Questions about take-home pay after 401(k) and healthcare
Does a traditional 401(k) reduce Social Security tax?
Traditional employee deferrals reduce federal taxable income, but not Social Security or Medicare wages. This tool keeps payroll taxes on those contributions. Roth 401(k) contributions are not supported here.
Which healthcare premiums can I enter?
Enter your annual employee premiums paid pretax through an eligible employer cafeteria plan. These generally reduce federal income and payroll tax wages. Do not enter after-tax premiums, deductibles, medical bills or HSA/FSA contributions in this field.
Does this recalculate state taxes after benefits?
No. The initial state/local budget comes from the selected residence before benefits. Replace it with an annual estimate appropriate to your payroll and state rules. This avoids assuming every state treats benefits the same way. The result is a planning estimate, not a payroll withholding quote.
What is the 2026 401(k) contribution limit?
This tool caps regular employee contributions at $24,500 for 2026. Catch-up contributions, employer matching, age-based rules and combined contributions across jobs are outside its scope.
Sources and assumptions
Published October 8, 2026. Uses the shared TrueTaxCalc tax model. Estimates exclude credits, itemized deductions and special filing situations. State rules are simplified; see the methodology and verification scope.