South Carolina Paycheck Calculator (2026)

Worked example

A single filer in Texas earning $75,000 a year with no 401(k): federal taxable income is $75,000 − $16,100 = $58,900, so federal income tax is $1,240 + 12% × $38,000 + 22% × $8,500 = $7,670. Social Security is 6.2% = $4,650 and Medicare 1.45% = $1,087.50. Texas has no income tax, so take-home pay is $61,592.50 a year.

The same salary in California also pays California income tax of $2,665.12 (1% to 8% on $69,100 after the $5,900 standard deduction, less the $158 personal credit) and SDI of 1.3% = $975, leaving $57,952.38 a year.

What changed for 2026

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made the lower federal rates permanent and set the 2026 standard deduction at $16,100 (single) and $32,200 (married filing jointly). The child tax credit is $2,200 per child. The Social Security wage base rose to $184,500. Several states cut income tax for 2026, some in the middle of the year with effect from 1 January: Arkansas (3.7%), Georgia (4.99%), Utah (4.45%), West Virginia (top rate 4.58%), South Carolina (new 1.99% / 5.21% system), Kentucky (3.5%), Mississippi (4%), North Carolina (3.99%), Ohio (flat 2.75%) and Oklahoma (top rate 4.5%). New York lowered its middle-bracket rates, and Minnesota started its Paid Leave program.

How this calculator works

It works out your full-year federal and state tax for 2026 as your tax return would, using the standard deduction (not itemized deductions), and spreads it over your pay periods. Your employer's withholding uses Form W-4 tables and can differ a little from the year's final tax; the difference comes back as a refund or a balance due. Federal and Social Security amounts are exact to the 2026 rules; tax tables on the return round income to $50 bands, which can change the tax by a few dollars.

For employers

Running payroll by hand (tax tables, contributions, payslips, filings) is routine work that AI workers now handle with almost no staff time. See what an employee really costs you, or book a free automation audit for your payroll.

Please note: figures follow the published 2026 rates as checked on 21 October 2026 for a resident employee in the standard case. Not included: city, county and school district income taxes (you can enter a local rate yourself), itemized deductions, tax credits other than the child tax credit (such as the earned income credit and state child credits), the extra deductions for tips, overtime, car-loan interest and seniors, pre-tax health insurance and other benefits, catch-up 401(k) contributions, and Hawaii TDI and Delaware paid-leave contributions. Where a state uses separate head-of-household figures that are not modelled, the result says so. This is a guide, not tax advice; your payslip can differ because of tax codes, benefits and timing.