Tax year 2026 · Updated
Maine Paycheck Calculator
Maine withholding uses your W-4ME elections, an income-adjusted deduction and a high-income surcharge. Paid family and medical leave adds an employee contribution of up to 0.5% of covered wages.
Maine payroll withholding. The state income-tax line uses the Maine percentage method and your W-4ME 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 |
| Maine withholding | $99.00 | $2,574.00 |
| Maine Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share) | $11.54 | $300.00 |
| After-tax deductions | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Take-home pay | $1,827.54 | $47,516.00 |
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.
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 Maine 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 Maine paycheck taxes work in 2026
Maine uses a graduated schedule with 4 brackets from 5.8% to 9.15%. The top rate applies to taxable income above $1,000,000 for single filers and $1,500,000 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.
Maine uses the revised August 2026 employer percentage method. It deducts $5,300 per W-4ME allowance and a withholding deduction of up to $12,850 for single or $28,550 for married employees. The deduction phases out as wages rise. The schedule includes the 2% high-income surcharge. Regular withholding is rounded to a whole dollar per paycheck before your extra W-4ME amount is added. Head of household uses the single withholding schedule.
| Single rate | Single filers | Joint rate | Married filing jointly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.8% | $0 – $27,400 | 5.8% | $0 – $54,850 |
| 6.75% | $27,400 – $64,850 | 6.75% | $54,850 – $129,750 |
| 7.15% | $64,850 – $1,000,000 | 7.15% | $129,750 – $1,500,000 |
| 9.15% | over $1,000,000 | 9.15% | over $1,500,000 |
The annual income-tax brackets above include the 2% surcharge. Head-of-household return brackets differ. Paycheck withholding uses the separate W-4ME percentage method, with a phased deduction and whole-dollar rounding.
State payroll deductions
Beyond income tax, Maine employees pay into state programs that appear as separate lines on a pay stub: Maine Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share) at up to 0.5% of wages up to $184,500. These are included in the estimate. The estimate starts with the maximum employee share; adjust the rate if your employer pays part or all of it.
Good to know. Maine withholding follows the revised August 2026 percentage method, including the income-based deduction phaseout and 2% high-income surcharge. W-4ME status, allowances and extra withholding are separate from the federal W-4. Head of household and married-but-withholding-at-single-rate use the single withholding schedule. This is regular-wage withholding; tax-return credits, special exemptions and separately paid supplemental wages are not modeled. Maine PFML premiums began January 1, 2025. The estimate uses the maximum 0.5% employee share on covered wages up to $184,500 in 2026. Qualifying Section 125 benefits reduce these wages; employee retirement deferrals do not. Adjust the rate for employer-paid premiums, a private plan or exempt employment. The annual cap is spread across steady paychecks; year-to-date payroll timing is not modeled.
Worked example: $60,000 salary in Maine
A single filer earning $60,000 a year, paid every two weeks, with a standard W-4 and no pre-tax deductions, single W-4ME status, one allowance and no extra state withholding, 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 |
| Maine withholding | $99.00 |
| Maine Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share) | $11.54 |
| Take-home pay per paycheck | $1,827.54 |
| Full-year take-home projection | $47,516.00 |
| Estimated tax share of gross pay | 20.8% |
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 Maine elections and deductions.
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 Maine have state income tax?
Yes. Maine has annual income-tax rates from 5.8% to 9.15% for 2026. The state income-tax line uses the Maine percentage method and your W-4ME 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 Maine?
For a single filer paid $1,000 a week with no pre-tax deductions, single W-4ME status, one allowance and no extra state withholding, this 2026 calculator estimates $198.58 in tax and state-program deductions: $78.08 federal withholding, $62.00 Social Security, $14.50 Medicare, $39.00 Maine withholding and $5.00 in state programs, leaving estimated take-home pay of $801.42. This assumes the same pay and elections throughout the year.
What is the Maine income tax rate for 2026?
Maine rates range from 5.8% to 9.15% in 2026, depending on taxable income and filing status. The full bracket table is above.
Are 401(k) contributions taxed in Maine?
Qualifying traditional 401(k), 403(b) and similar pre-tax retirement contributions reduce federal and Maine 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 Maine?
Switch the calculator to Hourly, enter your rate, hours per week and any overtime, and choose how often you are paid. The Maine 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 Maine percentage method and your W-4ME 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
- Maine 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
- AlabamaUp to 5%
- 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%
- 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)
- Maine Revenue Services, 2026 employer withholding forms
- Maine DOL, 2026 PFML premium chart (0.5% employee share, $184,500 wage cap)
- Maine DOL, employer guide to PFML contributions and wage definitions
- Maine DOL, unemployment wage treatment of retirement and Section 125 contributions
- Maine Revenue Services, 2026 income-tax schedules revised May 20 (including surcharge)
- Maine Revenue Services, revised August 2026 withholding guide, percentage method and examples (pages 6–7)
- 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.