California Paycheck Calculator

Calculate your take-home pay after federal & California taxes

Updated for 2023 tax year on Sep 19, 2023

What was updated? 2023 federal income tax, state income tax, standard deduction & exemption

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Paycheck calculator for California

Overview of California

As the most populous US state, California has a population of over 39 million (2019). It is an economic powerhouse, more significant than all but eight countries. The state is known for plenty of American icons. The median household income is $71,805 (2017).

Brief summary:

  • the income tax rate ranges from 1% to 13.3%
  • no local income tax
  • subject to State Disability Insurance (SDI)
  • has standard deductions
California United States

From Wikipedia

Understanding your California paycheck

Living and working in the Golden State has its perks, but understanding how your California paycheck works can be a bit perplexing. Let’s dive into the various aspects, including income taxes, deductions, etc.

Your California paycheck begins with your gross income, which is subject to federal income taxes and FICA taxes. The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes you a combined rate of 7.65% for Social Security and Medicare. Your employer will match this amount.

If you’re making over $200,000, you will be subject to an additional 0.9% Medicare tax. This is known as the Additional Medicare Tax, and it applies only to employees, not employers.

Your federal tax withholding is determined by the information provided on your Form W-4. This form allows you to specify your filing status, number of dependents, and any additional amounts you’d like withheld. Your pay frequency will also impact the taxes withheld from each paycheck.

Your marital status influences your tax withholding rates. Consider regular retirement fund contributions, as it reduces your taxable income and tax liability.

California has a progressive state income tax system, with rate varies depending on income. In addition, employees contribute to the State Disability Insurance (SDI) program, a form of payroll tax. It covers short-term disability and paid family leave benefits.

California offers a standard deduction for taxpayers, which reduces your taxable income. The amount of the standard deduction depends on your filing status. Instead of personal exemptions, California provides tax credits based on the number of dependents you claim, further reducing your tax liability.

Finally, your California paycheck may include post-tax deductions, such as wage garnishments, charitable donations, or after-tax retirement contributions. These deductions are taken from your net pay after taxes have been withheld.

Calculate your California paycheck

California tax year starts from July 01 the year before to June 30 the current year. So the tax year 2022 will start from July 01 2021 to June 30 2022.

Calculating your California state income tax is similar to the steps we listed on our Federal paycheck calculator:

  1. figure out your filing status
  2. work out your adjusted gross income [Net income – Adjustments = Adjusted gross income]
  3. calculate your taxable income [Adjusted gross income – Standard/Itemized deductions = Taxable income]
  4. understand your income tax liability [Taxable income × Income tax rate = Income tax liability]
  5. calculate your payroll tax liability [Net income × Payroll tax rate = Payroll tax liability]
  6. minus any tax liability, deductions, withholdings [Net income – (Income tax liability + Payroll tax liability + Pre-tax deductions + Post-tax deductions + Withholdings) = Your paycheck]

State payroll tax

Tax year Tax name Percent of taxable wage Up to taxable wage
2023 State Disability Insurance (SDI) 0.9% $153,164
2022 State Disability Insurance (SDI) 1.1% $145,600
2021 State Disability Insurance (SDI) 1.2% $128,298
2020 State Disability Insurance (SDI) 1% $122,909

State income tax brackets

Each filer type has different progressive tax rates. Refer to Tax Foundation for more details.

Tax year Filing status Taxable income Rate
2022 Single
Married, Filing Separately		 $0 - $10,099 1%
$10,099 - $23,942 2%
$23,942 - $37,788 4%
$37,788 - $52,455 6%
$52,455 - $66,295 8%
$66,295 - $338,639 9.3%
$338,639 - $406,364 10.3%
$406,364 - $677,275 11.3%
$677,275 - $1,000,000 12.3%
$1,000,000 and over 13.3%
Married, Filing Jointly or Widow(er) $0 - $20,198 1%
$20,198 - $47,884 2%
$47,884 - $75,576 4%
$75,576 - $104,910 6%
$104,910 - $132,590 8%
$132,590 - $677,278 9.3%
$677,278 - $812,728 10.3%
$812,728 - $1,000,000 11.3%
$1,000,000 - $1,354,550 12.3%
$1,354,550 and over 13.3%
Head of Household $0 - $20,212 1%
$20,212 - $47,887 2%
$44,217 – $56,999 4%
$56,999 – $70,542 6%
$70,542 – $83,324 8%
$83,324 – $425,251 9.3%
$425,251 – $510,303 10.3%
$510,303 – $850,503 11.3%
$850,503 – $1,000,000 12.3%
$1,000,000 and over 13.3%
2021 Single
Married, Filing Separately		 $0 – $9,325 1%
$9,325 – $22,107 2%
$22,107 – $34,892 4%
$34,892 – $48,435 6%
$48,435 – $61,214 8%
$61,214 – $312,686 9.3%
$312,686 – $375,221 10.3%
$375,221 – $625,369 11.3%
$625,369 – $1,000,000 12.3%
$1,000,000 and over 13.3%
Married, Filing Jointly or Widow(er) $0 – $18,650 1%
$18,650 – $44,214 2%
$44,214 – $69,784 4%
$69,784 – $96,870 6%
$96,870 – $122,428 8%
$122,428 – $625,372 9.3%
$625,372 – $750,442 10.3%
$750,442 – $1,000,000 11.3%
$1,000,000 – $1,250,738 12.3%
$1,250,738 and over 13.3%
Head of Household $0 – $18,663 1%
$18,663 – $44,217 2%
$44,217 – $56,999 4%
$56,999 – $70,542 6%
$70,542 – $83,324 8%
$83,324 – $425,251 9.3%
$425,251 – $510,303 10.3%
$510,303 – $850,503 11.3%
$850,503 – $1,000,000 12.3%
$1,000,000 and over 13.3%
2020 Single
Married, Filing Separately		 $0 – $8,932 1%
$8,932 – $21,175 2%
$21,175 – $33,421 4%
$33,421 – $46,394 6%
$46,394 – $58,634 8%
$58,634 – $299,508 9.3%
$299,508 – $359,407 10.3%
$359,407 – $599,012 11.3%
$599,012 – $1,000,000 12.3%
$1,000,000 and over 13.3%
Married, Filing Jointly or Widow(er) $0 – $17,864 1%
$17,864 – $42,350 2%
$42,350 – $66,842 4%
$66,842 – $92,788 6%
$92,788 – $117,268 8%
$117,268 – $599,016 9.3%
$599,016 – $718,814 10.3%
$718,814 – $1,000,000 11.3%
$1,000,000 – $1,198,024 12.3%
$1,198,024 and over 13.3%
Head of Household $0 – $17,864 1%
$17,864 – $42,353 2%
$42,353 – $54,597 4%
$54,597 – $67,569 6%
$67,569 – $79,812 8%
$79,812 – $407,329 9.3%
$407,329 – $488,796 10.3%
$488,796 – $814,658 11.3%
$814,658 – $1,000,000 12.3%
$1,000,000 and over 13.3%

State standard deduction

Tax year Filing status Standard deduction amount
2022 Single
Married, Filing Separately
Head of Household		 $5,202
Married, Filing Jointly $10,404
2021 Single
Married, Filing Separately
Head of Household		 $4,803
Married, Filing Jointly $9,606
2020 Single
Married, Filing Separately
Head of Household		 $4,601
Married, Filing Jointly $9,202

State exemptions

There are state-level exemptions for all type of filers and dependents. All exemptions are in the form of tax credits. Refer to Tax Foundation for more details.

FAQs

What taxes do Californians pay?

The state-level income tax for California ranges from 1% to 13.3%. There is a payroll tax of 0.9% for taxable wages up to $153,164.

How much do you make after taxes in California?

A single filer with an annual paycheck of $72,000 will take home $54,777.81 after taxes.
A married couple earning $144,000 will get $109,384.62 after taxes.

How much taxes will get deducted from a $72,000 paycheck in California?

The total taxes deducted for a single filer are $1435.18 monthly or $662.39 bi-weekly.