The amount of taxes taken out of your paycheck depends primarily on your income level, filing status, and tax bracket, as well as other factors like deductions and withholdings.
Federal Income Tax Withholding in 2025
- Federal income tax rates range from 10% to 37% based on taxable income.
- For single filers in 2025, the tax brackets are:
- 10% on income up to $11,925
- 12% on income from $11,926 to $48,475
- 22% on income from $48,476 to $103,350
- Higher brackets apply for greater income levels, up to 37% for income over $626,350
- For example, if you earn $48,000 annually as a single filer, you fall mostly in the 12% bracket in 2025 (down from 22% in 2024 due to bracket adjustments), so less tax is withheld from your paycheck compared to last year
- Taxes are withheld gradually from each paycheck by your employer based on your W-4 form, which you fill out to indicate your filing status and allowances
Other Payroll Deductions
- Besides federal income tax, Social Security tax (6.2% up to a wage limit) and Medicare tax (1.45%) are also withheld.
- State income taxes may apply depending on your state; some states have no income tax, while others have varying rates starting as low as 1.4%
Estimating Take-Home Pay
- Your take-home pay is your gross pay minus federal income tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare, and any state/local taxes.
- For example, a $49,920 annual salary (about $4,160 monthly) might see around 10-22% withheld for federal taxes depending on deductions, plus about 7.65% for Social Security and Medicare, reducing your actual paycheck accordingly
In summary, taxes can take roughly 10% to over 30% of your paycheck depending on your income level, filing status, and location. The IRS updates tax brackets annually to adjust for inflation, which can affect how much is withheld from your paycheck even if your salary stays the same
