California Paycheck Calculator
A California paycheck carries four deductions most states don't combine: federal tax, FICA, California's own graduated income tax (1%–12.3%), and CA SDI at 1.3% of every dollar — the rate rose from 1.2% in 2025 and has no wage cap. Enter your gross salary for a 2026 take-home estimate.
Worked example
Single filer earning $75,000 in California, paid biweekly: federal tax is $7,670/yr (after the $16,100 standard deduction). California taxable income is $75,000 − $5,900 = $69,100, giving $2,823.12 of bracket tax, minus the $158 personal exemption credit = $2,665.12. SDI takes $975 (1.3%), Social Security $4,650, Medicare $1,087.50. Take-home: $57,952.38/yr — $2,228.94 per biweekly paycheck.
How it works
Federal tax uses the 2026 IRS brackets (Revenue Procedure 2025-32). California tax uses the FTB's 2026 schedules — standard deduction $5,900 single / $11,800 joint, nine brackets from 1% to 12.3%, minus the $158 (single) / $316 (joint) personal exemption credit. SDI is the EDD's 2026 worker rate of 1.3% on all wages with no cap. Income over $1 million also attracts California's extra 1% Behavioral Health Services Tax, not modeled here. This is an annualized estimate — actual withholding follows the EDD tables and your DE 4 settings, and pre-tax deductions lower the taxable amount.
FAQ
What is the CASDI line on my pay stub? That's the SDI deduction — 1.3% of gross wages in 2026, funding Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave. It went up from 1.2% in 2025, and since 2024 there is no yearly cap on it.
Why does California take so much more than Texas? Texas has no state income tax and no SDI. On the same $75,000 salary, a Texas paycheck skips both the state tax and the $975 SDI — compare with our Texas Paycheck Calculator.
Is the 1% tax over $1 million included? Not in the estimate above; it only affects taxable income above $1,000,000 and adds 1% on the excess.