California Paycheck Calculator

Your estimated take-home pay in California for 2026 — federal tax, California state tax, and the 1.3% California SDI deduction, calculated with the state's official Method B. Results update as you type, and everything runs in your browser.

How are you paid?

Yearly salary ($ before taxes)

Pay schedule

Filing status (from your W-4 / DE 4)

CA DE 4 regular allowances

CA DE 4 additional allowances (for estimated deductions)

Pre-tax deductions per paycheck (401(k), health premiums — $)

Advanced — W-4 adjustments (optional)

I checked the box in Step 2 of my W-4 (two jobs / working spouse)

Other income — W-4 Step 4(a) ($ per year)

Deductions — W-4 Step 4(b) ($ per year)

Tax credits — W-4 Step 3 ($ per year)

Extra withholding — Step 4(c) ($ per paycheck)

Wages already earned this year before this paycheck ($ — matters only near the Social Security limit)

Your estimated take-home pay

$0.00

per paycheck

Gross pay	$0.00
Pre-tax deductions	−$0.00
Federal income tax	−$0.00
Social Security (6.2%)	−$0.00
Medicare (1.45%)	−$0.00
California state tax	−$0.00
California SDI (1.3%)	−$0.00
Take-home pay	$0.00

What's different about a California paycheck

SDI comes out of every paycheck. California's State Disability Insurance takes 1.3% of your gross wages in 2026, with no wage cap — on a $3,000 paycheck that's $39.00 before anything else is calculated.

California taxes your 401(k). Unlike federal tax, California does not let pre-tax deductions like a traditional 401(k) reduce your state taxable wages — the state taxes that money now and not when you withdraw it in retirement. This calculator follows that rule: your pre-tax deductions lower your federal tax, but not your California tax or SDI.

No city income tax. California cities and counties don't add a local income tax on wages, so state tax and SDI are the only California lines.

How this calculator works

California withholding uses the EDD's official exact calculation (Method B from the California Withholding Schedules for 2026): your pay is annualized, the standard deduction for your filing status and your DE 4 allowances are applied, the tax is computed from the official rate schedule, and the $168.30-per-allowance credit is subtracted. If your annualized pay is under the low-income exemption ($18,896 for single filers in 2026), California withholding is $0. Federal withholding follows IRS Publication 15-T (2026). Full sources are on our methodology page.

Common questions

Why is my California tax higher than a friend's in another state?
California's top withholding rate reaches 14.63% at very high incomes (including the Mental Health Services Tax), and SDI adds 1.3% on top for everyone. At middle incomes the effective rate is much lower than the headline brackets suggest.

Why is my real paycheck a bit different?
Employers may use EDD's per-period tables, which the EDD itself calls a minor simplification of Method B — a cent or two of difference is normal. Your actual DE 4 entries and benefits may also differ from what you typed here.

What about overtime?
Include overtime pay in your gross. To figure out the overtime itself, use our Overtime Calculator.

Estimate for general information only — not tax, legal, or financial advice. Federal method: IRS Publication 15-T (2026). California: EDD, California Withholding Schedules for 2026 — Method B; SDI rate 1.3% (EDD, 2026). See our methodology & sources.