North Carolina Paycheck Calculator
Use this North Carolina Paycheck Calculator to estimate your net pay after federal and state taxes, as well as common deductions. This tool helps you understand how your gross earnings are affected by various withholdings in North Carolina.
Understanding Your North Carolina Paycheck
A paycheck calculator helps you estimate your take-home pay by factoring in various taxes and deductions. In North Carolina, your paycheck will typically include federal income tax, FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare), and North Carolina state income tax, along with any pre-tax or post-tax deductions you may have.
Gross Pay vs. Net Pay
- Gross Pay: This is your total earnings before any taxes or deductions are taken out. It's the amount you earn for your work.
- Net Pay: Also known as take-home pay, this is the amount you receive after all taxes and deductions have been withheld from your gross pay.
Federal Taxes
Federal taxes are a significant portion of your paycheck. They include:
- Federal Income Tax (FIT): This is withheld based on the information you provide on your W-4 form (filing status, dependents, and other adjustments). The amount withheld depends on your taxable income and the federal tax brackets. Our calculator uses a simplified approach based on standard deductions and common tax brackets for estimation.
- FICA Taxes (Social Security and Medicare): These are mandatory contributions to federal programs.
- Social Security: As of 2024, the rate is 6.2% on earnings up to an annual wage base limit of $168,600.
- Medicare: The rate is 1.45% on all earnings, with no wage base limit. An additional 0.9% Medicare tax applies to earnings over certain thresholds ($200,000 for single filers, $250,000 for married filing jointly). This calculator does not include the additional Medicare tax for simplicity.
North Carolina State Income Tax
North Carolina has a flat income tax rate. For 2023 and 2024, the individual income tax rate is 4.75%. However, your taxable income for state purposes is reduced by certain deductions:
- Standard Deduction: This varies based on your filing status. For 2023/2024, common standard deductions are:
- Single: $12,750
- Married Filing Jointly: $25,500
- Head of Household: $19,125
- Married Filing Separately: $12,750
- Dependent Deduction: You can claim a deduction for each qualifying dependent. For 2023/2024, this is $2,500 per dependent.
The calculator applies the 4.75% rate to your NC taxable income after these deductions.
Deductions
- Pre-tax Deductions: These are taken out of your gross pay before taxes are calculated, reducing your taxable income. Common examples include contributions to a 401(k) or traditional IRA, and health insurance premiums.
- Post-tax Deductions: These are taken out after taxes have been calculated. Examples include Roth 401(k) contributions, union dues, or garnishments.
Disclaimer
This North Carolina Paycheck Calculator provides an estimate of your take-home pay. It is not intended to be financial or tax advice. Actual withholdings may vary based on specific tax laws, your W-4 elections, additional income, and other factors. For precise calculations, please consult a tax professional or your employer's payroll department.
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function calculatePaycheckNC() {
// Get input values
var grossPayPerPeriod = parseFloat(document.getElementById("grossPay").value);
var payFrequencyMultiplier = parseInt(document.getElementById("payFrequency").value);
var federalFilingStatus = document.getElementById("federalFilingStatus").value;
var federalDependents = parseInt(document.getElementById("federalDependents").value);
var ncFilingStatus = document.getElementById("ncFilingStatus").value;
var ncDependents = parseInt(document.getElementById("ncDependents").value);
var preTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById("preTaxDeductions").value);
var postTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById("postTaxDeductions").value);
// Validate inputs
if (isNaN(grossPayPerPeriod) || grossPayPerPeriod < 0 ||
isNaN(federalDependents) || federalDependents < 0 ||
isNaN(ncDependents) || ncDependents < 0 ||
isNaN(preTaxDeductions) || preTaxDeductions < 0 ||
isNaN(postTaxDeductions) || postTaxDeductions < 0) {
document.getElementById("paycheckResult").innerHTML = "Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields.";
return;
}
// Annualize gross pay
var annualGrossPay = grossPayPerPeriod * payFrequencyMultiplier;
// Calculate pre-tax deductions
var annualPreTaxDeductions = preTaxDeductions * payFrequencyMultiplier;
var annualTaxableGross = annualGrossPay – annualPreTaxDeductions;
var taxableGrossPerPeriod = grossPayPerPeriod – preTaxDeductions;
// — FICA Taxes (Social Security & Medicare) —
var ssTaxRate = 0.062;
var medTaxRate = 0.0145;
var ssLimit = 168600; // 2024 Social Security wage base limit
var annualSSTaxable = Math.min(annualGrossPay, ssLimit);
var annualSSTax = annualSSTaxable * ssTaxRate;
var annualMedTax = annualGrossPay * medTaxRate;
var ficaTaxPerPeriod = (annualSSTax + annualMedTax) / payFrequencyMultiplier;
// — Federal Income Tax (Simplified Approximation for 2023/2024) —
var federalStandardDeduction;
if (federalFilingStatus === "single") {
federalStandardDeduction = 13850; // 2023/2024 Single
} else { // married
federalStandardDeduction = 27700; // 2023/2024 Married Filing Jointly
}
var federalTaxableIncome = annualTaxableGross – federalStandardDeduction;
federalTaxableIncome = Math.max(0, federalTaxableIncome);
var annualFederalTax = calculateFederalTaxFromBrackets(federalTaxableIncome, federalFilingStatus);
var federalTaxPerPeriod = annualFederalTax / payFrequencyMultiplier;
// — North Carolina State Income Tax (2023/2024) —
var ncTaxRate = 0.0475; // Flat tax rate for 2023/2024
var ncStandardDeduction;
if (ncFilingStatus === "single" || ncFilingStatus === "mfs") {
ncStandardDeduction = 12750;
} else if (ncFilingStatus === "married") {
ncStandardDeduction = 25500;
} else { // hoh
ncStandardDeduction = 19125;
}
var ncDependentDeduction = ncDependents * 2500; // $2,500 per dependent
var ncTaxableIncome = annualTaxableGross – ncStandardDeduction – ncDependentDeduction;
ncTaxableIncome = Math.max(0, ncTaxableIncome);
var annualNCTax = ncTaxableIncome * ncTaxRate;
var ncTaxPerPeriod = annualNCTax / payFrequencyMultiplier;
// — Calculate Net Pay —
var totalDeductionsPerPeriod = preTaxDeductions + ficaTaxPerPeriod + federalTaxPerPeriod + ncTaxPerPeriod + postTaxDeductions;
var netPayPerPeriod = grossPayPerPeriod – totalDeductionsPerPeriod;
// Display Results
var resultHtml = "
Your Estimated Paycheck
";
resultHtml += "Gross Pay:
$" + grossPayPerPeriod.toFixed(2) + "";
resultHtml += "Pre-tax Deductions:
$" + preTaxDeductions.toFixed(2) + "";
resultHtml += "Federal Income Tax:
$" + federalTaxPerPeriod.toFixed(2) + "";
resultHtml += "Social Security Tax:
$" + (annualSSTax / payFrequencyMultiplier).toFixed(2) + "";
resultHtml += "Medicare Tax:
$" + (annualMedTax / payFrequencyMultiplier).toFixed(2) + "";
resultHtml += "North Carolina State Tax:
$" + ncTaxPerPeriod.toFixed(2) + "";
resultHtml += "Post-tax Deductions:
$" + postTaxDeductions.toFixed(2) + "";
resultHtml += "Net Pay:
$" + netPayPerPeriod.toFixed(2) + "";
document.getElementById("paycheckResult").innerHTML = resultHtml;
}
// Helper function for simplified federal tax bracket calculation (2023/2024)
function calculateFederalTaxFromBrackets(taxableIncome, filingStatus) {
var tax = 0;
if (filingStatus === "single") {
if (taxableIncome <= 11600) {
tax = taxableIncome * 0.10;
} else if (taxableIncome <= 47150) {
tax = (11600 * 0.10) + ((taxableIncome – 11600) * 0.12);
} else if (taxableIncome <= 100525) {
tax = (11600 * 0.10) + (35550 * 0.12) + ((taxableIncome – 47150) * 0.22);
} else if (taxableIncome <= 191950) {
tax = (11600 * 0.10) + (35550 * 0.12) + (53375 * 0.22) + ((taxableIncome – 100525) * 0.24);
} else if (taxableIncome <= 243725) {
tax = (11600 * 0.10) + (35550 * 0.12) + (53375 * 0.22) + (91425 * 0.24) + ((taxableIncome – 191950) * 0.32);
} else if (taxableIncome <= 609350) {
tax = (11600 * 0.10) + (35550 * 0.12) + (53375 * 0.22) + (91425 * 0.24) + (51775 * 0.32) + ((taxableIncome – 243725) * 0.35);
} else {
tax = (11600 * 0.10) + (35550 * 0.12) + (53375 * 0.22) + (91425 * 0.24) + (51775 * 0.32) + (365625 * 0.35) + ((taxableIncome – 609350) * 0.37);
}
} else { // married
if (taxableIncome <= 23200) {
tax = taxableIncome * 0.10;
} else if (taxableIncome <= 94300) {
tax = (23200 * 0.10) + ((taxableIncome – 23200) * 0.12);
} else if (taxableIncome <= 201050) {
tax = (23200 * 0.10) + (71100 * 0.12) + ((taxableIncome – 94300) * 0.22);
} else if (taxableIncome <= 383900) {
tax = (23200 * 0.10) + (71100 * 0.12) + (106750 * 0.22) + ((taxableIncome – 201050) * 0.24);
} else if (taxableIncome <= 487450) {
tax = (23200 * 0.10) + (71100 * 0.12) + (106750 * 0.22) + (182850 * 0.24) + ((taxableIncome – 383900) * 0.32);
} else if (taxableIncome <= 731200) {
tax = (23200 * 0.10) + (71100 * 0.12) + (106750 * 0.22) + (182850 * 0.24) + (103550 * 0.32) + ((taxableIncome – 487450) * 0.35);
} else {
tax = (23200 * 0.10) + (71100 * 0.12) + (106750 * 0.22) + (182850 * 0.24) + (103550 * 0.32) + (243750 * 0.35) + ((taxableIncome – 731200) * 0.37);
}
}
return tax;
}
// Run calculation on page load with default values
document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', calculatePaycheckNC);