Your pay before taxes and deductions.
Gross income includes the earnings used as the starting point for a paycheck estimate.
Updated for 2026 · Clear pay guide
Gross vs net salary. What do you actually take home?
Gross pay is what you earn before deductions. Net pay is what remains after taxes and other paycheck deductions—the amount commonly called take-home pay or salary after tax.
Amounts taken out before net pay.
Federal, state and local taxes, FICA, benefits and retirement contributions can reduce take-home pay.
The pay left after included deductions.
Net pay is the practical amount available for saving, spending and monthly budgeting.
Simple relationship
Gross pay − taxes − deductions = net take-home pay
A real paycheck may include items beyond PayScope's current estimate, so compare the labeled deductions with your pay stub.
Free net pay calculator
Estimate salary after tax.
Enter gross income and a pay frequency to compare annual gross salary with estimated federal tax, FICA and net income for 2026.
Quick estimate
2026 salary after tax
Estimated take-home pay
$68,628
Annual net estimate · Federal only
Net 80.7% Deductions 19.3%
Gross pay$85,000
Federal income tax−$9,870
Social Security−$5,270
Medicare−$1,233
Annual net pay$68,628
Gross and net pay questions
The terms behind your paycheck.
What is gross salary?
Gross salary is your pay before taxes, retirement contributions, insurance premiums and other payroll deductions. It is usually the headline annual salary in a job offer.
What is net salary or take-home pay?
Net salary is the amount left after the deductions included in your paycheck. It is also called net pay, take-home pay or salary after tax.
How do I calculate net pay from gross pay?
Start with gross pay, then subtract applicable federal, state and local taxes, employee FICA, pre-tax or post-tax benefits and other deductions. PayScope estimates the deductions it explicitly lists.
Why can actual net pay differ from a calculator?
W-4 elections, tax credits, benefits, local taxes, bonuses, overtime and employer payroll timing can all make an actual paycheck different from an annual estimate.
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