Tax year 2026 · Updated
W-4 Tax Withholding Calculator
Compare a full year of unchanged pay and W-4 settings with a limited federal tax estimate. This illustration does not account for tax already withheld or the number of paychecks left this year.
| Federal tax withheld per paycheck | $295.00 |
| Withheld over the full year | $7,670.00 |
| Estimated 2026 federal income tax | $7,670.00 |
| Difference | $0.00 |
Withholding follows IRS Publication 15-T for a 2020-or-later W-4 and assumes the same pay every period for the whole year. The tax estimate covers ordinary income and limited dependent credits. It does not include year-to-date withholding, remaining paychecks or a complete multiple-job household. Changing withholding during the year?
How Form W-4 controls your withholding
Since 2020 the W-4 has no "allowances". Instead, five steps feed the withholding formula in IRS Publication 15-T:
- Step 1 filing status picks the withholding table and the built-in standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 joint, $24,150 head of household in 2026).
- Step 2(c) halves the bracket widths for households with two incomes.
- Step 3 subtracts a fixed annual credit amount from the tentative withholding.
- Step 4(a) adds other income to the annual wage; 4(b) subtracts deductions above the standard deduction; 4(c) adds a flat extra amount per paycheck.
table withholding = IRS 15-T result from annual taxable wages and W-4 Steps 1–4(b) annual withholding = table withholding + Step 4(c) × pay periods per paycheck = annual withholding ÷ pay periods illustrated difference = annual withholding − modeled annual income tax
The built-in amount ($8,600, or $12,900 for married filing jointly, with the box in Step 2 unchecked) is how the tables incorporate the standard deduction; it is not a deduction you claim.
Changing withholding partway through the year
A midyear review needs wages and federal tax withheld so far, expected remaining pay, and the rest of your household income and credits. This calculator spreads its difference across every pay period in a full year, so its adjustment is not a catch-up amount for the remaining months.
For illustration, a $520 shortfall spread across 26 paychecks is $20 per check. If a separate review finds a $520 shortfall after accounting for year-to-date payments and only 10 paychecks remain, the additional amount would be $52 per check. These are different assumptions; the tool above does not perform the second calculation.
Use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator with current paystubs for each job. Its FAQs explain how year-to-date payments and expected remaining withholding affect the estimate. Recheck your settings for the next calendar year.
Frequently asked questions
Does this predict my actual tax refund?
It illustrates the difference between a full year of withholding and a limited ordinary-income tax estimate. It assumes unchanged wages and W-4 settings all year. It does not use tax already withheld, remaining paychecks, every household job or all credits, so it is not a complete refund prediction.
How should I read the additional withholding amount?
The illustrated increase is additional to the Step 4(c) amount already entered. For example, an additional $20 with an existing $30 would total $50 per paycheck under the same full-year assumptions. For a change during the year, use the IRS estimator with current paystubs before deciding what to enter on a new W-4.
Does checking Step 2(c) include my other job here?
No. The checkbox changes withholding for this job, but this calculator does not combine every job and its withholding into a household estimate. Use the IRS estimator or the Form W-4 multiple-jobs instructions when you or your spouse have another job.
Why can withholding differ from final income tax?
Pay changes, part-year work, other income, credits and deductions can change the final difference. The W-4 tells your employer how to withhold from each paycheck; it is not a tax return. A refund or balance due depends on the full year of income, payments and eligibility.
Are all bonuses withheld at 22%?
No. IRS rules allow an optional 22% federal withholding method for certain separately identified supplemental wages; the aggregate method and special rules can also apply. Withholding is not the final tax rate on a bonus. This tool models regular wages, not supplemental-wage payments.
What does the tax estimate leave out?
It does not cover refundable credits, capital-gain rates, self-employment tax, state taxes or a complete multiple-job household. Step 4(b) is treated as deductions above the standard deduction; actual deduction eligibility may differ. Use the IRS estimator for a broader withholding review.
Related calculators
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.
- 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)
- IRS Tax Withholding Estimator FAQs: current paystubs and year-to-date payments
- IRS Publication 15 (2026), section 7: supplemental wages
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.