Texas Paycheck Calculator
What a Texas paycheck actually pays in 2026 — federal income tax and FICA worked out per check, and the state income tax line exactly where it belongs: at zero.
A 401(k) contribution reduces federal income tax but not FICA; the calculator models that, and caps the contribution at the 2026 limit of $24,500. This calculator covers single and married filing jointly.
Worked Example: A $3,000 every two weeks Paycheck in Texas
The calculator above opens on this example: $3,000 of gross pay every two weeks ($78,000 a year), single filer, with 5% going to a pre-tax 401(k). Federal income tax comes to $7,472.00 for the year — the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100 for this filing status) shelters the first slice of income, and the progressive brackets tax only the top slice at its highest rate. FICA takes $5,967.00: Social Security at 6.2% and Medicare at 1.45%. The Texas line reads $0.00, because Texas levies no income tax. What lands in the account is $2,333.12 per check — $60,661.00 a year.
Why the Texas Line Is Always $0
Texas has no personal income tax, and that is not a policy a legislature can quietly reverse: Article VIII, Section 24-a of the Texas Constitution prohibits a state income tax on individuals, and voters tightened the ban in 2019 by approving Proposition 4, which makes adopting one harder still. There are also no city or county income taxes on wages anywhere in Texas — the state line and the local line are both zero, for every paycheck, at every salary. What Texas does tax — sales and property — never comes out of a paycheck. (Employers separately pay Texas unemployment insurance tax; by law it is an employer cost, not a deduction from your wages.)
What Does Come Out of a Texas Paycheck
Only the federal layer: federal income tax under the 2026 brackets (after the $16,100 single / $32,200 married standard deduction), plus FICA — Social Security at 6.2% on wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500, Medicare at 1.45% on all wages, and the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married). On the worked example's $78,000 salary that federal layer totals $13,439.00 — compare like-for-like with a taxed state and the Texas advantage is exactly the state percentage that is missing.
Texas Paycheck Facts at a Glance
- Texas levies no state income tax at any salary — the Texas Constitution (Article VIII, Section 24-a) prohibits it, and 2019's Proposition 4 tightened the ban.
- No Texas city or county taxes wages either; the only tax lines on a Texas paycheck are federal income tax and FICA.
- 2026 federal figures this page uses: standard deduction $16,100 single / $32,200 married, Social Security wage cap $184,500, 401(k) limit $24,500.
- Texas unemployment insurance tax is paid by employers only — it never comes out of your pay.
- Worked example on this page: $3,000 every two weeks, single, 5% to a 401(k) → $2,333.12 take-home per check.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Texas really take $0 in state income tax from a paycheck?
Yes — $0 at every salary. The Texas Constitution (Article VIII, Section 24-a) prohibits a personal income tax, and 2019's Proposition 4 made the prohibition harder to undo. No Texas city or county levies an income tax on wages either, so there is no state or local income-tax line on a Texas pay stub.
Why is my Texas paycheck still smaller than my gross pay?
Because the federal layer still applies in full: federal income tax under the progressive 2026 brackets, plus FICA — 6.2% Social Security (up to the $184,500 wage base for 2026) and 1.45% Medicare. On an $78,000 salary, single filer, those come to about $13,439.00 a year in the worked example above, before any voluntary deductions like health premiums or a 401(k).
What is the take-home pay on a $78,000 salary in Texas?
On the worked example — $78,000 gross, single, biweekly checks, 5% to a 401(k) — take-home is $2,333.12 per check, $60,661.00 a year. Federal income tax is $7,472.00, FICA is $5,967.00, the 401(k) takes $3,900.00, and Texas state income tax is $0.00. Enter your own figures above for your number.
Does a 401(k) contribution save state tax in Texas?
There is no Texas state tax to save — the saving is federal only. A pre-tax 401(k) contribution reduces the wages federal income tax is calculated on, but it does not reduce FICA: Social Security and Medicare are charged on the full gross. The calculator models exactly that, and caps contributions at the 2026 elective deferral limit of $24,500.
What about self-employment income earned in Texas?
Self-employment income escapes Texas income tax for the same constitutional reason, but it carries federal self-employment tax — 15.3% covering both the employee and employer shares of FICA, up to the same Social Security wage base. This calculator models wages from an employer; if you are self-employed, budget the 15.3% on top of federal income tax.