Federal vs state tax on a U.S. paycheck
Federal income tax, FICA, and state income tax are three different lines. See how they stack and estimate a 2026 stub by state.
Three stacks, one net
Federal income tax is progressive and depends on filing status. FICA is a wage tax with a Social Security cap. State income tax is a third statute—or zero in states that do not tax wages. Adding them as one “tax rate” hides which lever you can actually change.
A raise can push federal into a higher bracket while FICA stays flat on the margin (or drops after the Social Security wage base). State tax may not move the same way.
Why state pages exist on KindCalc
People search “paycheck calculator Texas” and “California take-home” because the net is not portable. Each KindCalc state page pre-selects that state’s 2026 wage-tax model on the same federal + FICA engine.
If you are moving, run the same salary on both state pages. The delta is the tax story, not a cost-of-living index.
Local tax and reciprocity
Some cities add a local wage tax. Some pairs of states have reciprocity so you file where you live. KindCalc does not invent those overlays. If your stub has a city line, expect the calculator to run high on net.
For the federal-plus-state planning number, pick the state on the stub and compare. Then read the paycheck stub guide if the labels still do not match.
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