Paycheck Calculator: What You Actually Take Home
Add in your overtime, weekend hours, tips, bonus, health insurance, and 401k — and see your real take-home pay, not just hourly times hours.
Your paycheck is more than hourly times hours
Most pay calculators just multiply your rate by your hours. But real paychecks have more pieces than that — overtime, weekend shifts, tips, a bonus check, money coming out for insurance, money going into a 401k. This calculator adds all of that in, so the number you get is closer to what actually lands in your bank account.
What "take-home pay" actually means here
Take-home pay is what's left after your 401k contribution, your insurance premiums, and taxes come out. It's the number that matters for budgeting — not your gross pay, which is bigger but not what you actually get to spend.
The pay you don't see in your check
If your job matches part of your 401k, that match is real money — it just doesn't show up as cash in your paycheck. Same with paid days off: you're getting paid for days you don't work. This calculator adds both up separately so you can see the full picture, not just what hits your bank account.
Why "years to $100k" is a projection, not a promise
This uses the raise percentage you enter and assumes it happens every year, which real life doesn't guarantee. Treat it as a rough timeline based on "if things stay steady," not a guarantee of when you'll get there.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What's the difference between gross pay and take-home pay?
Gross pay is everything you earn before anything comes out — your hourly pay, overtime, tips, and bonus. Take-home pay is what's left after your 401k contribution, insurance premiums, and taxes are taken out. Take-home is the number that actually matters for your budget.
How is overtime pay calculated?
Under federal rules, hours worked beyond 40 in a single week are usually paid at 1.5 times your regular hourly rate. Some jobs pay a different overtime rate, or pay a premium for weekend shifts on top of that — that's why both are adjustable here instead of locked to 1.5x.
Does this include paid time off (PTO)?
Yes. Paid days off are turned into a dollar value based on your daily rate, and shown separately so you can see what your time off is actually worth, on top of your regular pay.
What is a 401k match, and why does it matter?
A 401k match is free money your employer adds when you contribute your own money to your 401k, usually up to a certain percentage of your pay. If you're not contributing enough to get the full match, you're leaving money on the table — this calculator will tell you if that's happening.
How accurate is the tax estimate here?
Not fully accurate on purpose — real taxes depend on your filing status, your state, and current tax brackets, which is more than a simple calculator can account for. Instead, you enter your own estimated tax rate (check a recent paystub for a good number), and the calculator uses that to estimate your take-home pay.
How is the "years to $100k" number calculated?
It takes your current yearly pay (or take-home pay) and the raise percentage you expect each year, then figures out how long it would take to reach $100k if that raise happens every year. It's a simple projection, not a forecast — actual raises are rarely that consistent.