See what an offer really puts in your paycheck. Then ask for more.

What this assumes

• One job, no other income, a full calendar year.
• The standard deduction. No dependents, no credits. Age under 50.
• You live in the state you work in.
• A bonus is paid in full at its target. A sign-on is paid once, in year one.
• Tax is figured as what you owe for the year, then spread evenly across paychecks. Employer withholding tables usually take somewhat more than that, so a real paycheck can be a little smaller, and the difference comes back as a refund when you file.
• Not included: local taxes other than New York City, HSA and FSA contributions, taxable benefits such as employer-paid life or disability insurance, after-tax deductions other than a Roth 401(k), equity compensation, itemized deductions.

Covered for 2026: federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare; California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, New Jersey, New York including New York City, North Carolina and Virginia; and the nine states with no tax on wages (AK, FL, NV, NH, SD, TN, TX, WA, WY), with their mandatory employee payroll contributions.