California paycheck calculator 2026
California withholds state income tax and State Disability Insurance (SDI) on top of federal taxes. This calculator applies the 2026 tables the California EDD publishes for employers.
Enter your pay to see the breakdown.
How your California paycheck is calculated
Federal income tax uses the percentage method in IRS Publication 15-T for 2026, the method payroll software follows. Your pay for the year is reduced by $8,600 (single or head of household) or $12,900 (married filing jointly) unless the box in Step 2 of your W-4 is checked, then run through the 2026 withholding schedule and divided by the number of paychecks. Credits from Step 3 and the amounts in Step 4 are applied the way the IRS worksheet applies them.
Social Security takes 6.2% of wages until your pay for the year reaches $184,500, then stops. Medicare takes 1.45% of all wages plus 0.9% on wages above $200,000. Pre-tax 401(k) contributions lower federal income tax but not Social Security or Medicare; pre-tax health premiums lower both.
California withholding follows Method B in the EDD’s 2026 employer guide (DE 44). Pay below the low-income threshold ($18,896 a year for single filers, $37,791 for heads of household and married filers with two or more allowances) has nothing withheld. Above it, the standard deduction ($5,706 or $11,412) is subtracted, the result goes through the 2026 rate table, and $168.30 is taken off for each allowance you claim on form DE 4.
California uses its own form for allowances, the DE 4; the federal W-4 no longer has them. The calculator starts with one allowance, so set it to match your DE 4. SDI, which also funds Paid Family Leave, takes 1.3% of every dollar you earn, with no yearly maximum.
California take-home pay by salary (2026)
Single filer, paid every two weeks, standard W-4, 1 DE 4 allowance, no pre-tax deductions.
| Salary | Gross per check | Federal tax | Social Security + Medicare | State taxes | Take-home per check | Take-home per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $1,153.85 | $54.62 | $88.27 | $24.40 | $986.56 | $25,650 |
| $40,000 | $1,538.46 | $100.77 | $117.69 | $44.65 | $1,275.35 | $33,159 |
| $50,000 | $1,923.08 | $146.92 | $147.11 | $68.98 | $1,560.07 | $40,562 |
| $60,000 | $2,307.69 | $193.08 | $176.54 | $99.36 | $1,838.71 | $47,807 |
| $75,000 | $2,884.62 | $295.00 | $220.68 | $154.89 | $2,214.05 | $57,565 |
| $100,000 | $3,846.15 | $506.54 | $294.23 | $263.86 | $2,781.52 | $72,320 |
| $125,000 | $4,807.69 | $720.54 | $367.79 | $374.73 | $3,344.63 | $86,960 |
| $150,000 | $5,769.23 | $951.31 | $441.34 | $485.60 | $3,890.98 | $101,166 |
What a California pay stub must show
Labor Code section 226 requires an itemized statement with each paycheck, showing:
- gross wages earned and, for hourly workers, total hours worked;
- piece-rate units and rates, if any;
- every deduction;
- net wages;
- the dates of the pay period;
- the employee’s name and the last four digits of the Social Security number or an employee ID;
- the employer’s legal name and address;
- each hourly rate in effect and the hours worked at it;
- paid sick leave available.
Most workers must be paid at least twice a month. A fired employee is owed final pay immediately; someone who quits without notice is owed it within 72 hours.
Questions
How much is taken out of a paycheck in California?
For a single filer earning $50,000 and paid every two weeks, about $146.92 goes to federal income tax, $147.11 to Social Security and Medicare and $68.98 to California income tax and SDI, leaving $1,560.07 per check.
What is CA SDI and why is it on my paycheck?
State Disability Insurance pays partial wages when you cannot work because of illness, injury or pregnancy, and it funds Paid Family Leave. In 2026 it is 1.3% of all wages; the old wage cap was removed in 2024.
How many allowances should I claim on the DE 4?
The DE 4 worksheet counts one for you, one for a spouse who does not work, and one per dependent, plus extra allowances for large deductions. More allowances mean less withheld now and a smaller refund later.
Does any California city tax my wages?
No California city withholds income tax from employees. San Francisco and a few other cities tax employers on payroll or gross receipts, but that does not come out of your check.