Compare Paychecks (2026)

Why side-by-side paycheck math helps

A $8,000 raise sounds clear until you compare net pay against a new job with higher health premiums and no remote stipend. Two columns of gross, federal income tax, FICA, and net make tradeoffs visible per pay period and annualized—before you accept an offer or submit an updated W-4.

This tool runs two paycheck scenarios through the same 2026 federal rules: brackets from Rev. Proc. 2025-32, standard deduction context, employee Social Security at 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare at 1.45%, and withholding logic consistent with the main paycheck calculator.

2026 figures in each column

Standard deductions: $16,100 single, $24,150 head of household, $32,200 married filing jointly. Social Security wage base $184,500. These affect annualization when you extrapolate a single check to a full year—not every field on the stub repeats them explicitly.

Additional Medicare Tax at 0.9% may apply on wages above $200,000 single / $250,000 joint; employers withhold once wages cross $200,000 regardless of filing status. High earners comparing jobs should enter year-to-date wages if simulating a November check.

Typical comparison scenarios

• Current job vs offer: Different gross, same filing status—see net delta per pay.
• W-4 tweak: Same salary, higher extra withholding vs claim dependents after a birth.
• 401(k) deferral change: Traditional deferral lowers federal taxable wages; see 401(k) calculator for limits ($24,500 in 2026).
• Marriage: Single withholding at Job A vs married filing jointly at combined income planning.
• Pay frequency change: $96,000 biweekly vs semi-monthly—per-check gross differs.

How to use the tool

Step 1 — Configure scenario A and B

Enter gross per pay (or annual salary converted by frequency), filing status, pre-tax deductions, and any extra withholding.

Step 2 — Align pay frequency

Compare apples to apples: both biweekly or both semi-monthly. If one job pays weekly and another monthly, convert to annual gross first.

Step 3 — Read delta row

Net difference per pay × pays per year approximates annual take-home swing before state tax and non-paycheck benefits.

Worked example

Scenario A: $4,000 semi-monthly gross ($96,000/year), single, $200 traditional 401(k) deferral per pay, no state modeled. Scenario B: $4,333 semi-monthly ($103,992/year), same deferral. Federal and FICA rise with gross; net might increase less than $333 per pay because marginal withholding climbs. Run exact inputs—the gap might be $220–$260 net per check depending on assumptions.

What paycheck comparison misses

Employer 401(k) match, HSA seed, stock options, bonus timing, and commuter benefits are not cash on the stub today. The job offer comparison calculator widens the lens. Commissions and irregular overtime make any single check a poor proxy—annualize carefully.

Brackets vs withholding

Withholding tables aim to approximate annual liability from each check’s wages. Mid-year job change without a W-4 update at the new employer often under-withholds because each job assumes it is your only income. Comparing two steady-state checks does not fix that—you need combined annual modeling in the federal income tax calculator or W-4 withholding calculator.

FICA differences between scenarios

If scenario B pays more but both stay under $184,500 Social Security wages, FICA difference is roughly 7.65% of the gross delta. Above the cap, difference drops to 1.45% Medicare only (plus Additional Medicare rules). Two jobs each below the cap can over-withhold Social Security until you file for credit.

Pre-tax vs Roth deferrals

Traditional 401(k) deferrals reduce federal withholding on the check; Roth does not. Comparing an employer with auto-enroll traditional 3% vs one where you choose Roth at 5% requires entering deferral type correctly—net pay rises with Roth even when retirement savings is higher.

Common mistakes

• Comparing weekly net from one job to monthly gross from another without converting
• Ignoring health insurance premium differences pre-tax on the stub
• Assuming take-home delta equals gross delta minus a flat 25%
• Forgetting bonus pays on a separate schedule
• Not adding state tax when comparing cross-border offers

Related tools

Paycheck calculator, salary to hourly calculator, W-4 withholding calculator, tax refund estimator, state income tax calculator.

Additional planning notes for 2026

Tax software and professional preparers reconcile annual Form 1040 liability against W-2 withholding—not any single calculator snapshot. Use the interactive form above as a transparent starting point, then validate filing status, dependents, and pre-tax elections before you treat output as a filing estimate. Where this page references 2026 figures, they follow IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 and SSA wage base announcements unless noted otherwise.

Federal ordinary rates remain 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%. Employee FICA is 6.2% on wages up to $184,500 plus 1.45% Medicare on all covered wages. Additional Medicare Tax at 0.9% applies above $200,000 single / $250,000 joint / $125,000 MFS. Standard deduction amounts are $16,100 single and married filing separately, $24,150 head of household, and $32,200 married filing jointly.

State residency, local income taxes, and voluntary payroll deductions can move cash results without changing the federal concepts modeled here. When a scenario spans multiple jobs, side income, or mid-year life changes, pair this page with the federal income tax calculator, paycheck calculator, and tax refund estimator so withholding, liability, and refund expectations stay aligned.

Documentation matters at filing time: retain 1098 and 1098-E forms, charitable acknowledgments, medical receipts, mileage logs, and employer plan confirmations that support positions you claim. Rounding in browser tools may differ slightly from payroll systems that round per pay period.

Disclaimer

Educational federal paycheck estimates—not payroll advice. Actual employer rounding, local taxes, and garnishments can differ. Confirm with your payroll department before changing elections.