Free Texas Paycheck Calculator 2026 — Estimate Your Take-Home Pay
Estimate your Texas take-home pay. No state income tax — see exactly how much federal tax and FICA reduce your paycheck. Free 2026 TX paycheck calculator.
Texas Paycheck Calculator — Free Take-Home Pay Estimator
Estimate your Texas take-home pay. Texas has no state income tax — your deductions are federal income tax and FICA only. Updated for 2026 IRS rates.
© RemoteLaws.com — Updated for 2026.
How Texas Calculates Your Paycheck
Texas is one of nine states with no state income tax on wages. This means Texas workers face fewer deductions than workers in most other states — your paycheck deductions are limited to federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare. There are no state income tax withholdings, no state disability insurance, no paid family leave contributions, and no local income taxes anywhere in Texas.
This calculator applies the 2026 federal income tax brackets from IRS Publication 15-T and 2026 FICA rates published by the IRS and SSA to produce a per-paycheck take-home pay estimate for Texas workers.
What Comes Out of a Texas Paycheck
Because Texas has no state income tax, every dollar withheld from a Texas paycheck is a federal obligation.
Federal Income Tax is withheld based on your gross pay, filing status, and W-4 elections per IRS Publication 15-T. The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers and $32,200 for married filing jointly. Federal brackets range from 10% to 37% depending on income level. See the full 2026 bracket table from the IRS.
Social Security (6.2%) is withheld on wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Once your year-to-date earnings exceed this threshold, Social Security withholding stops for the rest of the calendar year — a significant benefit for higher-earning Texas workers.
Medicare (1.45%) applies to all wages with no cap per IRS Topic 751. An additional 0.9% Medicare surtax applies on wages above $200,000 for single filers and $250,000 for married filing jointly.
No Texas state income tax. The Texas Constitution (Article 8, Section 24) prohibits a personal income tax without a constitutional amendment approved by voters. Texas funds state government primarily through sales tax and property taxes rather than income taxes.
No Texas SDI, PFML, or local income taxes. Unlike California, Washington, or Oregon, Texas has no mandatory employee contributions to disability or paid leave programs. No Texas city or county levies a local income tax on wages.
Texas vs. High-Tax States: The Paycheck Difference
The absence of state income tax makes Texas paychecks significantly larger than equivalent salaries in high-tax states. Using this calculator, here is the approximate annual difference for common salary levels filing as single:
At $60,000 annual salary, a Texas worker keeps approximately $2,400–$2,800 more per year than the same worker in California, and approximately $1,800–$2,200 more than in New York.
At $100,000 annual salary, the advantage over California grows to approximately $5,400–$6,200 per year — roughly $207–$238 more per biweekly paycheck.
At $150,000 annual salary, a Texas worker retains approximately $9,000–$11,000 more annually than a California worker at the same salary, before accounting for California SDI.
These comparisons use estimated state income tax rates and do not account for differences in property taxes, sales taxes, or cost of living between states. Use the All 50 States Paycheck Calculator to compare your specific salary across any two states.
Federal Tax Brackets That Apply to Texas Workers (2026)
Since Texas has no state income tax, federal brackets are the only income tax applied to your earnings. The 2026 federal brackets from IRS Publication 15-T are:
Single filers:
- 10% on income up to $11,925
- 12% on income from $11,926 to $48,475
- 22% on income from $48,476 to $103,350
- 24% on income from $103,351 to $197,300
- 32% on income from $197,301 to $250,525
- 35% on income from $250,526 to $626,350
- 37% on income above $626,350
Married filing jointly:
- 10% on income up to $23,850
- 12% on income from $23,851 to $96,950
- 22% on income from $96,951 to $206,700
- 24% on income from $206,701 to $394,600
- 32% on income from $394,601 to $501,050
- 35% on income from $501,051 to $751,600
- 37% on income above $751,600
Source: IRS Publication 15-T (2026).
Texas Overtime Laws and Your Paycheck
Texas follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for overtime. There is no state overtime law in Texas — the FLSA is the only overtime standard that applies. Under the FLSA, non-exempt employees must receive 1.5 times their regular rate for all hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek.
Unlike California, Texas has no daily overtime requirement. A Texas worker who works 12 hours on Monday and 28 hours the rest of the week (40 hours total) owes no overtime — only hours beyond 40 in the full workweek trigger the 1.5× rate.
The Texas Workforce Commission enforces Texas wage and hour laws. For the full rules and exemptions, see Texas overtime laws. Use the Overtime Pay Calculator to estimate your overtime earnings in Texas.
To determine whether you qualify for overtime as a salaried worker, use the Exempt vs. Non-Exempt Checker.
Texas Minimum Wage
Texas sets its minimum wage at the federal floor of $7.25 per hour, as established by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and codified in the Texas Minimum Wage Act. Texas has not enacted a state minimum wage above the federal level.
For tipped employees, the Texas tipped minimum wage is $2.13 per hour — the federal tipped minimum — with the requirement that tips bring the worker’s total hourly earnings to at least $7.25. If tips do not make up the difference, the employer must pay the shortfall.
See Texas minimum wage for the complete 2026 rate schedule including tipped employee rules.
What a Texas Paycheck Looks Like: Examples
The following examples use this calculator’s estimates for a single filer on a biweekly schedule with no pre-tax deductions, for informational purposes only.
$20/hour (approx. $41,600/year), Single, Biweekly:
- Gross per paycheck: ~$1,600
- Federal income tax: ~$91
- Social Security: ~$99
- Medicare: ~$23
- Texas state tax: $0
- Estimated net pay: ~$1,387
$75,000/year salary, Single, Biweekly:
- Gross per paycheck: ~$2,885
- Federal income tax: ~$293
- Social Security: ~$179
- Medicare: ~$42
- Texas state tax: $0
- Estimated net pay: ~$2,371
$120,000/year salary, Single, Biweekly:
- Gross per paycheck: ~$4,615
- Federal income tax: ~$737
- Social Security: ~$286
- Medicare: ~$67
- Texas state tax: $0
- Estimated net pay: ~$3,525
The same worker in California at $120,000 would receive approximately $414 less per biweekly paycheck due to California income tax and SDI. These are estimates only. Actual withholding depends on W-4 elections and benefit deductions.
Pre-Tax Deductions That Reduce Your Federal Tax in Texas
Pre-tax deductions reduce your federal taxable income and lower your federal withholding. Because Texas has no state income tax, the tax savings from pre-tax deductions come entirely from federal and FICA reduction.
A traditional 401(k) contribution at 6% of a $75,000 salary ($4,500 annually) reduces federal taxable income by $4,500 — saving approximately $540–$990 in annual federal withholding depending on your bracket. The IRS 2026 limit is $23,500 ($31,000 for workers 50 and older).
Health insurance premiums through a Section 125 employer plan are pre-tax at the federal level, reducing both income tax and FICA withholding.
HSA contributions made through payroll reduce federal taxable wages. The 2026 HSA limit is $4,300 for self-only and $8,550 for family coverage.
For independent contractors or 1099 workers in Texas, deductions work differently — see the 1099 vs W-2 Calculator for a net pay comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions — Texas Paycheck
Does Texas have a state income tax?
No. Texas has no personal income tax on wages. The Texas Constitution prohibits an income tax without a statewide voter referendum. Texas funds state services primarily through sales tax (6.25% state rate, up to 8.25% with local rates) and property taxes rather than payroll taxes.
What taxes come out of a Texas paycheck?
A Texas paycheck has three mandatory deductions: federal income tax (based on your W-4 and IRS 2026 brackets), Social Security (6.2% up to $184,500), and Medicare (1.45%, no cap per IRS Topic 751). No state income tax, no SDI, no PFML, no local income tax.
How much of my Texas paycheck goes to taxes?
For most Texas workers, total withholdings — federal income tax plus FICA — represent approximately 15–28% of gross pay depending on income and filing status. At $50,000 filing single, total withholdings are typically around 18–22%. At $100,000, they rise to approximately 24–28%. This is noticeably lower than equivalent workers in California (25–38%) or New York (25–36%) due to the absence of state income tax.
Does Texas have overtime laws beyond federal FLSA?
No. Texas does not have a state overtime law. The federal FLSA is the only overtime standard for Texas workers — overtime pay at 1.5× the regular rate is required for hours beyond 40 per workweek for non-exempt employees. There is no daily overtime requirement in Texas. See Texas overtime laws for exemptions and enforcement details.
Is a Texas salary really worth more than the same salary in California?
In terms of take-home pay, yes. A $100,000 salary in Texas yields approximately $5,400–$7,300 more per year in net pay compared to the same salary in California, primarily because Texas has no state income tax and California’s can reach 9.3%+ at that income level. However, Texas has higher property taxes and a higher average sales tax rate than California, which affects the full cost-of-living comparison. This calculator shows the paycheck difference only — not the complete financial picture.
Does Texas have a paid family leave program?
No. Texas does not have a state-mandated paid family leave program. Texas workers may be eligible for federal FMLA leave (up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave) if they meet eligibility requirements, but there is no state paid leave deduction on Texas paychecks. Some Texas employers offer voluntary paid leave as a benefit.
What is the Texas minimum wage in 2026?
Texas minimum wage is $7.25 per hour — the federal minimum. Texas has not enacted a higher state minimum wage. The tipped minimum wage is $2.13 per hour, with the employer required to make up the difference if tips do not bring hourly earnings to $7.25. See Texas minimum wage for full details.
Why did my Texas paycheck change at the start of the year?
The most common reason is the annual update to IRS withholding tables, which take effect each January. Even without a salary change, your federal withholding can shift slightly due to bracket adjustments. The 2026 Social Security wage base also changed from the 2025 figure, which may affect workers earning above the prior year cap.
How does moving from California to Texas affect my paycheck?
Moving from California to Texas for the same job typically increases take-home pay significantly. A worker earning $80,000 who relocates from California to Texas would save approximately $3,800–$4,500 in state income tax and $880 in SDI annually — roughly $180–$205 more per biweekly paycheck. This calculator lets you run both scenarios by switching the state dropdown to compare exact figures.
Does Texas have at-will employment?
Yes. Texas is an at-will employment state, meaning an employer can terminate an employee for any reason not prohibited by law, and an employee can resign at any time. This does not affect paycheck calculations directly, but understanding Texas termination rules affects final paycheck timing. See Texas termination laws and the Final Paycheck & PTO Calculator for final paycheck rules after separation.
External Government Sources
- IRS Publication 15-T
- IRS 2026 Tax Brackets
- SSA — 2026 Wage Base
- IRS Topic 751 — FICA
- IRS Topic 560 — Additional Medicare Tax
- IRS 401(k) Contribution Limits
- IRS Publication 15b — Cafeteria Plans
- IRS Publication 969 — HSA/FSA
- DOL — FLSA
- DOL — FMLA
- Texas Workforce Commission — Wage Law
- Texas Workforce Commission — Minimum Wage
- Texas Constitution
Update History
April 2026: Initial publication. All URLs verified functional.