Wisconsin (WI) Paycheck Calculator 2026

Form WT-4: Wisconsin’s withholding certificate

Every new employee in Wisconsin must give their employer Form WT-4, the Employee’s Wisconsin Withholding Exemption Certificate. It sets your state filing status and number of exemptions, and employers can also use it for new hire reporting, which must be done within 20 days of hire.

If you are still under-withheld after claiming no exemptions, you can ask for an extra amount each pay period on the WT-4. If you are over-withheld even at the maximum exemptions, Form WT-4A (Employee Withholding Agreement) lets you set a lower amount.

• Claiming complete exemption requires a new WT-4 every year, which the employer must receive by April 30; otherwise you are treated as claiming zero exemptions.
• Employers must send the department a copy of any WT-4 claiming more than 10 exemptions, or complete exemption by someone earning over $200 a week.

Reciprocity with Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan

Wisconsin has reciprocity agreements with Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan. If you live in one of those states and work in Wisconsin, your employer does not have to withhold Wisconsin tax once you provide written verification, usually Form W-220 (Nonresident Employee’s Withholding Reciprocity Declaration). You then pay income tax only to your home state on those wages.

Minnesota is not on the list, but a separate arrangement covers Wisconsin residents who work in Minnesota. Their employer does not have to withhold Wisconsin tax on wages that are subject to Minnesota withholding. Those workers must make Wisconsin estimated tax payments if they expect to owe $500 or more when they file.

Bonus withholding uses a salary-based flat rate

Wisconsin employers can add a bonus to regular wages and withhold on the total, or use flat percentages based on your estimated annual salary:

• Example: a $4,000 bonus for someone earning $60,000 is withheld at 5.30%, or $212 of Wisconsin tax, plus $880 federal at 22%.

Bi-weekly paycheck examples

Single filer, no pre-tax deductions. Our state estimate uses the maximum Wisconsin standard deduction, which shrinks as income rises, so real withholding above about $20,000 will be somewhat higher than shown. A single filer on $60,000 has about $1,880 of Wisconsin tax in this estimate; a married couple on $110,000 about $3,643.

Why Wisconsin withholding can fall short

Wisconsin’s withholding tables approximate a tax system with a sliding standard deduction, four brackets and several credits, so they are rarely exact. Two situations commonly leave Wisconsin workers owing at filing time:

• Two earners each claiming married status on their WT-4s. Each employer withholds as if that paycheck were the household’s only income, so the couple’s combined income can be taxed in a higher bracket than either employer assumed. Ask for an extra amount per pay period on the WT-4.
• Large raises or a second job mid-year, which shrink the standard deduction you will actually get on Form 1.
• If instead you get big refunds every year (for example from the school property tax credit or homestead credit), you can claim more exemptions or use Form WT-4A to agree a lower amount with your employer.

Pay frequency and minimum wage

Most Wisconsin employers must pay all wages earned at least monthly, with no more than 31 days between paydays (U.S. Department of Labor summary). The state minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, the same as the federal rate, with overtime after 40 hours a week.

Wisconsin has no local income taxes and no employee-paid disability or family leave premium.