Connecticut paychecks in 2026: what changed
Connecticut's withholding calculation rules for 2026 are unchanged from last year. The Paid Leave cap and the minimum wage did change.
The changes
- New federal withholding tables. The IRS updated Publication 15-T for 2026, including changes from the 2025 tax law. The standard deduction is $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, and $24,150 head of household.
- Social Security wage base: $184,500 (up from $176,100). If you earn more, Social Security stops later in the year.
- Tips and overtime deductions for 2025–2028 — see below.
- Withholding rules: unchanged — the same codes, exemptions and rates from 2% to 6.99%.
- CT Paid Leave: still 0.5%, on wages up to $184,500 (up from $176,100, following the Social Security wage base).
- Minimum wage: $16.94 from January 1, 2026 (up from $16.35, a 3.6% rise).
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.
Work out your 2026 Connecticut paycheck →
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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
- Connecticut DRS — TPG-211, 2026 Withholding Calculation Rules (Rev. 12/25) — 16 steps; Tables A–E (exemptions, initial tax 2%–6.99%, 2% phase-out add-back, recapture, personal tax credits); unchanged from 2025
- Connecticut DRS — IP 2026(1), Connecticut Employer's Tax Guide (Circular CT) — no completed CT-W4: flat 6.99% without exemption; wages are those subject to federal withholding; code E means no withholding
- Connecticut DRS — Form CT-W4, Employee's Withholding Certificate (2026) — withholding codes A–F by filing status and expected income; Line 2 additional, Line 3 reduced withholding
- CT Paid Leave Authority — Remit contributions — 0.5% of total wages up to the Social Security contribution and benefit base; rate kept for 2026; FICA-exempt benefits left out
- CT Paid Leave Authority — Contributions — employers deduct 0.5% from pay until the Social Security contribution limit
- Social Security Administration — Contribution and benefit base — $184,500 for 2026
- Office of the Governor — Connecticut's minimum wage will increase to $16.94 on January 1, 2026 (Sept. 3, 2025) — $16.94 from $16.35 (3.6%), indexed to the employment cost index
- CT Department of Labor — Tip statement, effective January 1, 2026 — $16.94 minimum; cash wage $6.38 wait staff, $8.23 bartenders
- CT Department of Labor — Wage and hour: minimum wage and overtime — 1-1/2 times the regular rate after 40 hours in the workweek; complaint forms
- CT Department of Labor — DOL-74, Connecticut wage payment laws (rev. 12/23) — paid weekly or every two weeks on a regular payday; final pay by the next business day if discharged, next regular payday if you quit