Navigating payroll can be complex, but understanding how your gross pay translates to net pay is crucial. This Texas Payroll Calculator helps employees and employers estimate take-home pay by factoring in federal taxes and common deductions. Texas is one of the few states that does not impose a state income tax, which simplifies payroll calculations compared to many other states.
How Payroll Works in Texas
In Texas, your paycheck will primarily be affected by federal taxes and any pre-tax or post-tax deductions you have. Unlike most states, Texas does not have a state income tax, meaning a larger portion of your gross pay goes directly to you after federal deductions.
Federal Taxes Explained:
Federal Income Tax (FIT): This is withheld from your wages based on the information you provide on your W-4 form (filing status, number of dependents, and any additional withholding). The amount withheld depends on your taxable income, pay frequency, and filing status. This calculator uses a simplified percentage method based on 2024 tax brackets and standard deductions.
FICA Taxes (Social Security and Medicare): These are mandatory federal taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare programs.
Social Security: As of 2024, the employee contribution rate is 6.2% of your gross wages, up to an annual wage base limit of $168,600. Once you earn more than this limit in a calendar year, Social Security tax is no longer withheld. This calculator approximates the per-period limit.
Medicare: The employee contribution rate is 1.45% of all gross wages, with no wage base limit. An additional Medicare tax of 0.9% applies to wages over certain thresholds ($200,000 for single filers, $250,000 for married filing jointly), though this calculator provides a simplified estimate and does not include the additional Medicare tax.
Common Deductions:
Pre-tax Deductions: These are deductions taken from your gross pay *before* federal income tax is calculated, effectively reducing your taxable income. Common examples include health insurance premiums, dental insurance, vision insurance, and contributions to a 401(k) or traditional IRA.
Post-tax Deductions: These are deductions taken from your pay *after* all taxes have been calculated. Examples include Roth 401(k) contributions, garnishments, union dues, or certain charitable contributions.
Using the Texas Payroll Calculator
To use the calculator, simply enter your gross pay per pay period, select your pay frequency, federal filing status, and the number of federal allowances you claim. The "Federal Allowances" field is a simplified representation, similar to pre-2020 W-4 forms, used to reduce your estimated taxable income for withholding purposes. You can also input any pre-tax or post-tax deductions to get a more accurate estimate of your net pay.
Remember, this calculator provides an estimate. Actual withholding may vary based on specific circumstances, changes in tax laws, or additional deductions not included here. Always consult with a payroll professional or financial advisor for personalized advice.
Texas Net Pay Calculator
Weekly
Bi-Weekly
Semi-Monthly
Monthly
Single
Married Filing Jointly
Estimated Paycheck Breakdown:
Gross Pay:
Total Pre-Tax Deductions:
Taxable Gross (for FIT):
Social Security Tax:
Medicare Tax:
Federal Income Tax Withheld:
Total Post-Tax Deductions:
Net Pay:
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function calculatePayroll() {
// Get input values
var grossPay = parseFloat(document.getElementById("grossPay").value);
var payFrequency = parseInt(document.getElementById("payFrequency").value); // periods per year
var filingStatus = document.getElementById("filingStatus").value;
var federalAllowances = parseInt(document.getElementById("federalAllowances").value);
var additionalFederalWithholding = parseFloat(document.getElementById("additionalFederalWithholding").value);
var preTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById("preTaxDeductions").value);
var postTaxDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById("postTaxDeductions").value);
// Validate inputs
if (isNaN(grossPay) || grossPay < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Gross Pay per Pay Period.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(federalAllowances) || federalAllowances < 0) {
federalAllowances = 0; // Default to 0 if invalid
}
if (isNaN(additionalFederalWithholding) || additionalFederalWithholding < 0) {
additionalFederalWithholding = 0; // Default to 0 if invalid
}
if (isNaN(preTaxDeductions) || preTaxDeductions < 0) {
preTaxDeductions = 0; // Default to 0 if invalid
}
if (isNaN(postTaxDeductions) || postTaxDeductions < 0) {
postTaxDeductions = 0; // Default to 0 if invalid
}
// — Step 1: Calculate Taxable Gross Pay for Federal Income Tax —
var taxableGrossForFIT = grossPay – preTaxDeductions;
if (taxableGrossForFIT < 0) taxableGrossForFIT = 0; // Cannot be negative
// — Step 2: Calculate FICA Taxes (Social Security & Medicare) —
var socialSecurityTaxRate = 0.062;
var medicareTaxRate = 0.0145;
var socialSecurityWageBaseLimit = 168600; // 2024 limit
var socialSecurityTax = 0;
// For a per-period calculator, we approximate the SS limit by dividing it by pay frequency.
// A true payroll system tracks year-to-date earnings.
var ssLimitPerPeriod = socialSecurityWageBaseLimit / payFrequency;
var ssTaxableWage = Math.min(grossPay, ssLimitPerPeriod);
socialSecurityTax = ssTaxableWage * socialSecurityTaxRate;
var medicareTax = taxableGrossForFIT * medicareTaxRate;
// Additional Medicare Tax (0.9% for high earners) is not included in this simplified calculator.
// — Step 3: Calculate Federal Income Tax (FIT) —
// Using 2024 standard deductions and tax brackets for a simplified percentage method.
// This is an approximation and not a direct implementation of IRS Pub 15-T tables.
var annualStandardDeduction;
var allowanceValue = 5000; // Simplified value per allowance for calculation purposes
if (filingStatus === "single") {
annualStandardDeduction = 14600; // 2024 Single
} else { // married
annualStandardDeduction = 29200; // 2024 Married Filing Jointly
}
// Calculate annual taxable income for FIT
var annualTaxableGrossForFIT = taxableGrossForFIT * payFrequency;
var annualAdjustedTaxableIncome = annualTaxableGrossForFIT – annualStandardDeduction – (federalAllowances * allowanceValue);
if (annualAdjustedTaxableIncome 609350) {
annualFederalIncomeTax += (taxableIncomeForBrackets – 609350) * 0.37;
taxableIncomeForBrackets = 609350;
}
if (taxableIncomeForBrackets > 243725) {
annualFederalIncomeTax += (taxableIncomeForBrackets – 243725) * 0.35;
taxableIncomeForBrackets = 243725;
}
if (taxableIncomeForBrackets > 191950) {
annualFederalIncomeTax += (taxableIncomeForBrackets – 191950) * 0.32;
taxableIncomeForBrackets = 191950;
}
if (taxableIncomeForBrackets > 100525) {
annualFederalIncomeTax += (taxableIncomeForBrackets – 100525) * 0.24;
taxableIncomeForBrackets = 100525;
}
if (taxableIncomeForBrackets > 47150) {
annualFederalIncomeTax += (taxableIncomeForBrackets – 47150) * 0.22;
taxableIncomeForBrackets = 47150;
}
if (taxableIncomeForBrackets > 11600) {
annualFederalIncomeTax += (taxableIncomeForBrackets – 11600) * 0.12;
taxableIncomeForBrackets = 11600;
}
if (taxableIncomeForBrackets > 0) {
annualFederalIncomeTax += taxableIncomeForBrackets * 0.10;
}
} else { // married
// 2024 Married Filing Jointly Brackets (calculated from highest to lowest)
if (taxableIncomeForBrackets > 731200) {
annualFederalIncomeTax += (taxableIncomeForBrackets – 731200) * 0.37;
taxableIncomeForBrackets = 731200;
}
if (taxableIncomeForBrackets > 487450) {
annualFederalIncomeTax += (taxableIncomeForBrackets – 487450) * 0.35;
taxableIncomeForBrackets = 487450;
}
if (taxableIncomeForBrackets > 383900) {
annualFederalIncomeTax += (taxableIncomeForBrackets – 383900) * 0.32;
taxableIncomeForBrackets = 383900;
}
if (taxableIncomeForBrackets > 201050) {
annualFederalIncomeTax += (taxableIncomeForBrackets – 201050) * 0.24;
taxableIncomeForBrackets = 201050;
}
if (taxableIncomeForBrackets > 94300) {
annualFederalIncomeTax += (taxableIncomeForBrackets – 94300) * 0.22;
taxableIncomeForBrackets = 94300;
}
if (taxableIncomeForBrackets > 23200) {
annualFederalIncomeTax += (taxableIncomeForBrackets – 23200) * 0.12;
taxableIncomeForBrackets = 23200;
}
if (taxableIncomeForBrackets > 0) {
annualFederalIncomeTax += taxableIncomeForBrackets * 0.10;
}
}
// Divide annual tax by pay frequency to get per-period FIT
var federalIncomeTax = (annualFederalIncomeTax / payFrequency) + additionalFederalWithholding;
if (federalIncomeTax < 0) federalIncomeTax = 0; // FIT cannot be negative
// — Step 4: Calculate Net Pay —
var totalDeductions = preTaxDeductions + socialSecurityTax + medicareTax + federalIncomeTax + postTaxDeductions;
var netPay = grossPay – totalDeductions;
// — Display Results —
document.getElementById("displayGrossPay").innerText = "$" + grossPay.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displayPreTaxDeductions").innerText = "$" + preTaxDeductions.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displayTaxableGross").innerText = "$" + taxableGrossForFIT.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displaySocialSecurityTax").innerText = "$" + socialSecurityTax.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displayMedicareTax").innerText = "$" + medicareTax.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displayFederalIncomeTax").innerText = "$" + federalIncomeTax.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displayPostTaxDeductions").innerText = "$" + postTaxDeductions.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("displayNetPay").innerText = "$" + netPay.toFixed(2);
}
// Initial calculation on page load for default values
document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', calculatePayroll);