Methodology & Editorial Standards

Editorial standards & methodology

How SalaryCalculator.us is built, sourced and kept accurate

Every calculator and figure on this site is built to one standard: it must trace back to a primary government source. This page documents exactly where our numbers come from, how the calculators compute take-home pay, when we update, and who is responsible for the content. We publish this so you can verify any result for yourself.

Our sources

• Federal income tax brackets & standard deduction: Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Revenue Procedure 2025-32, the official 2026 inflation-adjusted figures.
• Social Security wage base & FICA: Social Security Administration 2026 OASDI wage base ($184,500) and IRS Topic No. 751 for the 6.2% / 1.45% rates and the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax.
• State income tax: each state's official department of revenue or taxation, applied per-state on our 50-state and city pages.
• Salary medians: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 release, used to pre-fill profession calculators.

How the calculators work

Each take-home calculation follows the same documented order: gross pay → subtract pre-tax deductions (401(k), HSA) → subtract the standard deduction → apply the progressive federal brackets → add FICA (Social Security capped at the wage base, Medicare on all wages, plus the Additional Medicare Tax where applicable) → subtract state and any local income tax. The full step-by-step walk-through lives on the gross-to-net guide and the paycheck deductions guide.

How often we update

We refresh tax constants once the IRS and SSA publish the new tax-year figures (typically late in the prior year), and again whenever a state changes its rates mid-year. Each page carries a visible "last updated" date and the tax year it reflects. This site currently reflects the 2026 tax year.

What we do not do

We do not publish fabricated reviews, star ratings, or invented "expert" personas. We do not give individualized tax advice — our tools are estimates for general informational use. For decisions with real financial stakes, confirm with a licensed tax professional or the IRS directly.

Corrections

If you spot a figure that looks wrong, we want to fix it. Reach us through the contact page and cite the source you believe is correct; verified corrections are applied promptly and the update date is changed.

Who is responsible

SalaryCalculator.us is built and maintained by Mustafa Bilgic, who is responsible for the accuracy of every figure published here. Learn more on the about page.