Tax and take-home pay calculators
Choose your country. Every calculator runs in your browser and cites the official source for every rate.
Comparing countries? See US vs UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland.
What you can work out here
OpenTaxCalculator covers two tax systems in depth. For the United States there are paycheck, income tax and sales tax calculators for every state and DC, plus tools for self-employment tax, capital gains, bonuses, refunds, retirement withdrawals and the new federal deductions for tips and overtime. For the United Kingdom there are take-home pay, Income Tax and National Insurance calculators for 2026/27, with tools for the self-employed, company directors, NHS and teacher pay, student loans, stamp duty and more.
Each calculator is a small, focused tool: it asks only for the inputs that change the answer and shows how the result was built, line by line, so you can check it against your pay stub or payslip.
The same job in two tax systems
A worker earning $60,000 in Texas and one earning £45,000 in England have similar incomes once converted, but their deductions are built very differently. The American pays federal income tax after a $16,100 standard deduction plus 7.65% Social Security and Medicare from the first dollar; Texas has no state income tax. The British worker pays Income Tax above a £12,570 personal allowance and National Insurance at 8% above £12,570. In Scotland the same £45,000 salary pays £6,882 of Income Tax instead of £6,486, because Scotland sets its own bands.
| United States (Texas), 2026 | United Kingdom (England), 2026/27 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $60,000 | £45,000 |
| Income tax | $5,020 | £6,486 |
| Social insurance | $4,590 (Social Security + Medicare) | £2,594 (National Insurance) |
| Take-home pay | $50,390 | £35,920 |
| Share of gross kept | 84.0% | 79.8% |
How the two systems differ
| United States | United Kingdom | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax year | Calendar year (January 1 – December 31) | 6 April – 5 April (2026/27 began 2026-04-06) |
| Tax-free amount | Standard deduction: $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly | Personal allowance: £12,570, withdrawn £1 for every £2 above £100,000 |
| Income tax rates | Seven federal brackets from 10% to 37%, plus state and sometimes city tax | Basic 20%, Higher 40%, Additional 45% (6 bands in Scotland) |
| Payroll contributions | Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% on all wages | National Insurance 8% from £12,570 to £50,270, 2% above |
| How tax is withheld | Employer uses your Form W-4 and IRS withholding tables | PAYE using a tax code from HMRC, 1257L for most people |
| Annual return | Most workers file Form 1040 to settle up | Tax is settled through PAYE during the year; a Self Assessment return is needed only in specific circumstances (GOV.UK has a checker) |
Why the numbers can be trusted — and where they stop
Rates, thresholds and allowances come from government publications: IRS revenue procedures and publications, Social Security Administration notices and state revenue departments in the US; HMRC, GOV.UK, Revenue Scotland and the Welsh Revenue Authority in the UK. The figures in this page’s text are pulled from the same data files the calculators use, so when a rate is updated it changes everywhere at once. Each page lists the sources behind it.
The calculators estimate; they do not file returns or replace your payroll department. Itemized deductions, the alternative minimum tax, every state credit and unusual tax codes are outside what they model. The About page explains the method and its limits in detail. Data was last reviewed on 2026-10-03.
Where to start
- Salaried or hourly employee in the US: start with the paycheck calculator for your state.
- Freelancer or contractor in the US: the self-employment tax calculator, which also gives a quarterly estimated payment.
- Employee in the UK: the take-home pay calculator for 2026/27; enter your tax code if it isn’t 1257L.
- Weighing a move between states or countries: the comparison pages show the same salary side by side.
Quick reference: key figures for 2026 and 2026/27
The numbers people look up most often, taken straight from the data the calculators use:
| United States | 2026 | United Kingdom | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard deduction (single) | $16,100 | Personal allowance | £12,570 |
| Top federal rate starts (single) | $640,600 | Additional rate starts | £125,140 |
| Social Security wage base | $184,500 | NI upper earnings limit | £50,270 |
| 401(k) employee limit | $24,500 | Pension annual allowance | £60,000 |
| Child tax credit per child | $2,200 | Child Benefit, eldest child (weekly) | £27.05 |
| Long-term capital gains 0% band (single, to) | $49,450 | Capital Gains Tax annual exempt amount | £3,000 |
| Flat bonus withholding | 22% | Dividend allowance | £500 |
Privacy by design
Salary details are personal, so none of the calculators send what you type anywhere. The arithmetic runs in your browser, and there is no sign-in. You can bookmark a calculator and come back to it without creating an account.
What the next 1,000 of pay is worth
Marginal rates explain more about a pay rise than average rates do. Add $1,000 to the Texas worker’s $60,000 and take-home rises by $804: 12% federal income tax and 7.65% Social Security and Medicare come out of it. Add £1,000 to the English worker’s £45,000 and take-home rises by £720, after 20% Income Tax and 8% National Insurance. Above £50,270 the British rate jumps to 40% plus 2%, while the American stays in the 12% bracket until taxable income passes $105,700.
Checking your own pay stub or payslip
The quickest way to see whether your employer is deducting the right amounts is to check the flat-rate lines first, because they don’t depend on your personal circumstances.
- US: Social Security should be 6.2% and Medicare 1.45% of taxable wages on every check (Social Security stops once year-to-date wages pass $184,500). Federal and state withholding depend on your W-4 and state form, so compare those with the calculator over a full year rather than check by check.
- UK: National Insurance on a monthly payslip is 8% of pay between £1,047.50 and £4,189.17 a month, plus 2% above. Income Tax follows your tax code; if it isn’t 1257L, enter the code in the calculator to see why your tax differs.
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenTaxCalculator free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, and nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.
Where do the tax rates come from?
From the IRS, Social Security Administration and state revenue departments in the US, and HMRC, GOV.UK, Revenue Scotland and the Welsh Revenue Authority in the UK. Each page lists its sources.
Which tax years do the calculators use?
US tools default to 2026 and some let you switch to 2025. UK tools use 2026/27, which runs from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027.
Do the UK calculators handle Scottish tax?
Yes. Choose Scotland, or enter a tax code starting with S, to use the Scottish Income Tax bands. National Insurance is the same across the UK.
Can I compare a US salary with a UK one?
Yes. The country comparison pages convert a salary at a stated exchange rate and show take-home pay in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland side by side.
Do the US calculators cover every state and city?
Every state and DC has its own paycheck, income tax and sales tax page, and 13 states with local wage taxes include a typical local rate. Major cities with their own income tax have dedicated pages.
Are the results tax advice?
No. They are estimates based on published rules and the inputs you choose. For decisions with real money at stake, confirm with the official source listed on the page or a qualified tax professional.
Sources
Figures are taken from official government publications and were last reviewed on 2026-10-03.