# Arkansas paycheck calculator (2026)

Arkansas W-2 employees who want a simple estimate of state withholding on an hourly or salaried check.

Arkansas withholds on a simplified two-rate wage structure (2% then 3.9%) after a small standard deduction, plus a small personal credit in our model. The published lower-income alternate table is flattened here, so a very low wage may differ from a paper booklet. This page is for US W-2 employees in Little Rock, Northwest Arkansas, or poultry and hospital work who want a planning number, not a prepared AR1000. Federal tax still follows Rev. Proc. 2025-32; FICA uses the $184,500 Social Security base. Local income taxes are omitted. Treat the state line as an engine estimate and confirm current withholding with an employer or the Department of Finance and Administration.

This is a W-2 style withholding approximation, not a full Arkansas Form resident return. We annualize your pay, subtract pretax 401(k) and section 125 health premiums from federal wages (health premiums also reduce FICA wages), apply the 2026 IRS standard deduction, then apply Arkansas’s published rate structure. We do not model local city or county income taxes, itemized deductions, or most credits.

Use the calculator to compare pay frequencies (hourly through annual), pretax 401(k) as a percent or a dollar amount per paycheck, and optional extra federal withholding. Last reviewed against IRS, SSA, and Tax Foundation 2026 publications on August 24, 2026.

Data note: Arkansas lower-income table is simplified. Treat the Arkansas line as an estimate and confirm current withholding tables with your employer or the state department of revenue.

## Tax model notes

- Kind: progressive
- (none)


Data note: Arkansas lower-income table is simplified.

## Sample estimate ($80,000 single, no 401(k))

- Gross: $80,000.00
- Federal income tax: $8,770.00
- Social Security: $4,960.00
- Medicare: $1,160.00
- State income tax: $2,907.27
- Net / take-home: $62,202.73 (effective tax 22.2%)
- Per paycheck net: $62,202.73 (1 periods)

Label: engine estimate, not a pay stub.

## FAQ

### Does Arkansas have a state income tax on wages?

Yes. Arkansas has a graduated state income tax with a top rate of 3.9% on taxable wage income in 2026. Local income taxes, if any, are not included in this estimate.

### What Arkansas income tax rate does this calculator use for 2026?

The official graduated brackets published for 2026 (Tax Foundation compilation of state statutes), with a top marginal rate of 3.9%. Arkansas lower-income table is simplified.

### Is this my actual take-home pay?

No. It is an estimate of typical W-2 withholding. It omits local taxes (except a note on New York City), most credits (including the federal Child Tax Credit), unemployment insurance, wage-garnishment, and employer-specific benefits. Use it to plan, not to file.

### Does a 401(k) contribution reduce Social Security tax?

Usually no. Traditional 401(k) deferrals reduce federal (and often state) taxable wages, but they remain subject to Social Security and Medicare. Pre-tax health insurance premiums under a cafeteria plan generally reduce FICA wages as well.

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