Guides
How paycheck taxes actually work, written from the IRS and state sources the calculators use.
- Best and worst states for take-home pay in 2026Which states leave you the most and least money after tax in 2026? Live rankings at five salaries, worked examples and the local taxes most lists miss.
- How paycheck taxes work in 2026: federal, FICA, state and local explainedEvery line of a 2026 US paycheck explained in order: federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare, state and local tax, pre-tax deductions and bonuses.
- Why your bonus is taxed so much (and what you actually owe)Bonuses are withheld at a flat federal rate plus Social Security, Medicare and state tax, but that is not your final bill. How bonus tax works in 2026.
- States with no income tax in 2026 (and what they tax instead)Nine states do not tax wages in 2026. See which ones, what each taxes instead, and how your take-home pay on the same salary compares with other states.
- Salary vs hourly: how to compare job offers after taxHow to compare a salaried job offer with an hourly one: convert the pay, adjust for overtime, paid time off and benefits, then compare take-home pay.
- How to fill out a W-4 in 2026: a step-by-step guideStep-by-step guide to the 2026 Form W-4: filing status, multiple jobs, dependents, the new deductions worksheet, the exempt box and what each one does.