Estimate your net pay per pay period in Pennsylvania after federal, state, local, and FICA taxes, as well as common deductions.
Bi-Weekly (26x per year)
Weekly (52x per year)
Semi-Monthly (24x per year)
Monthly (12x per year)
Single
Married Filing Jointly
.calculator-container {
font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
border: 1px solid #ddd;
border-radius: 8px;
padding: 25px;
max-width: 500px;
margin: 30px auto;
box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08);
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.calculator-container h2 {
text-align: center;
color: #333;
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.calculator-container p {
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color: #555;
margin-bottom: 20px;
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.calc-input-group {
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display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
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.calc-input-group label {
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color: #444;
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.calc-input-group input[type="number"],
.calc-input-group select {
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
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font-size: 1em;
width: 100%;
box-sizing: border-box;
transition: border-color 0.3s ease;
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.calc-input-group input[type="number"]:focus,
.calc-input-group select:focus {
border-color: #007bff;
outline: none;
box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.3);
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.calculator-container button {
display: block;
width: 100%;
padding: 14px;
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color: white;
border: none;
border-radius: 5px;
font-size: 1.1em;
font-weight: 700;
cursor: pointer;
margin-top: 25px;
transition: background-color 0.3s ease, transform 0.2s ease;
}
.calculator-container button:hover {
background-color: #0056b3;
transform: translateY(-2px);
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.calculator-result {
margin-top: 30px;
padding: 20px;
background-color: #e9f7ff;
border: 1px solid #b3e0ff;
border-radius: 8px;
font-size: 1.1em;
color: #333;
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.calculator-result h3 {
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margin-top: 0;
margin-bottom: 15px;
text-align: center;
font-size: 1.5em;
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.calculator-result p {
margin-bottom: 8px;
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
align-items: center;
padding: 4px 0;
border-bottom: 1px dashed #cceeff;
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.calculator-result p:last-child {
border-bottom: none;
font-weight: 700;
color: #0056b3;
font-size: 1.2em;
margin-top: 15px;
padding-top: 10px;
border-top: 2px solid #007bff;
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.calculator-result span:first-child {
flex-basis: 70%;
text-align: left;
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.calculator-result span:last-child {
flex-basis: 30%;
text-align: right;
font-weight: 600;
}
function calculatePaycheckPA() {
var grossPayPerPeriod = parseFloat(document.getElementById('grossPayPerPeriod').value);
var payFrequency = document.getElementById('payFrequency').value;
var federalFilingStatus = document.getElementById('federalFilingStatus').value;
var federalDependents = parseInt(document.getElementById('federalDependents').value);
var preTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById('preTaxDeductions').value);
var postTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById('postTaxDeductions').value);
var localTaxRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('localTaxRate').value);
// Input validation
if (isNaN(grossPayPerPeriod) || grossPayPerPeriod < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Gross Pay per Period.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(federalDependents) || federalDependents < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid number for Federal Dependents.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(preTaxDeductions) || preTaxDeductions < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid amount for Pre-tax Deductions.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(postTaxDeductions) || postTaxDeductions < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid amount for Post-tax Deductions.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(localTaxRate) || localTaxRate < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Local Income Tax Rate.");
return;
}
var numberOfPayPeriods;
switch (payFrequency) {
case 'weekly':
numberOfPayPeriods = 52;
break;
case 'bi-weekly':
numberOfPayPeriods = 26;
break;
case 'semi-monthly':
numberOfPayPeriods = 24;
break;
case 'monthly':
numberOfPayPeriods = 12;
break;
default:
numberOfPayPeriods = 26; // Default to bi-weekly
}
var annualGrossPay = grossPayPerPeriod * numberOfPayPeriods;
var annualPreTaxDeductions = preTaxDeductions * numberOfPayPeriods;
// — Federal Income Tax Calculation (Simplified 2024) —
var standardDeduction;
var taxBrackets;
if (federalFilingStatus === 'single') {
standardDeduction = 14600;
taxBrackets = [{
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
standardDeduction = 29200;
taxBrackets = [{
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 annualTaxableIncomeFederal = Math.max(0, annualGrossPay – annualPreTaxDeductions – standardDeduction);
var annualFederalTax = 0;
var previousBracketLimit = 0;
for (var i = 0; i previousBracketLimit) {
var taxableInBracket = Math.min(annualTaxableIncomeFederal, bracket.limit) – previousBracketLimit;
annualFederalTax += taxableInBracket * bracket.rate;
}
previousBracketLimit = bracket.limit;
if (annualTaxableIncomeFederal <= bracket.limit) {
break;
}
}
// Apply simplified Child Tax Credit (up to $2000 per dependent)
var federalTaxCredit = federalDependents * 2000;
annualFederalTax = Math.max(0, annualFederalTax – federalTaxCredit);
var federalTaxPerPeriod = annualFederalTax / numberOfPayPeriods;
// — FICA Taxes (Social Security & Medicare) —
var socialSecurityWageBase = 168600; // 2024 limit
var annualSocialSecurityTaxable = Math.min(annualGrossPay, socialSecurityWageBase);
var annualSocialSecurityTax = annualSocialSecurityTaxable * 0.062;
var annualMedicareTax = annualGrossPay * 0.0145;
// Additional Medicare Tax (0.9% for income over $200k single / $250k married) – omitted for simplicity in this basic calculator
var ficaTaxPerPeriod = (annualSocialSecurityTax + annualMedicareTax) / numberOfPayPeriods;
// — Pennsylvania State Income Tax (Flat Rate) —
var paStateTaxRate = 0.0307; // 3.07% for 2024
var paStateTaxableIncome = Math.max(0, annualGrossPay – annualPreTaxDeductions); // PA does not allow standard deductions for state income tax
var annualPaStateTax = paStateTaxableIncome * paStateTaxRate;
var paStateTaxPerPeriod = annualPaStateTax / numberOfPayPeriods;
// — Local Income Tax (User-defined rate) —
var localTaxableIncome = Math.max(0, annualGrossPay – annualPreTaxDeductions); // Assuming local tax also applies to gross minus pre-tax deductions
var annualLocalTax = localTaxableIncome * (localTaxRate / 100);
var localTaxPerPeriod = annualLocalTax / numberOfPayPeriods;
// — Total Deductions & Net Pay —
var totalTaxDeductionsPerPeriod = federalTaxPerPeriod + ficaTaxPerPeriod + paStateTaxPerPeriod + localTaxPerPeriod;
var totalDeductionsPerPeriod = totalTaxDeductionsPerPeriod + preTaxDeductions + postTaxDeductions;
var netPayPerPeriod = grossPayPerPeriod – totalDeductionsPerPeriod;
// Display Results
var resultDiv = document.getElementById('paycheckResult');
resultDiv.innerHTML = `
Your Estimated Paycheck
Gross Pay per Period:$${grossPayPerPeriod.toFixed(2)}Federal Income Tax:-$${federalTaxPerPeriod.toFixed(2)}FICA Taxes (SS & Medicare):-$${ficaTaxPerPeriod.toFixed(2)}PA State Income Tax:-$${paStateTaxPerPeriod.toFixed(2)}Local Income Tax:-$${localTaxPerPeriod.toFixed(2)}Pre-tax Deductions:-$${preTaxDeductions.toFixed(2)}Post-tax Deductions:-$${postTaxDeductions.toFixed(2)}Total Deductions:-$${totalDeductionsPerPeriod.toFixed(2)}Net Pay per Period:$${netPayPerPeriod.toFixed(2)}
`;
}
// Run calculation on page load with default values
document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', calculatePaycheckPA);
Understanding your paycheck in Pennsylvania involves several components, from federal and state taxes to local levies and various deductions. This PA Paycheck Calculator helps you estimate your take-home pay by breaking down these elements.
How Your PA Paycheck is Calculated
Your net pay (what you actually receive) is your gross pay minus all applicable taxes and deductions. Here's a breakdown of the typical deductions:
1. Gross Pay
This is your total earnings before any deductions. It's calculated based on your hourly wage or annual salary and your pay frequency (e.g., weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly).
2. Federal Income Tax
The U.S. federal government levies income tax on your earnings. The amount withheld from each paycheck depends on your gross income, filing status (Single, Married Filing Jointly), and the number of dependents you claim on your W-4 form. This calculator uses a simplified method based on 2024 tax brackets and standard deductions to estimate your federal tax liability.
Filing Status: Determines the tax bracket thresholds and standard deduction amount.
Dependents: Can reduce your taxable income or provide tax credits (like the Child Tax Credit), lowering your overall federal tax.
3. FICA Taxes (Social Security & Medicare)
FICA stands for Federal Insurance Contributions Act. These are mandatory federal taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare programs.
Social Security: As of 2024, employees pay 6.2% of their gross wages up to an annual wage base limit ($168,600).
Medicare: Employees pay 1.45% of all gross wages, with no wage base limit. An additional 0.9% Medicare tax applies to wages above certain thresholds ($200,000 for single filers, $250,000 for married filing jointly). This calculator does not include the additional Medicare tax for simplicity.
4. Pennsylvania State Income Tax
Pennsylvania has a flat income tax rate, meaning everyone pays the same percentage of their taxable income, regardless of how much they earn or their filing status. As of 2024, the PA state income tax rate is 3.07%. Unlike federal taxes, PA state income tax does not allow for standard deductions or personal exemptions.
5. Local Income Tax
Many municipalities and school districts in Pennsylvania levy their own local income taxes. These rates vary significantly depending on where you live and work. The local income tax can be a flat rate (often between 0.5% and 3.9%) and is typically applied to your gross wages or net profits. This calculator allows you to input your specific local tax rate to get an accurate estimate.
6. Deductions
Deductions are amounts subtracted from your gross pay. They can be categorized as pre-tax or post-tax:
Pre-tax Deductions: These are taken out of your pay before taxes are calculated, which reduces your taxable income for federal, state, and sometimes local taxes. 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 are taken out after all applicable taxes have been calculated. Examples include Roth 401(k) contributions, union dues, charitable contributions, or certain types of life insurance premiums.
Example Calculation
Let's consider an example for a bi-weekly paycheck in Pennsylvania:
Gross Pay per Period: $2,500 (Annual Gross: $65,000)
Pay Frequency: Bi-Weekly
Federal Filing Status: Single
Federal Dependents: 0
Pre-tax Deductions per Period: $150 (e.g., 401k, health insurance)
Post-tax Deductions per Period: $25 (e.g., union dues)
Local Income Tax Rate: 1.5%
Using the calculator with these inputs, you would see an estimated breakdown similar to this:
Gross Pay per Period: $2,500.00
Federal Income Tax: -$240.00 (approx.)
FICA Taxes (SS & Medicare): -$191.25 (approx.)
PA State Income Tax: -$72.50 (approx.)
Local Income Tax: -$34.50 (approx.)
Pre-tax Deductions: -$150.00
Post-tax Deductions: -$25.00
Total Deductions: -$713.25
Net Pay per Period: $1,786.75
(Note: These are approximate values for illustration and may vary slightly based on exact calculations and rounding.)
This calculator provides a helpful estimate, but for precise figures, always refer to your official pay stubs or consult with a tax professional.