How our tax calculator works

How much is a $100,000 salary after tax?

In this model, a single employee earning $100,000 in Texas keeps about $79,180 per year, or $6,598 per month, before benefits and other deductions. This example uses the same calculation as the interactive tool.

What is the difference between marginal and effective tax?

A marginal rate applies to the next dollar within a tax bracket. Each bracket taxes only the income within it. The calculator applies brackets to income after the relevant standard deduction. Its effective tax rate is total estimated income and FICA taxes divided by gross wages.

Why might my paycheck differ?

This is an annual tax estimate, not a payroll withholding calculator or a tax return. It assumes single filing status and full-year residence. It does not model itemized deductions, dependents, most credits, self-employment, investment income, multi-state allocation, state benefit premiums, or local taxes outside NYC. State-specific adjustments and high-income recapture rules may also change your liability.

Monthly and biweekly results divide the annual estimate by 12 and 26 respectively. They do not model your W-4 elections, bonus withholding, health insurance or retirement contributions. The tax changes guide describes provisions that are not necessarily implemented in the calculator.

Sources and review policy

• IRS 2026 inflation adjustments: federal brackets and standard deductions.
• Social Security contribution and benefit base: annual wage cap.
• IRS Topic 751: employee Social Security and Medicare.
• New York resident return instructions: state deductions and NYC taxable-income treatment. Check the tax year displayed on the source.
• Tax changes and source links: the current change log.

The recorded tax-data review date is shown above. A deployment does not count as a new data review. State tables remain simplified estimates; this page does not claim an independent professional audit of every jurisdiction.

How does the city comparison work?

Monthly cost estimates multiply a category index by its baseline and divide by 100. Housing uses a $1,550 monthly baseline. The adjusted composite weights housing at 33%, groceries at 15%, transport at 13%, healthcare at 8% and utilities at 6%, plus a 25% remainder based on the stored city composite.

Purchasing power is estimated net income divided by the adjusted index relative to 100. Equivalent salary searches for gross wages producing comparable purchasing power. The repository does not record a primary source and observation date for each city value, so these inputs should be treated as illustrative estimates. Enter your own costs when available.

Where do calculations run?

The tax calculation runs in your browser and saved results use browser storage. The site also uses analytics; calculation and comparison events can include the entered income and location. Browser-based calculation does not mean the site collects no usage data.

The job-offer comparison applies this same tax model to recurring wages and again with the signing bonus added. It subtracts your entered annual living costs and, in the first year, moving costs. It assumes public RSUs are sold at vest; private equity, option exercises, retirement deductions and part-year moves are excluded.