About the Paycheck Calculator
The Paycheck Calculator turns your gross annual salary into approximate take-home pay using the headline tax rules in the UK and US. It's designed to give a quick estimate — not a regulatory-grade payroll figure.
UK PAYE — what's included
- Income tax: 0% on personal allowance, 20% basic, 40% higher, 45% additional
- National Insurance Class 1: 8% above primary threshold (£12,570) up to upper threshold (£50,270), 2% above
- Pension contribution (salary-sacrifice style — reduces taxable + NI-able pay)
- Student loan plans 1, 2, 4 and 5
US — what's included
- Federal income tax (2025 brackets)
- FICA: Social Security 6.2% (capped at $168,600) + Medicare 1.45% (uncapped) + 0.9% additional Medicare above $200k
- 401(k) pre-tax contribution
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my actual paycheck different? State / local taxes, healthcare premiums, voluntary deductions, and whether your pension is "salary sacrifice" or "net pay" all change the figure. This is a starting estimate.
Does it model Scottish income tax? No — UK calculations use rest-of-UK bands. Scotland has different bands and rates.
Important Note: Estimates only. Always check your actual payslip and consult a tax professional for compliance and planning advice.
Related Calculators
- Salary After Tax — Take-home pay for UK, Ireland, Germany, France & Spain.
- Hourly to Salary Converter — Convert hourly wage to weekly, monthly and annual salary — UK & EU.
- Overtime Pay Calculator — Time-and-a-half, double-time and custom multipliers for UK, US and EU.