US Paycheck and Sales Tax, Explained
How your US paycheck and sales tax work for 2026: federal income tax brackets, the standard deduction and filing status, Social Security and Medicare (FICA) including the Additional Medicare Tax, and how sales tax is added at the state and local level. Federal figures follow the IRS and SSA, and each guide links the calculator so you can run your own numbers. State income tax is not included.
How Your US Paycheck Works in 2026 (Federal Tax, FICA, Take-Home)
Plain guide to US take-home pay for 2026: federal tax brackets, the standard deduction, Social Security and Medicare, and a worked example at 60,000 gross.
How US Sales Tax Works in 2026 (Add It, Reverse It, By State)
Plain guide to US sales tax: why there is no national rate, how state and local rates combine, and how to add tax to a price or reverse it out of a total.
Tools in this guide
Paycheck Calculator
Work out your US take-home pay for 2026 after federal income tax and FICA.
Sales Tax Calculator
Add US sales tax to a price or reverse it out of a total. Pick your state for its average combined rate, enter your own combined state plus local rate, or choose a common preset, and see the subtotal, the tax, and the total.