Alabama paycheck calculator: 2026 take-home pay

• Federal income tax: withheld with the IRS 2026 percentage method for Forms W-4 from 2020 or later (Publication 15-T).
• Social Security: 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 in 2026.
• Medicare: 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% on wages above $200,000 in a calendar year.
• Alabama withholds income tax at rates from 2% to 5% after a standard deduction that shrinks as pay rises, your annual federal income tax withholding, a personal exemption of $1,500 or $3,000 and an amount for each dependent.

• Pre-tax deductions such as 401(k) contributions and health premiums: they lower taxable pay, and states treat them differently.
• Bonuses and other supplemental pay, which can be withheld at flat rates.
• Year-to-date wages: the result is your first paycheck of 2026 from this employer, with no earlier wages counted. Social Security stops once your 2026 wages from the employer reach $184,500, and the employer withholds the extra 0.9% Medicare tax only on wages it pays you above $200,000 in 2026; the calculator names the paycheck in which each change starts.
• Some Alabama cities and counties levy an occupational tax on wages. It is not included unless you enter its rate.
• Alabama subtracts your annual federal income tax withholding before computing its own tax; the calculator uses the federal withholding it estimates above.
• Single uses the 'S' exemption ($1,500), married filing jointly 'M' and head of household 'H' ($3,000); the 'MS' and '0' claims are not modeled.

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