Montana Paycheck Calculator 2026
Enter your pay and your Form MW-4 status to see what lands in your bank account. Montana taxes wages at 4.7% and 5.65% in 2026 — we show each step of the state's withholding table.
| 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 |
| Montana income tax · withheld | −$70.00 | −$1,820.00 |
| Take-home pay | $1,713.56 | $44,552.50 |
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 Montana income tax was worked out
| Pay subject to Montana tax this paycheck · after pre-tax 401(k) and benefits | $2,115.38 |
| Table used · Single column, 26-paycheck table; no tax on the first $619 | $0.00 |
| Plus 4.7% of pay over $619 | $70.33 |
| Montana tax from the table · rounded to the nearest dollar | $70.00 |
| Montana income tax this paycheck | $70.00 |
What comes out of a Montana 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.
Montana has a graduated income tax with two rates: 4.7% and 5.65%. Employers withhold it with the formula tables in the Montana Department of Revenue's employer guide. There is one table for each pay schedule:
- Start with your pay subject to income tax for this paycheck. A traditional 401(k) or pre-tax health plan that is left out of federal income tax wages is left out here too.
- Find the column for the filing status on your Form MW-4. Nothing is withheld on the first slice of pay. Every two weeks, that slice is $619 on the Single column, $1,238 for married filing jointly and $929 for head of household.
- Pay above that slice is taxed at 4.7%. Pay above the next row is taxed at 5.65%, on top of a set base amount.
- Round to the nearest whole dollar, then add any extra amount you asked for on line 3 of your MW-4.
The only Montana line in this calculator is income tax.
What's different about Montana
No more Montana allowances
Starting in 2026, you no longer claim Montana allowances. The tables build in the federal standard deduction for your filing status instead. Over a full year, nothing is withheld on the first $16,100 (Single), $32,200 (married filing jointly) or $24,150 (head of household). The 4.7% rate then covers the next $47,500, $95,000 or $71,250. So the Single table starts 5.65% at $63,600 a year.
Your Form MW-4
Form MW-4 is the Montana version of the W-4, and the state no longer accepts the federal W-4 in its place. Line 1 is your filing status: single or married filing separately, married filing jointly, or head of household. Line 2 is a box for married couples filing jointly who both work and earn about the same. If you mark it, your employer uses the same figures as the Single column, so more is withheld from each of you. Line 3 lets you ask for an extra dollar amount each paycheck. If you don't fill in line 1 or line 2, your employer withholds as if you are single.
Bonuses
Employers can withhold on a bonus or commission by adding it to your regular pay, or at a flat 5% of the bonus.
Paydays and your last paycheck
You must be paid within 10 business days after the end of each pay period. If you quit, your wages are due on the next regular payday or within 15 days, whichever comes first. If you are fired or laid off, your wages are due right away — within 4 hours or by the end of the business day — unless your employer has a written policy that allows the next payday or 15 days, whichever comes first. If you are owed wages, you can file a wage claim with the Montana Department of Labor & Industry. The law gives you 180 days from the missed payment to file.
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
- Montana Department of Revenue — Montana Employer and Information Agent Guide with Montana Withholding Tax Tables (V4, November 2025; for use beginning Jan. 1, 2026) — formula tables by payroll period and MW-4 status (4.7% and 5.65%; annual Single $16,100 / $63,600 / $2,233, Married $32,200 / $127,200 / $4,465, Head of household $24,150 / $95,400 / $3,349; both spouses working = Single figures); round to the nearest dollar; worked examples; supplemental flat 5%; deferred-compensation contributions excluded from federal AGI are exempt
- Montana Department of Revenue — Updated Montana wage withholding tables and MW-4 now available (Dec. 8, 2025) — HB 337: top rate 5.9% → 5.65% from Jan. 1, 2026; 4.7% up to $95,000 joint, $71,250 head of household, $47,500 others; no Montana allowances, tables use the federal standard deduction for the filing status
- Montana Department of Revenue — 2026 Montana Publication 1 (September 2025) — 2026 rates: 4.7% on the first $47,500 (single), $95,000 (joint), $71,250 (head of household), 5.65% above; supplemental flat 5%
- Montana Department of Revenue — 2026 Form MW-4, Montana Employee's Withholding and Exemption Certificate (V1 7/2025) — line 1 filing status (single or married filing separately; married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse; head of household); line 2 both spouses work with similar pay; line 3 additional withholding; no lines 1 or 2 → withhold as Single
- Montana Department of Revenue — Montana Tax Allowances and Exemptions (Form MW-4) — the federal Form W-4 is no longer accepted for Montana withholding
- Montana Department of Labor & Industry — 2026 Minimum Wage Poster — $10.85 from Jan. 1, 2026; $4.00 for businesses not covered by the FLSA with gross annual sales of $110,000 or less; no tip credit, training wage or meal credit; overtime after 40 hours; pay within 10 business days; final pay
- Montana Department of Labor & Industry — Montana's Minimum Wage — CPI adjustment by Sept. 30 each year; $4.00 for non-FLSA businesses with sales of $110,000 or less; no tip credit, meal credit or training wage
- Montana Department of Labor & Industry — 2025 Minimum Wage Poster — $10.55 from Jan. 1, 2025
- Montana Department of Labor & Industry — Wage and Hour FAQs — paid within 10 business days after the pay period ends; final pay on discharge immediately (4 hours or end of business day) unless a written policy allows next payday or 15 days; quitting: next payday or 15 days; wage claim form; overtime after 40 hours
- Montana Code Annotated § 39-3-207 — Recovery period for wage claims — complaint within 180 days of default; wages for up to 2 years (3 years for repeated violations)
Questions
What is the Montana income tax rate in 2026?
4.7% on taxable income up to $47,500 for single filers ($71,250 head of household, $95,000 married filing jointly), and 5.65% above that.
How much is taken out of a $1,000 paycheck in Montana?
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, $18.00 of Montana income tax, leaving $867.42. Enter your own details in the calculator for your exact figure.
What is $20 an hour after taxes in Montana?
Working 40 hours a week and paid every two weeks, $20 an hour is $1,600.00 before tax and about $1,323.45 after tax per paycheck — $34,409.60 a year — for a single filer with a standard W-4.
Does Montana allow a tip credit?
No. Tipped employees must be paid at least $10.85 an hour before tips.
What if I never filled in a Form MW-4?
Your employer withholds as if you are single, with no extra amount.
When do I get my last paycheck in Montana?
If you quit, by the next payday or within 15 days, whichever is first. If you are let go, right away, unless a written company policy allows the next payday or 15 days.
How long do I have to file a wage claim?
You file within 180 days of the missed payment. You can recover wages for up to 2 years (3 years if the employer has repeated violations).