTaxAmount + stateTaxAmount + socialSecurityTax + medicareTax;
// 7. Calculate Net Pay
var netPay = grossPayPerPeriod – preTaxDeductions – totalTaxes – postTaxDeductions;
// Display results
document.getElementById("taxableGross").textContent = taxableGross.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("federalTaxAmount").textContent = federalTaxAmount.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("stateTaxAmount").textContent = stateTaxAmount.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("socialSecurityTax").textContent = socialSecurityTax.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("medicareTax").textContent = medicareTax.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("totalTaxes").textContent = totalTaxes.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("netPay").textContent = netPay.toFixed(2);
}
// Run calculation on page load with default values
window.onload = calculatePayroll;
.calculator-container {
font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
padding: 25px;
border-radius: 10px;
box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
max-width: 600px;
margin: 30px auto;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
}
.calculator-container h2 {
text-align: center;
color: #333;
margin-bottom: 25px;
font-size: 28px;
}
.calculator-content {
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
gap: 15px;
}
.input-group {
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
}
.input-group label {
margin-bottom: 7px;
color: #555;
font-size: 16px;
font-weight: bold;
}
.input-group input[type="number"] {
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 6px;
font-size: 16px;
width: 100%;
box-sizing: border-box;
transition: border-color 0.3s ease;
}
.input-group input[type="number"]:focus {
border-color: #007bff;
outline: none;
box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.25);
}
.calculate-button {
background-color: #007bff;
color: white;
padding: 14px 25px;
border: none;
border-radius: 6px;
font-size: 18px;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background-color 0.3s ease, transform 0.2s ease;
margin-top: 20px;
width: 100%;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
.calculate-button:hover {
background-color: #0056b3;
transform: translateY(-2px);
}
.calculate-button:active {
transform: translateY(0);
}
.result-container {
background-color: #e9f7ff;
border: 1px solid #cce5ff;
border-radius: 8px;
padding: 20px;
margin-top: 25px;
}
.result-container h3 {
color: #0056b3;
margin-top: 0;
margin-bottom: 15px;
font-size: 22px;
text-align: center;
}
.result-container p {
margin-bottom: 10px;
font-size: 16px;
color: #333;
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
align-items: center;
}
.result-container p span {
font-weight: bold;
color: #000;
min-width: 80px; /* Ensure alignment */
text-align: right;
}
.result-container .highlight {
font-size: 20px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #28a745; /* Green for net pay */
border-top: 1px dashed #a0d9b5;
padding-top: 15px;
margin-top: 15px;
}
.result-container .highlight span {
color: #28a745;
font-size: 22px;
}
@media (max-width: 480px) {
.calculator-container {
padding: 15px;
margin: 20px auto;
}
.calculator-container h2 {
font-size: 24px;
}
.calculate-button {
padding: 12px 20px;
font-size: 16px;
}
.result-container h3 {
font-size: 20px;
}
.result-container p {
font-size: 15px;
}
.result-container .highlight {
font-size: 18px;
}
.result-container .highlight span {
font-size: 20px;
}
}
Understanding Your Paycheck: A Guide to Payroll Calculation
Ever wondered why your take-home pay (net pay) is significantly less than your advertised salary or hourly wage (gross pay)? The difference lies in the complex world of payroll deductions and taxes. Our Payroll Calculator helps you break down your earnings and understand where your money goes.
What is Gross Pay?
Gross pay is the total amount of money you earn before any deductions or taxes are taken out. For salaried employees, it's your annual salary divided by your pay periods (e.g., bi-weekly, monthly). For hourly employees, it's your hourly rate multiplied by the number of hours worked, including any overtime.
Example: If you earn $25 per hour and work 80 hours in a bi-weekly pay period, your gross pay would be $2,000 ($25 * 80).
Pre-Tax Deductions
These are deductions taken from your gross pay before taxes are calculated. Because they reduce your taxable income, they can lower the amount of income tax you owe. Common pre-tax deductions include:
- 401(k) or 403(b) contributions: Retirement savings plans.
- Health, dental, and vision insurance premiums: Your share of the cost for employer-sponsored health benefits.
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) or Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): Accounts used for healthcare expenses.
- Commuter benefits: Funds set aside for public transit or parking.
Example: From your $2,000 gross pay, you might contribute $100 to your 401(k) and pay $50 for health insurance, totaling $150 in pre-tax deductions. Your taxable gross pay then becomes $1,850.
Taxes Withheld
This is often the largest chunk taken from your paycheck. Taxes are mandatory contributions to federal, state, and sometimes local governments. The main types include:
- Federal Income Tax: This is a progressive tax, meaning higher earners pay a higher percentage. The amount withheld depends on your income, filing status, and the allowances you claim on your W-4 form. Our calculator uses an estimated rate for simplicity.
- State Income Tax: Many states also levy an income tax. The rates and rules vary significantly by state, with some states having no income tax at all. Our calculator uses an estimated rate.
- Social Security Tax (FICA – SS): This funds retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. Employees typically pay 6.2% of their gross wages up to an annual earnings limit (which changes yearly).
- Medicare Tax (FICA – Med): This funds hospital insurance for the elderly and disabled. Employees typically pay 1.45% of all gross wages, with no income limit.
Example: On a taxable gross of $1,850, with a 15% federal tax rate and 4% state tax rate, you'd pay approximately $277.50 in federal tax and $74 in state tax. Additionally, from your original $2,000 gross, you'd pay $124 for Social Security ($2,000 * 0.062) and $29 for Medicare ($2,000 * 0.0145). Total taxes would be around $504.50.
Post-Tax Deductions
These deductions are taken from your pay *after* all taxes have been calculated and withheld. They do not reduce your taxable income. Examples include:
- Roth 401(k) contributions: Contributions are made with after-tax dollars, but qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free.
- Garnishments: Court-ordered deductions for debts like child support or unpaid taxes.
- Union dues: Fees paid to a labor union.
- Charitable contributions: Donations made directly from your paycheck.
Example: If you have $50 in post-tax deductions for a Roth 401(k) contribution.
Calculating Net Pay
Net pay, also known as take-home pay, is the amount of money you actually receive after all pre-tax deductions, taxes, and post-tax deductions have been subtracted from your gross pay.
Formula:
Gross Pay – Pre-Tax Deductions – Federal Income Tax – State Income Tax – Social Security Tax – Medicare Tax – Post-Tax Deductions = Net Pay
Using our examples: $2,000 (Gross) – $150 (Pre-Tax) – $504.50 (Taxes) – $50 (Post-Tax) = $1,295.50 (Net Pay).
Understanding your payroll is crucial for personal financial planning. Use our calculator to get a clearer picture of your earnings and deductions, helping you budget and manage your money more effectively.