Tax year 2026 · Updated
Alabama Paycheck Calculator
Alabama pairs low 2% to 5% brackets with a deduction for the federal income tax you pay, which keeps effective rates modest; Birmingham and a few other cities add an occupational tax on wages.
Alabama payroll withholding. The state income-tax line uses the Alabama employer formula and your A-4 elections for regular pay. The annual amount projects those paycheck estimates over a year; it does not calculate your final state tax bill.
Annual and monthly figures assume the entered pay repeats for a full year. Wage caps are averaged across those paychecks; year-to-date pay and deductions are not tracked.
| Line | Per paycheck | Full-year projection |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,307.69 | $60,000.00 |
| Pre-tax retirement | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Health, HSA, FSA (pre-tax) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Federal income-tax withholding | $193.08 | $5,020.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | $143.08 | $3,720.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | $33.46 | $870.00 |
| Alabama withholding | $96.50 | $2,509.00 |
| Local income tax | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| After-tax deductions | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Take-home pay | $1,841.58 | $47,881.00 |
Estimated tax share is the displayed federal withholding, FICA, state/local tax estimate and state payroll deductions divided by gross pay. Benefit deductions are excluded from that share; it is not your final income-tax rate.
Alabama withholding uses your A-4 elections, income-adjusted deductions, and the federal withholding calculated above. Separate bonus rules and local occupational-tax exclusions are not modeled.
Federal withholding follows IRS Publication 15-T for a 2020-or-later W-4. Social Security applies to the first $184,500 of wages in 2026.
Compare a Alabama salary offer with your paystub
- Enter annual gross salary and the employer's pay frequency. Every two weeks means 26 paychecks; twice a month means 24. Benefits entered per paycheck follow that choice.
- Copy the elections from your current federal W-4 and the separate state certificate fields shown in the form. A job offer's salary alone does not establish withholding.
- Enter your employee retirement and health deductions, then any after-tax deductions. Compare gross pay and each deduction line with a regular paystub before relying on the net estimate.
- For a proposed raise, run both annual salaries with the same elections, pay frequency and benefit settings. Percentage-based retirement deductions change with salary. Keep one-off bonuses separate from regular annual salary.
A raise starting partway through the year affects fewer paychecks. The annual result here is a full year at the entered salary; it does not combine earlier wages or predict a refund. For household withholding and amounts already paid, use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator.
How Alabama paycheck taxes work in 2026
Alabama uses a graduated schedule with 3 brackets from 2% to 5%. The top rate applies to taxable income above $3,000 for single filers and $6,000 for joint filers. Only the income inside each bracket is taxed at that bracket's rate, which is why the effective rate on your whole paycheck is lower than the top rate.
Alabama regular-pay withholding follows the employer formula: annualize wages, subtract an income-adjusted standard deduction, federal income tax withholding and the personal and dependent exemptions selected on Form A-4, then apply the bracket schedule. The A-4 code is independent of your federal filing status.
| Single rate | Single filers | Joint rate | Married filing jointly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2% | $0 – $500 | 2% | $0 – $1,000 |
| 4% | $500 – $3,000 | 4% | $1,000 – $6,000 |
| 5% | over $3,000 | 5% | over $6,000 |
Alabama withholding deductions vary with annualized wages and your A-4 exemption code. The calculation also deducts federal withholding. See the A-4 explanation below.
Local income taxes in Alabama
Birmingham and about 20 other Alabama cities levy an occupational tax of 0.5% to 2% on wages.
Good to know. Alabama withholding uses the A-4 exemption code and dependents, an income-adjusted standard deduction, and a deduction for the federal withholding calculated above. This regular-pay estimate does not model separate bonus withholding or local occupational-tax exclusions. Local tax is zero until you select a rate.
Worked example: $60,000 salary in Alabama
A single filer earning $60,000 a year, paid every two weeks, with a standard W-4 and no pre-tax deductions, A-4 code S and no dependents, sees this estimate for each paycheck in 2026. These numbers are produced by the same engine as the calculator above, so they never drift from the tool.
| Gross pay | $2,307.69 |
| Federal income-tax withholding | $193.08 |
| Social Security | $143.08 |
| Medicare | $33.46 |
| Alabama withholding | $96.50 |
| Take-home pay per paycheck | $1,841.58 |
| Full-year take-home projection | $47,881.00 |
| Estimated tax share of gross pay | 20.2% |
Comparing a raise or new offer? Use the pay raise calculator to find the percentage change and its federal-only paycheck effect, then compare both salaries above with your Alabama elections and deductions.
How your Alabama A-4 changes withholding
Enter the code and dependents from your A-4 certificate. Code 0 claims no personal exemption; S claims one; M claims both married exemptions; MS is for married filing separately; H is for head of family. The state certificate is separate from your federal W-4.
The Alabama employer formula deducts projected federal income tax withholding before applying state brackets. Changing your W-4 can therefore change both federal and Alabama withholding. The standard deduction and dependent exemption also vary with annualized wages.
At the default $60,000 salary, single federal status, A-4 code S and no dependents, the annual state calculation is:
| Annual wages | $60,000.00 |
|---|---|
| Standard deduction | $2,500.00 |
| Federal withholding deduction | $5,020.00 |
| A-4 personal exemption | $1,500.00 |
| Dependent exemption | $0.00 |
| State taxable amount | $50,980.00 |
| Alabama withholding every two weeks | $96.50 |
Federal taxes on every paycheck in 2026
Federal income tax withholding follows IRS Publication 15-T: your pay is annualised, adjusted for the entries on your Form W-4, reduced by the standard deduction built into the withholding tables ($16,100 single, $32,200 joint, $24,150 head of household), and run through the 2026 rate schedule below. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to $184,500; Medicare is 1.45% of all wages plus 0.9% on wages above $200,000.
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $12,400 | $0 – $24,800 | $0 – $17,700 |
| 12% | $12,400 – $50,400 | $24,800 – $100,800 | $17,700 – $67,450 |
| 22% | $50,400 – $105,700 | $100,800 – $211,400 | $67,450 – $105,700 |
| 24% | $105,700 – $201,775 | $211,400 – $403,550 | $105,700 – $201,775 |
| 32% | $201,775 – $256,225 | $403,550 – $512,450 | $201,775 – $256,200 |
| 35% | $256,225 – $640,600 | $512,450 – $768,700 | $256,200 – $640,600 |
| 37% | over $640,600 | over $768,700 | over $640,600 |
Frequently asked questions
Does Alabama have state income tax?
Yes. Alabama has annual income-tax rates from 2% to 5% for 2026. The state income-tax line uses the Alabama employer formula and your A-4 elections for regular pay. The annual amount projects those paycheck estimates over a year; it does not calculate your final state tax bill.
How much is taken out of a $1,000 paycheck in Alabama?
For a single filer paid $1,000 a week with no pre-tax deductions, A-4 code S and no dependents, this 2026 calculator estimates $196.06 in tax and state-program deductions: $78.08 federal withholding, $62.00 Social Security, $14.50 Medicare, $41.48 Alabama withholding, leaving estimated take-home pay of $803.94. This assumes the same pay and elections throughout the year.
What is the Alabama income tax rate for 2026?
Alabama rates range from 2% to 5% in 2026, depending on taxable income and filing status. The full bracket table is above.
Does Alabama have local income taxes?
Birmingham and about 20 other Alabama cities levy an occupational tax of 0.5% to 2% on wages. Enter the rate in the calculator's "Local occupational tax" field to include it.
Are 401(k) contributions taxed in Alabama?
Qualifying traditional 401(k), 403(b) and similar pre-tax retirement contributions reduce federal and Alabama income-tax wages in this estimate. Social Security and Medicare still apply to those contributions; any local-tax or state-program wage rules are separate.
How do I calculate my hourly take-home pay in Alabama?
Switch the calculator to Hourly, enter your rate, hours per week and any overtime, and choose how often you are paid. The Alabama hourly paycheck calculator opens with those settings and shows the same federal, FICA and state breakdown.
Why is my actual paycheck different from this estimate?
The state income-tax line uses the Alabama employer formula and your A-4 elections for regular pay. The annual amount projects those paycheck estimates over a year; it does not calculate your final state tax bill. The estimate assumes steady regular pay and the elections and deductions you enter. Employer rounding, variable pay, year-to-date wage caps, benefit coverage and local-tax rules can produce different deductions. Compare gross pay and each deduction line with your paystub before using the net figure for budgeting. It does not predict a refund or balance due.
Related calculators
- Alabama hourly paycheck calculatorHourly rate, hours and overtime
- Federal income tax calculatorYour 2026 federal tax bill
- W-4 withholding calculatorCheck if enough is being withheld
- Pay raise calculatorWhat a raise means after tax
- Hours worked calculatorTime card to gross pay
- Texas paycheck calculator
- Florida paycheck calculator
- California paycheck calculator
- New York paycheck calculator
- Illinois paycheck calculator
- Pennsylvania paycheck calculator
Paycheck calculators for other states
- AlaskaNo income tax
- ArizonaFlat 2.5%
- ArkansasUp to 3.9%
- CaliforniaUp to 13.3%
- ColoradoFlat 4.4%
- ConnecticutUp to 6.99%
- DelawareUp to 6.6%
- District of ColumbiaUp to 10.75%
- FloridaNo income tax
- GeorgiaFlat 4.99%
- HawaiiUp to 11%
- IdahoFlat 5.3%
- IllinoisFlat 4.95%
- IndianaFlat 2.95%
- IowaFlat 3.8%
- KansasUp to 5.58%
- KentuckyFlat 3.5%
- LouisianaFlat 3%
- MaineUp to 9.15%
- MarylandUp to 6.5%
- MassachusettsUp to 9%
- MichiganFlat 4.25%
- MinnesotaUp to 9.85%
- MississippiFlat 4%
- MissouriUp to 4.7%
- MontanaUp to 5.65%
- NebraskaUp to 4.55%
- NevadaNo income tax
- New HampshireNo income tax
- New JerseyUp to 10.75%
- New MexicoUp to 5.9%
- New YorkUp to 10.9%
- North CarolinaFlat 3.99%
- North DakotaUp to 2.5%
- OhioFlat 2.75%
- OklahomaUp to 4.5%
- OregonUp to 9.9%
- PennsylvaniaFlat 3.07%
- Rhode IslandUp to 5.99%
- South CarolinaUp to 6%
- South DakotaNo income tax
- TennesseeNo income tax
- TexasNo income tax
- UtahFlat 4.5%
- VermontUp to 8.75%
- VirginiaUp to 5.75%
- WashingtonNo income tax
- West VirginiaUp to 4.82%
- WisconsinUp to 7.65%
- WyomingNo income tax
Sources and updates
Figures are for tax year 2026 and were checked against the sources below on . Tax rules and rates can change. Each calculator identifies the method and limitations used.
- Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (as of Jan 1, 2026)
- Alabama Department of Revenue, withholding
- Alabama Department of Revenue, January 2026 employer withholding booklet, pages 7–8
- IRS, Revenue Procedure 2025-32: tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (standard deduction, rate brackets)
- IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods, Worksheet 1A percentage method for automated payroll systems
- Social Security Administration, 2026 contribution and benefit base $184,500
- IRS Topic 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates (6.2% and 1.45%; Additional Medicare Tax 0.9% over $200,000)
- Tax Foundation, 2026 Tax Brackets (head of household and married filing separately thresholds)
This calculator gives estimates for information only and is not tax, legal or financial advice. Your employer's payroll system, local taxes, benefits and year-to-date wages can change the exact amounts on your pay stub. See how we calculate.