Enter your hourly rate or annual salary and get an instant estimate of your California take-home pay. Federal tax, CA state tax, Social Security, Medicare and SDI — all broken down clearly.
The results provided by this calculator are estimates for informational purposes only. They do not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Your actual paycheck may differ based on your W-4 elections, employer deductions, pre-tax benefits, overtime, bonuses, or other individual factors. For your exact situation, consult a certified tax professional or use the official IRS withholding estimator. Use of this tool does not create any professional relationship between the user and calculadoranomina.us.
This calculator uses $16.90/hour as its floor — California's 2026 minimum wage — because by law that's the least you can be paid. The minimum applies to all workers in California. If you're being paid less, it may be a wage violation: you can file a confidential claim with the California Labor Commissioner. Learn more — California DIR. This is general information, not legal advice.
Federal income tax uses progressive brackets — most hourly workers in California fall in the 10% or 12% bracket.
10% – 37% · IRS 2026California has one of the highest state income taxes in the country. It applies after subtracting the $5,706 standard deduction for single filers.
1.1% – 13.3% · FTB / EDD 2026Part of FICA. Applied to the first $184,500 of annual wages. Your employer also pays an additional 6.2% on their end.
6.2% · SSA 2026 · Cap $184,500The other part of FICA. No income cap — applies to all wages. Funds health insurance for people 65 and older.
1.45% · No income capCalifornia State Disability Insurance. If you get injured or sick and can't work, it pays 70-90% of your wages (depending on income). No income cap since 2024.
1.3% · EDD CA 2026 · No capThe W-4 tells your employer how much to withhold. More allowances = less withholding. Update it if your situation changed (marriage, kids, new job).
Update your W-4 if your situation changedBecause five mandatory things are withheld before you're paid: federal income tax, California state tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), and California SDI (1.3%). A single worker earning $20/hr at 40 hours takes home about 79% of gross — the rest is withholding.
In California, overtime is daily, not just weekly: you're paid 1.5x after 8 hours in a single day, and 2x (double time) after 12 hours. The first 8 hours of a 7th consecutive workday are also paid at 1.5x. See the overtime guide.
Working 40 hours at $20/hr (single, 1 allowance, biweekly pay), gross is $1,600 per paycheck and take-home is about $1,266 after all withholding. Adjust your exact case in the calculator above.
SDI (State Disability Insurance) is California's state disability program. 1.3% of all your wages is withheld, with no income cap since 2024. If you get sick or injured and can't work, it pays 70-90% of your wages (depending on income) while you recover.
The calculator works for different situations — these are the most common ones among hourly workers in California.
Enter your rate and hours, choose your pay frequency, and compare the result against your actual pay stub. If the numbers don't match, there may be an error in your withholdings or your W-4.
If you're offered $22/hr, how much actually hits your account every two weeks? The calculator gives you the exact number before you sign — including federal, state, Social Security, Medicare, and SDI.
Adjust weekly hours to 45, 48, or 50 and see how your net goes up — but also how much more taxes are withheld. Useful for deciding whether working overtime is worth it.
When you search "how much is taken out of my paycheck in California", results mix different years without distinction. Here the numbers are always current year.
Federal brackets come from IRS Publication 15-T 2026. State tax from California EDD DE-4 tables. SDI from current regulations.
All calculations happen in your browser. We don't store any number you enter. No account, no email, nothing to install.
This tool is a reference guide — not tax advice. Results are estimates. For important decisions, consult a certified tax professional or accountant.
Plain-language explanations of paychecks, taxes, and labor laws in California — based on what the law actually says, in English and Spanish.