California paycheck calculator
California taxes wages on a long progressive scale whose top rates reach only very high incomes, plus a 1% Behavioral Health Services Tax on taxable income above $1 million. Two things come out of a California paycheck: personal income tax withholding based on your Form DE 4, and State Disability Insurance, which also pays for Paid Family Leave and has no wage cap.
Take-home per paycheck
$2,214
- Take-home per year
- $57,565
- Total taxes per year
- $17,435
- Effective tax rate
- 23.2%
- Marginal tax rate
- 38.4%
- Assumes Form DE 4 filing status "Single or Married (with two or more incomes)" with 1 regular withholding allowance and no estimated-deduction allowances.
Take-home per paycheck: $2,214 every 2 weeks
| Line | Every 2 weeks | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,885 | $75,000 |
| Federal income tax | −$295 | −$7,670 |
| Social Security | −$179 | −$4,650 |
| Medicare | −$42 | −$1,088 |
| State income tax | −$117 | −$3,052 |
| CA SDI | −$38 | −$975 |
| Take-home pay | $2,214 | $57,565 |
- Take-home pay$57,56577%
- Federal income tax$7,67010%
- Social Security & Medicare$5,7388%
- State & local taxes$4,0275%
How California taxes your paycheck
- Up to 13.3%
- Nine brackets from 1% to 12.3%, plus a 1% Behavioral Health Services Tax on taxable income over $1 million (13.3% top rate).
- CA SDI
- CA SDI 1.3%
- None
- California cities and counties do not levy a local income tax on wages, so only state income tax and SDI come out of a California paycheck.
- 6.6%
- Bonuses and stock options paid separately from regular wages can be withheld at a flat 10.23%. Other supplemental pay such as overtime, commissions and severance uses 6.6%. Employers may instead use the aggregate method.
California income tax rates for 2026
These are the return rates. Your employer withholds using California's withholding method (Method B — Exact Calculation Method, annual payroll period (EDD DE 44, 2026)), which the calculator above follows.
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 – $11,456 | 1% |
| $11,456 – $27,157 | 2% |
| $27,157 – $42,861 | 4% |
| $42,861 – $59,498 | 6% |
| $59,498 – $75,197 | 8% |
| $75,197 – $384,109 | 9.3% |
| $384,109 – $460,927 | 10.3% |
| $460,927 – $768,213 | 11.3% |
| $768,213 – $1,000,000 | 12.3% |
| Over $1,000,000 | 13.3% |
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 – $22,912 | 1% |
| $22,912 – $54,314 | 2% |
| $54,314 – $85,722 | 4% |
| $85,722 – $118,996 | 6% |
| $118,996 – $150,394 | 8% |
| $150,394 – $768,218 | 9.3% |
| $768,218 – $921,854 | 10.3% |
| $921,854 – $1,000,000 | 11.3% |
| $1,000,000 – $1,536,426 | 12.3% |
| Over $1,536,426 | 13.3% |
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 – $22,927 | 1% |
| $22,927 – $54,316 | 2% |
| $54,316 – $70,018 | 4% |
| $70,018 – $86,654 | 6% |
| $86,654 – $102,356 | 8% |
| $102,356 – $522,385 | 9.3% |
| $522,385 – $626,864 | 10.3% |
| $626,864 – $1,000,000 | 11.3% |
| $1,000,000 – $1,044,771 | 12.3% |
| Over $1,044,771 | 13.3% |
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Standard deduction — Single (Single or married/RDP filing separately) | $5,900 |
| Standard deduction — Married filing jointly (Married/RDP filing jointly or surviving spouse) | $11,800 |
| Standard deduction — Head of household | $11,800 |
| Personal exemption credit (single, married filing separately, head of household) (credit) | $158 |
| Personal exemption credit (married/RDP filing jointly or surviving spouse) (credit) | $316 |
| Dependent exemption credit (each dependent) (credit) | $491 |
Other taxes on California paychecks
| Employee payroll tax | Rate | Wage base | Annual max |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Disability Insurance (SDI), including Paid Family Leave | 1.3% | No cap | — |
$58,240 in California
$58,240 is the median annual wage in California (May 2025, BLS OEWS). A single filer paid every two weeks with no other income or deductions takes home $46,531 a year, or $1,790 per paycheck.
| Line | Every 2 weeks | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,240 | $58,240 |
| Federal income tax | -$185 | -$4,809 |
| Social Security | -$139 | -$3,611 |
| Medicare | -$32 | -$844 |
| State income tax | -$65 | -$1,687 |
| CA SDI | -$29 | -$757 |
| Take-home pay | $1,790 | $46,531 |
How California withholds income tax from your paycheck
Employers follow the Employment Development Department's DE 44 guide. Payroll software uses Method B, the exact calculation: if your pay is below a low-income threshold nothing is withheld; otherwise the employer subtracts a standard deduction, applies the withholding tax rate table for your filing status, and then subtracts a credit for each allowance you claim on Form DE 4.
The federal W-4 no longer works for California. If you never turn in a DE 4, your employer must withhold as if you were single with zero allowances, which usually means more tax taken out than you need. Married couples where both spouses work are told to choose the 'Single or Married (with two or more incomes)' status to avoid underwithholding.
The withholding tables are built separately from the tax return schedules and use slightly higher rates, so the amount withheld over a year will not match your final California tax exactly. You settle the difference when you file Form 540.
Which pre-tax deductions lower your California wages
Traditional 401(k), 403(b) and similar salary deferrals are not California taxable wages, and neither are health, dental and vision premiums paid through a Section 125 cafeteria plan.
Health savings account contributions are different. California does not follow the federal HSA tax break, so HSA money taken from your pay, even through a cafeteria plan, is still subject to California income tax withholding.
State Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave
SDI is the only state payroll tax California employees pay. One rate funds both disability insurance, which replaces part of your pay if you cannot work because of illness, injury or pregnancy, and Paid Family Leave, which covers time off to care for a family member or bond with a new child.
Since January 1, 2024, SDI applies to every dollar of wages, with no annual maximum. Your 401(k) deferrals and HSA contributions are still subject to SDI, while Section 125 health premiums generally are not. Unemployment insurance and the Employment Training Tax are paid by employers only.
Bonuses, commissions and other supplemental pay
When a bonus is paid on its own, your employer can withhold a flat percentage instead of running it through the regular tables. California uses a higher flat rate for bonuses and stock options than for other supplemental pay such as overtime, commissions, sales awards, severance and vacation payouts.
If the bonus is included in a regular paycheck, the employer must treat the total as ordinary wages and use the normal withholding schedules.
No local income taxes
No California city or county taxes wages, so where you live inside the state does not change your paycheck.
What changed recently
- 2026: The SDI withholding rate rose to 1.3% for 2026, up from 1.2% in 2025. All wages remain subject to SDI. Source
- 2026: The Franchise Tax Board indexed 2026 brackets, the standard deduction and exemption credits by 3.4%, the California inflation rate from June 2025 to June 2026. Source
- 2026: EDD published new 2026 withholding schedules (Methods A and B) in the DE 44 Employer's Guide, and a new 2026 Form DE 4. Source
- 2025: The SDI rate was 1.2% for 2025, up from 1.1% in 2024, the first year with no SDI wage ceiling. Source
Questions people ask
What is the California SDI rate in 2026?
The 2026 SDI withholding rate is 1.3% of wages. It funds both State Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave, and since 2024 there is no wage limit, so it applies to all of your pay.
How much tax is withheld from a bonus in California?
When a bonus or stock option payment is made separately from your regular pay, employers may withhold a flat 10.23% for California. Other supplemental pay such as overtime, commissions and severance uses 6.6%. Employers can also use the aggregate method instead.
Do I need to fill out a California DE 4 if I filled out a federal W-4?
Yes. Since 2020 the federal W-4 is used for federal withholding only. Without a DE 4, your employer must withhold California tax as if you were single with zero allowances.
Are HSA contributions taxed in California?
Yes. California does not conform to the federal HSA exclusion, so HSA contributions taken from your paycheck are still subject to California income tax withholding and to SDI, even when they go through a cafeteria plan.
Do California cities charge a local income tax?
No. No city or county in California taxes wages, so your paycheck has only state income tax and SDI on top of federal taxes.
Why is my California withholding different from the tax I owe?
Withholding uses EDD's tables, which have their own brackets, standard deduction and allowance credits, while your return uses the Franchise Tax Board's schedules and credits. Credits for dependents, itemized deductions and other income all change the final bill.
Sources
- DE 44 (Rev. 52 (4-26)), 2026 California Employer's Guide · retrieved 2026-10-16
- 2026 Withholding Schedules — Method B, Exact Calculation Method · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Contribution Rates, Withholding Schedules, and Meals and Lodging Values · retrieved 2026-10-16
- DE 4 (Rev. 56 (1-26)), Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Information Sheet: Types of Payments (DE 231TP) · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Tax News, October 2026: 2026 Indexing · retrieved 2026-10-16
- 2026 Instructions for Form 540-ES (Behavioral Health Services Tax worksheet) · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Publication 15 (2026), (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Rev. Proc. 2025-32: 2026 inflation-adjusted tax items · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Form W-4 (2026), Employee's Withholding Certificate · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Publication 505 (2026), Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Form 1040-ES (2026), Estimated Tax for Individuals · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Schedule 1-A (Form 1040) 2026, Additional Deductions (early-release draft) · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Schedule 8812 (Form 1040) 2026, Credits for Qualifying Children and Other Dependents (early-release draft) · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Working Families Tax Cuts: Individuals and workers (tips, overtime, seniors, car loan interest) · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Working Families Tax Cuts provisions (charitable deduction for non-itemizers, Section 70424) · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Child Tax Credit · retrieved 2026-10-16
- IR-2025-111: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Rev. Proc. 2025-19: 2026 HSA limits · retrieved 2026-10-16
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, median annual wage by state · retrieved 2026-10-16