California Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your California take-home pay after federal withholding and FICA. Nothing leaves your browser.
Showing a $60,000/year, single-filer example for California: $47,817.47 take-home pay after taxes. Enter your own numbers above for your result.
| Gross pay | $60,000.00 |
| Federal income tax | -$5,020.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$3,720.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$870.00 |
| California state income tax | -$1,792.53 |
| California SDI | -$780.00 |
| Net take-home pay | $47,817.47 |
Estimate only, not tax advice — see the full disclaimer. Tax data last verified: 2026-08-08.
How California paycheck taxes work
California has one of the most progressive state income tax structures in the country: nine brackets ranging from 1% to 12.3%, plus an extra 1% Mental Health Services Tax on taxable income above $1,000,000. On top of income tax, California also withholds State Disability Insurance (SDI) at 1.3% of all wages with no annual cap; it's a separate mandatory payroll deduction, not an income tax, so it's shown as its own line below rather than folded into "state tax."
Federal income tax is calculated using the 2026 IRS tax brackets after subtracting your standard deduction, based on your filing status. FICA is a flat 6.2% Social Security tax (up to the annual wage base) plus 1.45% Medicare tax, with an additional 0.9% Medicare tax on income above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly).
Tax data last verified: 2026-08-08.
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Frequently asked questions
Does California have a state income tax?
Yes. California taxes wage income at 9 brackets ranging from 1% to 12.3%. See the state-specific section above for exactly how that applies to your filing status.
How is federal income tax calculated on a California paycheck?
Federal tax is calculated on taxable income (gross pay minus your standard deduction) using the 2026 IRS marginal tax brackets, which apply the same way in every state, including California. See "How Paycheck Withholding Works" for the full breakdown.
What is FICA and how much is withheld?
FICA is 6.2% Social Security (up to the annual wage base) plus 1.45% Medicare, with an additional 0.9% Medicare tax above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). It applies the same way in every state, including California.
Is this calculator exact?
No, it's an estimate based on standard 2026 tax tables and common assumptions. It doesn't account for every possible deduction, credit, filing situation, or local tax. For California specifically, it also doesn't yet reflect updated 2026 bracket figures, since the FTB hadn't published them as of this calculator's last verification, so it currently uses the FTB's own instructed 2025 figures instead. See the disclaimer above the breakdown for details.