Netwise Paycheck Calculator

Use this when the user asks 'how much is my paycheck after taxes', wants a paycheck calculator or take home pay calculator for a US job in 2026, or asks what a salary or hourly wage is after tax (e.g. '85k salary after taxes in California', 'what is 75000 a year biweekly after taxes', '$22 an hour 40 hours', 'how much tax comes out of my paycheck'). Computes federal income tax withholding with the IRS Pub. 15-T 2026 percentage method and Form W-4 inputs, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare, state income tax and state payroll taxes (e.g. CA SDI, NJ FLI, WA Cares), pre-tax 401(k)/HSA/health premiums, net pay per check and per year, and effective rates. Returns a PDF estimate and a CSV with one row per 2026 paycheck. Does not run payroll, file tax returns, or produce pay stubs. Do not use to make a pay stub or proof of income.

Use this when the user wants to compare take-home pay for two US paycheck scenarios in 2026 side by side: 'should I take the job in Texas or California after taxes', two job offers in different states or cities, a raise, a different pay frequency, or 'how much more per paycheck if I raise my 401k to 10%'. Give scenario a in full and scenario b with only the fields that change (everything else is copied from a). Returns both breakdowns (federal withholding, FICA, state taxes, net per check and per year) and the difference, plus a side-by-side PDF and a CSV. Does not compare cost of living, benefits, or run payroll.

Use this when the user knows the take-home pay they want and asks what salary or hourly rate they need in 2026, e.g. 'what salary do I need to take home $5,000 a month in New Jersey' or 'gross up $2,000 net biweekly'. Solves for the gross pay whose net pay after federal withholding, FICA, state taxes and the given deductions meets the target, using the same 2026 rules as calculate_paycheck. Returns the annual salary, the gross per check, the hourly equivalent if hours_per_week is given, and the full breakdown. Does not gross up bonuses or supplemental wages.