# Hourly paycheck calculator (2026)

Type an hourly rate and hours per week. Takehome Cash annualizes at rate × hours × 52, then applies 2026 federal brackets, Social Security, Medicare, and a simplified state model. The calculator below starts at $25 an hour, 40 hours, California, single.

Hourly workers see a different stub shape than salaried peers even at the same annual gross: overtime, unpaid holidays, and variable hours change the annualized wage. This page models a steady week. $25 × 40 × 52 is $52,000 a year — a common full-time sample, not a promise of your hours.

Federal income tax uses the IRS 2026 standard deduction and brackets. Social Security is 6.2% up to the $184,500 wage base; Medicare is 1.45% (plus 0.9% additional Medicare above the filing-status threshold). Traditional 401(k) deferrals reduce federal and typically state taxable wages but stay in the FICA base.

California is the default because it has a graduated wage tax. Switch the state control to Texas or Florida to see the same hourly rate with no state wage tax. California SDI is a separate line when CA is selected. Other local taxes and most credits are omitted. Figures are engine estimates, last reviewed August 24, 2026.

## Sample estimates

### $25/hr × 40h, CA single

- Gross: $52,000.00
- Federal income tax: $4,060.00
- Social Security: $3,224.00
- Medicare: $754.00
- State income tax: $1,169.49
- Net / take-home: $42,116.51 (effective tax 19.0%)
- Per paycheck net: $809.93 (52 periods)

Label: engine estimates, not pay stubs.

## FAQ

### How do you turn an hourly rate into a paycheck?

Annual gross = hourly rate × hours per week × 52. Weekly net is that annual result divided by 52. We do not add overtime multipliers.

### What sample is preloaded?

$25 per hour, 40 hours a week, California, single, no 401(k), no health premium, tax year 2026. Change any field.

### Is $25 an hour after taxes shown here?

This page is the hourly calculator. A dedicated $25/hour walkthrough lives at /25-dollars-an-hour-after-taxes/ with the same engine.

## Related

- [$25 an hour after taxes](https://takehomecash.com/25-dollars-an-hour-after-taxes/index.md)
- [Weekly paycheck calculator](https://takehomecash.com/weekly-paycheck-calculator/index.md)
- [California paycheck calculator](https://takehomecash.com/california-paycheck-calculator/index.md)