Updated for 2026 paychecks · EDD Method B · SDI 1.3%
California Paycheck Calculator 2026: Take-Home Pay After Tax and SDI
Use this California paycheck calculator to see your real take-home pay in 2026. Enter your salary or hourly wage, your pay schedule and your W-4 and DE 4 choices. You will see federal tax, California income tax and SDI line by line, per paycheck and per year.
California has the highest top income tax rate in the country, but most workers pay far less than that. On a $60,000 salary, for example, California tax and SDI together take about 4.3% of your pay.
- California EDD Method B (2026)
- SDI at 1.3% with no wage cap
- Federal tax per IRS Publication 15-T
- Free, private, no sign-up
2026Federal + all 50 states + DC
Enter your pay and DE 4 allowances. Your 2026 California take-home pay updates as you type.
Example take-home pay
$1,838.71 every two weeks
On a $60,000 salary in California (single filer): $47,807 a year after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes.
Estimates for paychecks paid in 2026 using each agency’s published withholding method. Your employer’s payroll may differ by a few cents through rounding or plan details. This is not tax, legal or financial advice.
Last updated October 21, 2026 · Data: 2026 tax rules in force October 2026 (data 2026.10.2) · By Hamza Akram · How we calculate
How to Use the California Paycheck Calculator
Quick answer
Enter your yearly salary or hourly rate and hours. Then choose your pay frequency, your federal W-4 settings and your California DE 4 allowances. The California paycheck calculator applies federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, California income tax and 1.3% SDI, then shows your net pay per check and per year.
Enter your pay.
Choose Salary or Hourly. Hourly workers can add overtime at 1.5× and double time at 2×, which California requires in some cases.
Pick your pay schedule.
California employers often pay every two weeks or twice a month.
Copy your federal W-4.
Filing status, Step 2 and Step 3 credits set your federal income tax.
Copy your DE 4.
California uses its own form, Form DE 4, with filing status, regular allowances and estimated deduction allowances.
Add deductions.
Enter 401(k), health and HSA amounts. Note that California taxes HSA contributions, unlike the IRS.
If you never turned in a DE 4, your employer withholds as if you are single with zero allowances. That usually takes a bit more tax than you owe, so a refund follows.
California Income Tax Rate 2026
Quick answer
California taxes income at nine rates from 1% to 12.3%. Taxable income over $1 million pays an extra 1% Mental Health Services Tax, so the top rate is 13.3%. For withholding, the EDD tables run from 1.1% to 14.63%, slightly above the tax rates, so most workers are close to even at tax time.
| Annual taxable wages | Withholding rate | Tax on lower amount |
|---|---|---|
| $0 – $11,079 | 1.1% | $0.00 |
| $11,079 – $26,264 | 2.2% | $121.87 |
| $26,264 – $41,452 | 4.4% | $455.94 |
| $41,452 – $57,542 | 6.6% | $1,124.21 |
| $57,542 – $72,724 | 8.8% | $2,186.15 |
| $72,724 – $371,479 | 10.23% | $3,522.17 |
| $371,479 – $445,771 | 11.33% | $34,084.81 |
| $445,771 – $742,953 | 12.43% | $42,502.09 |
| $742,953 – $1,000,000 | 13.53% | $79,441.81 |
| Over $1,000,000 | 14.63% | $114,220.27 |
Source: California EDD, 2026 Method B (Exact Calculation Method). Married filers with two or more allowances and heads of household use wider bands.
How California withholding works
Check the low-income exemption.
No California tax is withheld if annual wages are $18,896 or less (single) or $37,791 or less (head of household, or married with two or more allowances).
Subtract estimated deductions.
Each estimated deduction allowance on your DE 4 removes $1,000.
Subtract the standard deduction.
$5,706 for single filers, or $11,412 for heads of household and married filers with two or more allowances.
Apply the tax table.
The schedule above turns taxable wages into a yearly tax.
Subtract allowance credits.
Each regular allowance cuts the yearly tax by $168.30. Finally, the result is divided by your number of paychecks.
California Paycheck Example: $60,000 Salary
Quick answer
A single California worker earning $60,000, paid every two weeks with one DE 4 allowance, takes home $1,838.71 per paycheck in 2026. That is $47,807 a year. California income tax takes $69.36 per check, SDI takes $30.00, and federal tax and FICA take the rest.
Biweekly pay stub: $60,000 salary in California (2026)
Earnings
- Gross pay$60,000 ÷ 26 paychecks
- $2,307.69
Taxes
- Federal income taxIRS percentage method, single, standard W-4
- −$193.08
- Social Security6.2%
- −$143.08
- Medicare1.45%
- −$33.46
- California income taxEDD Method B, single, 1 allowance
- −$69.36
- CA SDI1.3%, no wage cap
- −$30.00
- Net pay
- $1,838.71
Worked exampleHow the California paycheck calculator works it out
Gross pay per check: $60,000 ÷ 26 = $2,307.69. Then:
- Federal income tax: $60,000 − $8,600 = $51,400 → $5,020 a year → $193.08 per check.
- Social Security (6.2%) $143.08 and Medicare (1.45%) $33.46.
- California tax: $60,000 − $5,706 = $54,294. Next, $1,124.21 + 6.6% × ($54,294 − $41,452) = $1,971.78. Then subtract one $168.30 credit: $1,803.48 a year, or $69.36 per check.
- SDI: 1.3% × $2,307.69 = $30.00.
Take-home pay: $1,838.71 per paycheck.
California SDI: The 1.3% Deduction on Every Paycheck
Quick answer
California State Disability Insurance (SDI) is 1.3% of your wages in 2026, up from 1.2% in 2025. Since 2024 there is no wage cap, so it applies to every dollar you earn. SDI funds two programs: Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave. It shows on pay stubs as "CA SDI" or "VPDI" for voluntary plans.
Because SDI has no cap, a $100,000 salary pays $1,300 a year and a $200,000 salary pays $2,600. In return, you can claim partial wage replacement when you cannot work because of illness, injury or pregnancy, or when you bond with a new child or care for a seriously ill family member.
SDI is not federal Social Security
SDI is a California program run by the EDD. It is separate from the federal Social Security and Medicare taxes, which also come out of your check.
California Take-Home Pay by Salary
Quick answer
In California, a single worker keeps about $40,562 of a $50,000 salary, $57,565 of $75,000 and $72,320 of $100,000 in 2026. That works out to roughly 81%, 77% and 72% of gross pay. The higher your salary, the more California’s graduated tax rates and SDI add up.
| Salary | Federal income tax | California income tax | Social Security + Medicare | Take-home pay per year | Per paycheck |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $1,420 | $244 | $2,295 | $25,651 | $986.57 |
| $40,000 | $2,620 | $641 | $3,060 | $33,159 | $1,275.35 |
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $1,143 | $3,825 | $40,562 | $1,560.06 |
| $60,000 | $5,020 | $1,803 | $4,590 | $47,807 | $1,838.71 |
| $75,000 | $7,670 | $3,052 | $5,738 | $57,565 | $2,214.06 |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $5,560 | $7,650 | $72,320 | $2,781.52 |
| $150,000 | $24,734 | $10,675 | $11,475 | $101,166 | $3,890.98 |
| $200,000 | $36,734 | $15,790 | $14,339 | $130,537 | $5,020.64 |
Note: Take-home pay also subtracts California SDI at 1.3%, which is not shown as a separate column.
California Hourly Paycheck Calculator
Quick answer
At $20 an hour for 40 hours, a single California worker takes home $660.64 a week in 2026. With five overtime hours at 1.5×, weekly take-home rises to $771.67. California’s statewide minimum wage is $16.90 an hour in 2026, and many cities set higher rates.
| Item | 40 hours | 45 hours (5 overtime) |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $800.00 | $950.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$54.08 | −$72.08 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$61.20 | −$72.68 |
| California income tax | −$13.68 | −$21.23 |
| CA SDI | −$10.40 | −$12.35 |
| Take-home pay | $660.64 | $771.67 |
California overtime rules are stricter than federal law. Generally, you earn 1.5× pay after 8 hours in a day or 40 in a week, and 2× after 12 hours in a day. The hourly mode of this California paycheck calculator handles both overtime and double time.
California Bonus Tax: 10.23% and 6.6%
Quick answer
California withholds bonuses and stock options at a flat 10.23%. Other supplemental pay, such as commissions paid separately, is withheld at 6.6%. Add 22% federal withholding, FICA and SDI, and a $5,000 bonus leaves about $2,941.00, roughly 59% of the gross amount.
That high withholding rate is not the final tax. When you file, your bonus is taxed at your normal California rate. So many people with mid-range incomes get part of it back.
Federal Taxes on Every California Paycheck
Quick answer
Every California paycheck also pays federal taxes. Federal income tax follows your W-4 and the 2026 IRS tables. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to $184,500, and Medicare is 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% on wages above $200,000.
| Tax rate | Single | Married filing jointly |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $12,400 | $0 – $24,800 |
| 12% | $12,401 – $50,400 | $24,801 – $100,800 |
| 22% | $50,401 – $105,700 | $100,801 – $211,400 |
| 24% | $105,701 – $201,775 | $211,401 – $403,550 |
| 32% | $201,776 – $256,225 | $403,551 – $512,450 |
| 35% | $256,226 – $640,600 | $512,451 – $768,700 |
| 37% | Over $640,600 | Over $768,700 |
Source: IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32. The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married couples filing jointly and $24,150 for heads of household.
California vs. Texas and Other States
Quick answer
California workers keep less than workers in no-tax states, but the gap is smaller than many expect at middle incomes. On $60,000, take-home is $47,807 in California and $50,390 in Texas, a difference of about $2,580. At $100,000 the gap grows to about $6,860.
Compare any two states with our paycheck calculators by state, or open the Texas paycheck calculator to test a move.
How to Raise Your California Take-Home Pay
Quick answer
Pre-tax benefits shrink your taxable pay. On a $75,000 California salary, a 6% 401(k) puts $173.08 a paycheck into savings, yet take-home pay falls by only $119.77. California follows the federal rule here, so a 401(k) lowers both federal and state tax.
- Contribute to a 401(k) or 403(b), up to $24,500 in 2026 ($8,000 more at 50 and over).
- Remember that HSA contributions lower federal tax only. California still taxes them.
- Review your DE 4. Extra allowances reduce California withholding; too many can leave you owing.
- Use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator and the FTB’s tax tools to check your totals once a year.
Why Your California Pay Stub May Differ
Our California paycheck calculator follows the EDD and IRS formulas. However, a real pay stub can still differ for these reasons:
- Different DE 4 allowances, or no DE 4 on file.
- A voluntary disability plan (VPDI) instead of state SDI.
- Health, dental or vision premiums and other benefits taken before tax.
- Extra withholding you asked for on your federal W-4 or state form.
- Garnishments, union dues or other after-tax deductions.
- High year-to-date wages, after which Social Security stops for the year.
Read how we calculate or contact us with your inputs if the gap is large.
California Paycheck Calculator FAQ
How much tax is taken out of a paycheck in California?
For a single person earning $60,000, about 20% of each paycheck goes to taxes: federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, California income tax and 1.3% SDI.
What is the California SDI rate for 2026?
1.3% of all wages, with no cap. It funds Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave.
What is $100,000 after taxes in California?
About $72,320 a year, or $2,781.52 every two weeks, for a single filer in 2026, after federal tax, FICA, California tax and SDI.
What is $60,000 after taxes in California?
About $47,807 a year, or $1,838.71 per biweekly paycheck, for a single filer with one DE 4 allowance.
How are bonuses taxed in California?
Employers withhold 10.23% for California on bonuses and stock options, plus 22% federal, FICA and SDI. Your final tax is settled when you file.
Do I need to fill out a DE 4 in California?
It is strongly recommended. Without a DE 4, your employer withholds as if you are single with zero allowances.
Does California have local income taxes?
No California city or county taxes wages through payroll. So only state income tax and SDI are added to your federal taxes.
Estimates, not tax advice
This California paycheck calculator gives estimates based on 2026 EDD and IRS rules. It is not tax, legal or financial advice. Your employer’s payroll settings decide your real withholding.
Sources
- IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding MethodsInternal Revenue Service Official
- Contribution and Benefit Base (2026 Social Security wage base)Social Security Administration Official
- Tax Withholding EstimatorInternal Revenue Service Official
- California Withholding Schedules for 2026 (Method B)California Employment Development Department Official
- Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate (DE 4)California Employment Development Department Official
- California tax rates and tax tablesFranchise Tax Board Official
- Minimum WageCalifornia Department of Industrial Relations Official
Try the California paycheck calculator
You now know how California tax and SDI shape your paycheck. Enter your own salary and DE 4 allowances above to see your exact 2026 take-home pay.