Why your paycheck doesn't match the calculator
You type your salary into a paycheck calculator, then your first real check comes in lower. It's one of the most common money questions people ask online. The gap almost always comes down to a handful of causes.
1. Benefits the calculator doesn't know about
Health, dental and vision premiums, HSA or FSA contributions, a 401(k), life insurance and union dues all come out before you see your pay. A basic calculator assumes none of them. Copy each deduction line from your pay stub into the calculator, as pre-tax or after-tax as shown on the stub.
2. Pre-tax vs after-tax deductions
A traditional 401(k) lowers income tax but not Social Security or Medicare. Cafeteria-plan health premiums lower both. If the calculator treats a deduction the wrong way, the taxes will be off by a few dollars a check.
3. Your W-4 settings
Checking the Step 2 box (two jobs, or a working spouse), claiming dependents in Step 3, or asking for extra withholding in Step 4(c) can each move your check by a lot. Match the calculator to the W-4 you actually filed.
4. Local taxes
Many Pennsylvania towns charge an Earned Income Tax, and Michigan cities such as Detroit add their own. A state-only estimate misses these.
5. Overtime and bonuses
A check with overtime or a bonus is annualized as if you earned that much every period, so withholding on that check looks high. Bonuses paid separately are often withheld at a flat 22% federal rate. See how bonuses are taxed.
6. Withholding isn't your tax bill
Every paycheck figure is a prepayment. If more was withheld than you owe for the year, you get it back as a refund.
Check your numbers with every step shown →
General information, not tax advice.