Every calculator on this site follows the rules below. They run in your browser, and the code is one small file you can read. The paycheck figures are estimates built on published 2026 federal rules; your employer's payroll is the record.
Hours from clock times
Hours worked = clock out − clock in − unpaid break. Times can be typed as 9:00, 9:00 am, 17:30 or 1730. If the end time is earlier than the start, the shift is treated as crossing midnight. Example: 8:07 am to 4:33 pm with a 60-minute break is 7 hours 26 minutes.
Decimal hours are minutes divided by 60, rounded to two places: 7:26 is 7.43, 7:30 is 7.5. When a rounding rule is chosen on the time card, each shift's total is rounded to the nearest 5, 6 or 15 minutes before the week is added up. Under the FLSA, an employer may round only if the practice is neutral over time.
Overtime
Over 40 a week (the federal FLSA rule): hours above 40 in the workweek are overtime at 1.5 times the rate. Daily over 8 and 12 (California-style): each day's hours above 8 are overtime at 1.5x and above 12 are double time at 2x; regular hours above 40 in the week also become overtime. None: every hour at the regular rate.
Gross pay = regular hours × rate + overtime hours × rate × 1.5 + double-time hours × rate × 2. Example: 42 hours at $20 with the weekly rule is 40 × 20 + 2 × 30 = $860.
Paycheck estimate (2026)
The estimate mirrors the IRS percentage method for a Form W-4 from 2020 onward with nothing entered in steps 2 to 4:
- Annualise the gross: weekly × 52, every two weeks × 26, twice a month × 24, monthly × 12.
- Subtract annualised pre-tax deductions and the 2026 standard deduction: $16,100 single or married filing separately, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household.
- Apply the 2026 brackets to what is left, then divide the annual tax by the number of paychecks and add any extra withholding.
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | up to $12,400 | up to $24,800 | up to $17,700 |
| 12% | to $50,400 | to $100,800 | to $67,450 |
| 22% | to $105,700 | to $211,400 | to $105,700 |
| 24% | to $201,775 | to $403,550 | to $201,750 |
| 32% | to $256,225 | to $512,450 | to $256,200 |
| 35% | to $640,600 | to $768,700 | to $640,600 |
| 37% | above | above | above |
Source: IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32, tax rate tables and standard deduction for taxable years beginning in 2026. The married filing separately status uses the single brackets here, which matches through the 35% bracket.
Social Security: 6.2% of gross wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500 (Social Security Administration). Medicare: 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% on the part of annual wages above $200,000 ($250,000 married filing jointly).
State income tax: a flat percentage you enter, applied to gross minus pre-tax deductions. State rules are not built in. Local taxes, tax credits and itemised deductions are not included.
Pre-tax deductions reduce wages for federal and state income tax. The calculator leaves them subject to Social Security and Medicare, which is correct for a traditional 401(k) and a simplification for health premiums, which are usually exempt from those too.
Worked example: $2,000 every two weeks, single, nothing else. Annual $52,000; taxable $52,000 − $16,100 = $35,900; tax $1,240 + 12% × $23,500 = $4,060 a year, $156.15 per paycheck; Social Security $124.00; Medicare $29.00; net $1,690.85.
Salary conversions
Annual = hourly × hours per week × weeks per year (default 40 × 52 = 2,080 hours). Weekly = hourly × hours per week; every two weeks = weekly × 2; twice a month = annual ÷ 24; monthly = annual ÷ 12; daily = weekly ÷ 5. Typing any one figure solves for the annual and re-derives the rest.
Raises
New pay = current × (1 + percent ÷ 100). Percent = (new − current) ÷ current × 100. The per-paycheck and per-hour figures divide the annual difference by the paychecks per year and by hours per week × 52.
PTO accrual
Per hour worked: earned = rate × hours worked. Per pay period: earned = rate × periods. Balance = starting balance + earned, capped if a cap is set. Days assume 8 hours. Rate for a yearly allowance = hours per year ÷ (hours per week × 52); 80 hours over 2,080 is 0.0385 per hour.
Rounding
Money is computed in full precision and rounded to cents only for display, so lines may not add to the total by a cent.
Checking the code
All formulas and the 2026 figures live in /source/payroll.js, each with an automated test. If a result looks wrong, tell us with the inputs you used.