Connecticut Paycheck Calculator 2026
Enter your pay and your CT-W4 code to see what lands in your bank account. Connecticut income tax runs from 2% to 6.99%, and 0.5% of your pay goes to CT Paid Leave — we show both.
| 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 |
| Connecticut income tax · withheld | −$78.75 | −$2,047.50 |
| CT Paid Leave · 0.5% | −$10.58 | −$275.00 |
| Take-home pay | $1,694.23 | $44,050.00 |
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 Connecticut income tax was worked out
| Pay subject to Connecticut tax this paycheck · same as federal: after pre-tax 401(k) and benefits | $2,115.38 |
| Yearly pay (annualized salary) · 2115.38 × 26 | $54,999.88 |
| Minus personal exemption (Table A) · code F: single | $0.00 |
| Yearly taxable income | $54,999.88 |
| Initial tax (Table B) | $2,274.99 |
| Minus personal tax credit (Table E) · 10% of 2274.99 | −$227.50 |
| Yearly Connecticut withholding | $2,047.49 |
| Connecticut withholding for one paycheck · ÷ 26, rounded to the cent | $78.75 |
What comes out of a Connecticut 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.
A Connecticut paycheck usually has two state lines:
- Connecticut income tax, worked out with the Department of Revenue Services' withholding calculation rules. Rates on each slice of taxable pay run from 2% to 6.99%.
- CT Paid Leave: 0.5% of your wages ($5 per $1,000). It stops once your pay for the year passes the Social Security wage base of $184,500, so the most you pay in 2026 is $922.50.
Here is how the income tax is worked out. Your employer multiplies this paycheck by the number of paydays in the year. Then it takes off a personal exemption, which depends on your CT-W4 code and shrinks as pay rises. It finds the tax on what is left. Higher pay adds two extra amounts that take back the benefit of the lower rates. Last, a personal tax credit takes a percentage off the tax — up to 75% at low pay and nothing at higher pay. The yearly result is split across your paychecks. Open "How the Connecticut income tax was worked out" under the result to see each step.
What's different about Connecticut
Your CT-W4 code sets your withholding
Instead of allowances, the CT-W4 asks you to pick one letter. Single filers usually use code F, heads of household code B, and married couples filing jointly code C if one spouse works. If both spouses work, the form points to code A while combined income is $100,500 or less, and code D above that. Married filing separately is code A. Code D gives no exemption and no credit; it is for people with significant income other than wages who want to avoid having too little withheld. Code E means no tax is withheld, for people whose expected income is low — for example $15,000 or less for a single filer. Line 2 lets you ask for an extra amount each payday. If you leave the code field above on its default, we use F, B or C from your federal filing status.
No CT-W4 means the top rate
If you never give your employer a completed CT-W4, it must withhold a flat 6.99% of your pay, with no exemption. Choose "No CT-W4 given" above to see that.
Pre-tax benefits lower your Connecticut tax
Connecticut starts from the same wages as federal withholding, so a traditional 401(k) and pre-tax health premiums lower your Connecticut tax too. CT Paid Leave is different: it is charged on the same wages as Social Security, so your 401(k) money counts for it.
Paydays and your last paycheck
Connecticut employers must pay you weekly or every two weeks on a regular payday. If you are let go, your final wages are due by the next business day. If you quit, they are due by the next regular payday.
Wage complaints
If you weren't paid what you're owed, you can file a wage complaint with the Wage and Workplace Standards Division of the Connecticut Department of Labor. This calculator shows no city or county income tax line for Connecticut.
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.
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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
Questions
What is CT Paid Leave on my pay stub?
Your contribution to Connecticut's paid family and medical leave program: 0.5% of your wages, up to the Social Security wage base of $184,500. Your employer sends it to the CT Paid Leave Authority.
How much is taken out of a $1,000 paycheck in Connecticut?
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, $7.07 of Connecticut income tax, leaving $873.35. Enter your own details in the calculator for your exact figure.
What is $20 an hour after taxes in Connecticut?
Working 40 hours a week and paid every two weeks, $20 an hour is $1,600.00 before tax and about $1,309.98 after tax per paycheck — $34,059.38 a year — for a single filer with a standard W-4.
Which CT-W4 code am I on?
The CT-W4 lists the code for each filing status and income: usually F if single, B for head of household, C for married filing jointly when one spouse works, and A when both spouses work. Code D and code E are for special cases.
What happens if I don't fill in a CT-W4?
Your employer must withhold a flat 6.99% of your pay with no exemption — the top Connecticut rate.
What is the minimum wage in Connecticut in 2026?
$16.94 an hour. Tipped wait staff can be paid $6.38 and bartenders $8.23 in cash if tips make up the rest.
When do I get my last paycheck in Connecticut?
By the next business day if you are let go, or by the next regular payday if you quit.