California Paycheck Calculator 2026
Enter your pay and your DE 4 details to see what lands in your bank account. California withholds income tax at rates from 1.1% to 14.63%, plus 1.3% for State Disability Insurance — we show every step.
| 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 |
| California income tax · withheld | −$56.73 | −$1,474.98 |
| CA SDI (disability and paid family leave) · 1.3%, no wage limit | −$27.50 | −$715.00 |
| Take-home pay | $1,699.33 | $44,182.52 |
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 California income tax was worked out
| Pay subject to California tax this paycheck · after pre-tax 401(k) and health benefits | $2,115.38 |
| Minus California standard deduction · single or married with two or more incomes, EDD Table 3 | −$219.00 |
| California taxable income | $1,896.38 |
| Tax from the EDD rate table · $43.24 + 6.6% of the amount over $1,594 | $63.20 |
| Minus allowance credit · 1 regular allowance, EDD Table 4 | −$6.47 |
| California income tax this paycheck · EDD Method B | $56.73 |
What comes out of a California 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.
California takes two things out of your paycheck: state income tax and State Disability Insurance (SDI).
Income tax. Employers work it out with the Employment Development Department's (EDD) "Method B" tables for your pay period and DE 4 filing status. Shown here as yearly amounts:
- If your pay is at or below the low-income exemption — $18,896 a year if you're single, or $37,791 for head of household or married with two or more allowances — nothing is withheld.
- Each DE 4 allowance for estimated deductions takes $1,000 a year off your pay.
- The standard deduction comes off next: $5,706 (single, or married with 0 or 1 allowance) or $11,412 (head of household, or married with 2 or more).
- The rest is taxed with a rate table that climbs from 1.1% to 14.63%.
- Each regular DE 4 allowance then lowers the tax by $168.30 a year.
Your employer uses the per-paycheck version of each table, so the "California income tax" line above shows the exact numbers for your pay period.
SDI is 1.3% of your wages ($13 per $1,000) and pays for both disability and paid family leave benefits. Since January 1, 2024 there is no yearly wage limit, so it applies to every dollar you earn. A traditional 401(k) lowers your California income tax but not your SDI; pre-tax health insurance through a section 125 plan generally lowers both.
What's different about California
Your DE 4 is separate from your W-4
California has its own form, the DE 4, with three filing statuses: single or married with two or more incomes, married with one income, and head of household. You claim regular allowances (for yourself, a spouse and dependents) and, if you itemize, extra allowances for estimated deductions. If you never gave your employer a DE 4, it must withhold as if you're single with zero allowances. By default we match your DE 4 status to your federal W-4 and use one regular allowance.
Two-income couples
The "married" tables assume one income in the household. The EDD's own schedules note that couples who both work may be underwithheld on those tables, and suggest the single status or an extra flat amount instead.
Health savings accounts are taxed
California taxes contributions to a health savings account (HSA), even through a section 125 plan. If part of your pre-tax benefits above is an HSA, your real California withholding will be a little higher than shown here.
Daily overtime
Overtime in California is counted by the day as well as the week: time-and-a-half after 8 hours in a workday or 40 hours in a workweek, and double time after 12 hours in a workday.
Paydays and your last paycheck
With some exceptions, wages must be paid at least twice a month on regular paydays set in advance. Wages earned from the 1st to the 15th are due by the 26th, and wages from the 16th to month-end by the 10th of the next month; weekly and every-two-weeks pay is due within 7 calendar days after the pay period ends. If you're fired, your final pay — including unused vacation — is due right away. If you quit with at least 72 hours' notice, it's due on your last day; without notice, within 72 hours. If an employer willfully pays late, it can owe a waiting time penalty of a day's wages for each day late, up to 30 days. Unpaid wages can be claimed with the Labor Commissioner's Office.
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 California 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
- California EDD — 2026 Withholding Schedules, Method B – Exact Calculation Method — Tables 1–28; worked examples A–F
- California EDD — Contribution rates, withholding schedules, and meals and lodging values — no DE 4 → single, zero allowances
- California EDD — Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate (DE 4) — filing statuses; line 1a regular and 1b estimated-deduction allowances
- California EDD — Tax-rated employers — SDI withholding rate for 2026 is 1.3%; all wages subject since January 1, 2024
- California EDD — California Employer's Guide 2026 (DE 44) — SDI rate covers disability and paid family leave; no SDI taxable wage limit
- California EDD — Types of Payments (DE 231TP) — 401(k) deferrals: SDI yes, PIT no; section 125 benefits generally not subject; HSA contributions subject to PIT withholding
- California Labor Commissioner — Minimum wage FAQ — $16.90 from January 1, 2026; tips can't be credited toward the minimum wage
- California Labor Commissioner — Overtime FAQ — 1.5× over 8 hours a day and 40 a week; 2× over 12 hours a day
- California Labor Commissioner — Paydays, pay periods, and final wages — at least twice a month; final pay immediately if fired, within 72 hours if you quit without notice
- California Labor Commissioner — Waiting time penalty — daily wage for each day late, up to 30 days
- California Labor Commissioner — How to file a wage claim
Questions
What is SDI on my California pay stub?
State Disability Insurance. In 2026 it's 1.3% of your wages, with no yearly limit, and it funds both disability and paid family leave benefits.
How much is taken out of a $1,000 paycheck in California?
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, $6.03 of California income tax, leaving $866.39. Enter your own details in the calculator for your exact figure.
What is $20 an hour after taxes in California?
Working 40 hours a week and paid every two weeks, $20 an hour is $1,600.00 before tax and about $1,321.26 after tax per paycheck — $34,352.66 a year — for a single filer with a standard W-4.
What happens if I didn't fill out a DE 4?
Your employer must withhold California tax as if you're single with zero allowances, even if your federal W-4 says something else.
Why is no California tax taken from my small paycheck?
If your pay for the period is at or below the EDD's low-income exemption ($18,896 a year for single filers, spread over your paychecks), nothing is withheld.
What is the minimum wage in California in 2026?
$16.90 an hour statewide from January 1, 2026, with no tip credit. Some cities, counties and industries are higher.
When do I get my last paycheck in California?
Right away if you're fired. If you quit, on your last day when you gave at least 72 hours' notice, or within 72 hours if you didn't.