Arizona Paycheck Calculator 2026
Pick your Form A-4 percentage to see what lands in your bank account. Arizona's 2026 income tax rate is a flat 2.5%, but your paycheck withholding is the percentage you choose — we show the exact math.
| Per paycheck | Amount | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,115.38 | $55,000.00 |
| Federal income tax · withheld | −$170.00 | −$4,420.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$131.15 | −$3,410.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | −$30.67 | −$797.50 |
| Arizona income tax · withheld | −$42.31 | −$1,100.06 |
| Take-home pay | $1,741.25 | $45,272.44 |
How the federal income tax was worked out
| Pay subject to income tax, for the year · $2,115.38 × 26 paychecks | $55,000.00 |
| Minus the IRS withholding allowance · Pub 15-T Worksheet 1A, line 1g | −$8,600.00 |
| Adjusted yearly wage | $46,400.00 |
| Tax from the IRS yearly table · standard table | $4,420.00 |
| Federal income tax per paycheck · divided by 26 | $170.00 |
IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Worksheet 1A — the percentage method payroll software uses for a Form W-4 from 2020 or later. Your employer's figure can differ by a few cents because of rounding.
How the Arizona income tax was worked out
| Gross taxable wages this paycheck · federal W-2 box 1 wages: after pre-tax 401(k) and benefits | $2,115.38 |
| × your A-4 percentage (2.0%) · 2.0% is also what applies with no A-4 | $42.31 |
| Arizona income tax withheld this paycheck | $42.31 |
What comes out of a Arizona paycheck
- Federal income tax withholding — worked out from your pay and your Form W-4, using the IRS tables for 2026.
- Social Security — 6.2% of your pay, up to $184,500 of pay in 2026. Above that, it stops for the rest of the year.
- Medicare — 1.45% of all your pay, plus 0.9% on pay above $200,000 in the year.
Arizona has a flat 2.5% income tax. Withholding works differently from most places: there are no brackets, allowances or deductions on the form. Instead, you pick a percentage on Form A-4, and your employer takes that share of each paycheck:
- Start with your gross taxable wages — the pay that ends up in box 1 of your federal W-2. A traditional 401(k) and pre-tax health insurance come off first.
- Multiply by the percentage you chose: 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5%, 3.0%, 3.5%.
- Add any extra dollar amount you asked for on the A-4. The total is your Arizona withholding.
If you never gave your employer an A-4, it must withhold 2.0%. New employees are asked to fill one in within 5 days of starting. Unemployment insurance is paid by employers — on the first $8,000 of each worker's wages — and state law bars them from taking it out of your pay.
What's different about Arizona
You choose your withholding rate
Your employer doesn't work out your Arizona tax — you choose how much is set aside. Because the percentage applies to all of your taxable wages with nothing taken off first, the amount withheld can be more or less than the 2.5% tax you actually owe once your return subtracts deductions. A low choice can leave you owing tax, and possibly a penalty, when you file. A high choice gives you a bigger refund. The Department of Revenue's withholding calculations page walks through picking a rate.
The extra amount box
If none of the set percentages lands where you want, the A-4 lets you add a fixed dollar amount to every paycheck. Enter it in the "extra amount" box above and it is added after the percentage.
Choosing 0%
The A-4 also has a 0% choice, but only if you certify that you expect to owe no Arizona income tax for the year.
Paydays and your last paycheck
Employers must set at least two paydays a month, no more than 16 days apart, and pay within 5 business days after each pay period ends. If you're fired, your final pay is due within 7 working days or by the end of the next regular pay period, whichever comes first. If you quit, it's due by the regular payday for that pay period.
Unpaid wages
You can file a wage claim with the Industrial Commission of Arizona's Labor Department for up to $12,000, within one year of when the wages were owed.
Why your paycheck might differ from this
- Your W-4. Credits for children (Step 3), a checked Step 2 box, or extra withholding (Step 4c) change the federal amount a lot. Open "Tips, 401(k), health insurance and W-4 details" above to enter them.
- Benefits taken before tax. Health insurance through work usually lowers income tax and Social Security and Medicare. A traditional 401(k) lowers income tax only.
- Rounding. Payroll software may round each step, so a few cents of difference is normal.
Tips and overtime in 2026
New federal deductions apply for 2025 through 2028: up to $25,000 for qualified tips, and up to $12,500 ($25,000 for joint filers) for the extra "half" of time-and-a-half overtime. Both phase out above $150,000 of income ($300,000 joint).
These are deductions on your tax return. Your employer still takes Social Security and Medicare out of tips and overtime, and still withholds income tax unless you tell it otherwise. If you expect to claim them, you can put the expected amount in Step 4(b) of your W-4 (and in the Step 4(b) box above) so less income tax is withheld during the year.
Other Arizona calculators
Paycheck calculator · Hourly paycheck calculator · Salary paycheck calculator · What changed for 2026
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Sources
- IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Worksheet 1A and the annual percentage-method tables
- IRS Publication 15 (2026), Employer's Tax Guide — Social Security and Medicare rates
- Social Security Administration — 2026 wage base of $184,500
- IRS — tips and overtime deductions
- Arizona Department of Revenue — Form A-4, Employee's Arizona Withholding Election (2026) — 0.5%–3.5% choices; extra amount; 0% election; 2.0% if no A-4; gross taxable wages = W-2 box 1
- Arizona Department of Revenue — Employer's Instructions for Form A-4 (2026) — default 2.0%; new employees complete A-4 within 5 days; gross taxable wages follow the federal definition
- Arizona Department of Revenue — Withholding Calculations — 2.5% tax rate for 2023 and beyond; worked example $2,000 × 2.5% = $50.00 + $4.55 extra
- Arizona Department of Economic Security — Who pays unemployment taxes? — employers pay; first $8,000 of each employee's wages
- A.R.S. § 23-735 — No deduction from wages to finance employer contributions
- Industrial Commission of Arizona — New 2026 Minimum Wage — $14.70 → $15.15 on January 1, 2026
- A.R.S. § 23-363 — Minimum wage; tipped employees — up to $3.00 less for tipped employees; yearly cost-of-living increase
- City of Tucson — Tucson Minimum Wage Act — $15.45 for 2026; tip credit up to $3.00
- City of Flagstaff — Minimum Wage — $18.35 from January 1, 2026; full minimum wage regardless of tips
- U.S. Department of Labor — Overtime pay — time-and-a-half over 40 hours in a workweek (FLSA)
- A.R.S. § 23-351 — Paydays — two or more paydays a month, no more than 16 days apart
- A.R.S. § 23-353 — Final pay
- A.R.S. § 23-356 — Wage claims — up to $12,000, within one year
- Industrial Commission of Arizona — Labor Department (wage claims)
Questions
What is the Arizona income tax rate in 2026?
2.5%, a flat rate. What comes out of your paycheck is set by the percentage you choose on Form A-4, not by that rate.
How much is taken out of a $1,000 paycheck in Arizona?
For a single filer paid every two weeks with nothing else on the W-4, a $1,000 paycheck has about $38.08 of federal income tax, $62.00 of Social Security and $14.50 of Medicare taken out, $20.00 of Arizona income tax, leaving $865.42. Enter your own details in the calculator for your exact figure.
What is $20 an hour after taxes in Arizona?
Working 40 hours a week and paid every two weeks, $20 an hour is $1,600.00 before tax and about $1,337.45 after tax per paycheck — $34,773.60 a year — for a single filer with a standard W-4.
What happens if I didn't fill out an A-4?
Your employer must withhold 2.0% of your gross taxable wages.
Which A-4 percentage matches my tax?
It depends on your whole year's income and deductions. Your return applies the 2.5% rate after deductions, while withholding applies your percentage to all taxable wages. The Department of Revenue's withholding calculations page shows how to work out a target.
When do I get my last paycheck in Arizona?
If you're fired, within 7 working days or by the end of the next regular pay period, whichever is sooner. If you quit, by the regular payday for that pay period.