Tax Withholding Calculator
Estimate whether your W-4 withholding will result in a refund or balance due, and get per-paycheck adjustment suggestions using 2026 federal brackets.
Tax Disclaimer
This calculator provides estimates based on general tax rules and may not reflect your specific situation. Tax laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Consult a qualified tax professional or CPA for advice tailored to your circumstances.
Inputs
Results
Projected Refund / (Balance Due)
$0.00
Figures current as of 2026. Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet (Oct 24, 2025)
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Annual Salary and any Other Taxable Income (dividends, freelance, side income).
- Select Filing Status and enter Number of Dependents for Child Tax Credit.
- Set Federal Tax Withheld YTD and Pay Periods Remaining in the year.
- Enter Additional W-4 Withholding currently in place and any Itemized Deductions.
- Review Estimated Tax Owed, Projected Withholding, and the Refund or Amount Due.
- Adjust your W-4 Line 4(c) additional withholding to avoid a large balance due or refund at filing.
What each input means
- Annual Salary ($)
- Your gross annual W-2 salary or wages. Uses 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deduction.
- Other Taxable Income ($)
- Interest, dividends, freelance income, or other taxable income for the year.
- Filing Status
- Your filing status determines brackets and standard deduction.
- Number of Dependents
- Qualifying children for the $2,000 Child Tax Credit.
- Federal Tax Withheld YTD ($)
- Total federal income tax already withheld from paychecks year-to-date (from pay stubs).
- Pay Periods Remaining
- Number of biweekly pay periods left in the year.
- Additional W-4 Withholding ($)
- Extra per-paycheck withholding currently set on your W-4 (line 4c).
- Itemized Deductions ($)
- If you itemize, enter total. Leave 0 to use the standard deduction.
What each result means
- Projected Refund / (Balance Due)
- Positive = refund, negative = you owe additional tax.
- Suggested W-4 Adjustment/Period
- Amount to increase (positive) or decrease (negative) per-paycheck withholding. Enter on W-4 line 4c.
- Federal Income Tax
- Estimated total federal income tax for the year after credits.
- Projected Total Withholding
- Estimated total federal tax withheld by year-end at current rate.
- FICA Taxes (SS + Medicare)
- Social Security (6.2%) + Medicare (1.45%) + additional Medicare if applicable.
- Effective Total Rate
- Combined federal income tax + FICA as a percentage of total income.
- Child Tax Credit
- Tax credit applied ($2,000 per qualifying dependent).
- Target Per-Period Withholding
- Ideal withholding per pay period to hit zero refund/balance due.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersAnnual Salary ($) = 75000, Other Taxable Income ($) = 0, Filing Status = 0, Number of Dependents = 0 = 8 input(s) provided
- Calculate Projected Refund /Projected Refund / = projectedWithholding - federalTaxLiability0 = $0
- Calculate Suggested W-4 Adjustment/PeriodSuggested W-4 Adjustment/Period = suggestedPerPeriod - currentPerPeriod0 = $0
- Calculate Federal Income TaxFederal Income Tax = federalTax(taxableIncome, filingStatus)7670 = $7,670
Figures and sources
- 2026 federal income tax brackets (2026) — IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32
- 2026 Social Security wage base (2026) — SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet (Oct 24, 2025)
Engine last updated . Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.
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