California Paycheck Calculator 2026
California uses graduated income-tax brackets, applied here to annualized wages after the state's standard deduction and exemptions. Federal withholding follows the IRS Publication 15-T percentage method — the one payroll systems use. Everything is computed in your browser; nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Works offline — your inputs never leave this device. How that works
California's $168.30-per-allowance exemption credit is now applied against tax (Method B). Annualized approximation of the published schedule; EDD Method B governs.
Check against California’s own withholding tables ↗
- Taxable: $65,000 − $5,706 deductions = $59,294
- Bracket schedule → $2,340/year
- California State Disability Insurance (SDI) — employee contribution: 1.3% → $32.50/period
- California's $168.30-per-allowance exemption credit is now applied against tax (Method B). Annualized approximation of the published schedule; EDD Method B governs.
Verified 2026-07-31 against IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — section 1, Worksheet 1A and the 2026 Annual Percentage Method Tables for Automated Payroll Systems; FICA rates and wage base from IRS Publication 15 (2026) (effective 2026-01-01)
Verified 2026-07-31 against California Employment Development Department — California Withholding Schedules for 2026, Method B Exact Calculation (Tables 3, 5 and 6, Annual Payroll Period) (effective 2026-01-01)
Estimate only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Only California's revenue agency can determine your actual amounts.
How this estimate is built
California's $168.30-per-allowance exemption credit is now applied against tax (Method B). Annualized approximation of the published schedule; EDD Method B governs.
California’s official withholding guidance ↗California paycheck questions
How much is taken out of a paycheck in California?
Federal income tax comes out under the IRS Publication 15-T percentage method, along with Social Security at 6.2% and Medicare at 1.45%. California uses graduated income-tax brackets, applied here to annualized wages after the state's standard deduction and exemptions. Enter your gross pay above for an estimate of the total.
What is the California income tax rate for 2026?
California uses graduated income-tax brackets, applied here to annualized wages after the state's standard deduction and exemptions. The figure was transcribed from California Employment Development Department — California Withholding Schedules for 2026, Method B Exact Calculation (Tables 3, 5 and 6, Annual Payroll Period) and verified on 2026-07-31. Because withholding tables and annual calculations differ slightly, treat the result as an estimate and check it against the state's own table.
Why does this differ from my actual pay stub?
Two reasons. Pre-tax items — retirement contributions, health premiums, HSA deductions — reduce taxable pay and are not modelled here. And this uses an annualized approximation of the state's schedule rather than the exact withholding tables your employer's payroll system uses, which is disclosed on every result.
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California withholding alerts — when rates and tables change
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