Georgia Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your Georgia take-home pay. Georgia switched to a flat 4.99% state income tax for 2026 (down from 5.19%, accelerated ahead of schedule), with a $12,000 single / $24,000 married standard deduction and no local income tax in Atlanta or anywhere else in the state.
How to use this calculator
- Type your gross pay per paycheck — what you earn before any tax or deduction comes out.
- Pick your pay frequency (biweekly is the default — it's the most common).
- Set your federal filing status (Single or Married Filing Jointly).
- If you contribute to a traditional 401(k), enter the percentage. Add any pre-tax health or HSA deductions per paycheck.
- The result updates as you go. Use Share link to send your numbers to someone else without retyping them.
A real example: a $60,000 salary in Atlanta
Say you take a $60,000-a-year job in Atlanta, paid every two weeks, single, no 401(k). That's $2,307.69 gross per paycheck. The math goes like this for the year:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | $60,000.00 |
| Federal income tax (after the $16,100 federal standard deduction) | −$5,020.00 |
| Social Security (6.2% up to $184,500) | −$3,720.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | −$870.00 |
| Georgia state tax (4.99% × ($60,000 − $12,000 std deduction)) | −$2,395.20 |
| Take-home for the year | $47,994.80 |
| Take-home per biweekly check | $1,845.95 |
About 20% of your gross goes to federal, FICA, and Georgia state tax combined. Georgia's 4.99% flat rate puts the state in the middle of the pack — lower than progressive states like California (where the same salary would lose roughly $2,420 to state tax and SDI), but higher than no-tax neighbors like Florida and Tennessee. The 2026 rate is the result of an accelerated phase-down: Georgia was originally scheduled to hit 4.99% in 2029, but recent legislation moved the target up by three years.
Now add a 5% traditional 401(k) and $200/month in pre-tax health premiums on a $120,000 salary, married, paid monthly: gross $10,000/mo, $500 to the 401(k), $200 to health. The 401(k) and pre-tax both reduce Georgia taxable income — so GA tax for the year runs about $4,371.24 (4.99% × $87,600 after deductions). Federal drops to about $9,032, FICA runs about $8,996, and you take home roughly $7,433 a month.
How a Georgia paycheck is calculated
Georgia switched from a six-bracket progressive system to a flat tax in 2024 and has been cutting the rate every year since. For 2026, the formula is:
A few Georgia-specific details worth knowing:
- 4.99% is for 2026 only — the rate keeps moving. Georgia's legislated path takes the rate from 4.99% down to 3.99% by 2034, in 0.10-0.125% steps each year, subject to revenue triggers. The 5.19%-to-4.99% drop in 2026 was an acceleration that reached the original long-term target three years early.
- 401(k) and pre-tax both reduce Georgia tax. Unlike Pennsylvania (where 401(k) is NOT pre-tax for state purposes), Georgia follows federal — traditional 401(k) and Section 125 items both lower your Georgia taxable income. This is a meaningful difference if you're moving from PA or contributing heavily to a 401(k).
- The standard deduction goes up in 2027. Single filers move from $12,000 to $15,000, married from $24,000 to $30,000 — with annual step-ups thereafter. The dependent exemption also rises from $4,000 to $5,000. Watch this calculator's update notes each January.
- No city or county income tax in Georgia. Unlike states with local income taxes (Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York City), Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, and every other Georgia city collect zero income tax. The 4.99% state rate is the total income tax you pay.
What Georgia paychecks look like at common salaries (single, no 401k)
| Annual salary | Federal tax | FICA | GA tax (4.99%) | Net per year | Net per biweekly check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $2,620.00 | $3,060.00 | $1,397.20 | $32,922.80 | $1,266.26 |
| $50,000 | $3,820.00 | $3,825.00 | $1,896.20 | $40,458.80 | $1,556.11 |
| $60,000 | $5,020.00 | $4,590.00 | $2,395.20 | $47,994.80 | $1,845.95 |
| $75,000 | $7,670.00 | $5,737.50 | $3,143.70 | $58,448.80 | $2,248.03 |
| $100,000 | $13,170.00 | $7,650.00 | $4,391.20 | $74,788.80 | $2,876.49 |
| $150,000 | $24,734.00 | $11,475.00 | $6,886.20 | $106,904.80 | $4,111.72 |
Numbers above are estimates with the 2026 standard deduction, single filer, no 401(k) or pre-tax deductions. Your actual withholding will differ based on your W-4.
Tips to take home more
- Max out pre-tax benefits first. Health insurance, HSA, and FSA dollars reduce both your federal tax and FICA — that's a roughly 22–28% discount on those expenses for most people.
- A 401(k) is real money, not a deduction. A 5% contribution on $60k is $3,000 the IRS doesn't see right now. You're not losing it — you're moving it.
- Check your W-4 if your refund or bill is large. A big refund means you overpaid all year; a big bill means you underpaid. Either way, the IRS withholding estimator at irs.gov/W4App helps fix it.
- Track the Social Security cap. If you'll cross $184,500 this year, your last few checks will be noticeably bigger — useful to know if you're planning big purchases.
Frequently asked questions
What is Georgia's state income tax rate in 2026?
Georgia has a flat 4.99% state income tax in 2026, reduced from 5.19% in 2025 via accelerated legislation (Georgia DOR confirmed). The rate applies to all taxable income after the standard deduction and dependent exemptions. The rate is scheduled to continue dropping toward 3.99% by 2034 in roughly 0.10-0.125% annual steps, subject to revenue triggers.
How much of a $60,000 salary do you take home in Georgia?
A single filer earning $60,000 in Georgia with no pre-tax deductions takes home roughly $47,995 a year, or about $1,846 every two weeks. That's $5,020 federal, $4,590 FICA, and $2,395.20 Georgia state tax (4.99% on $48,000 after the $12,000 standard deduction).
What is the Georgia standard deduction for 2026?
For 2026: $12,000 for single filers, $24,000 for married filing jointly. These rise to $15,000 / $30,000 in 2027, with annual step-ups thereafter. Georgia also offers a $4,000 dependent exemption (rising to $5,000).
Is retirement income taxed in Georgia?
Social Security is fully exempt at all ages. For other retirement income (pensions, 401(k) and IRA distributions), Georgia offers a generous retirement income exclusion: $35,000 per person at ages 62-64, and $65,000 per person at age 65 and older. Married couples can each claim it, doubling the household exclusion.
Will a 401(k) reduce my Georgia state tax?
Yes. Georgia follows federal treatment — traditional 401(k) contributions reduce both your federal AND Georgia taxable income. A 5% contribution on $80,000 saves about $200 in Georgia tax alone, plus federal savings. This makes Georgia 401(k) contributions more impactful than in states like Pennsylvania that tax 401(k) money up-front.
Does this calculator match what my employer withholds?
It gives a close estimate, not an exact match. Employers withhold using IRS Publication 15-T and the full details on your Form W-4 — extra withholding, multiple jobs, dependents, credits. This tool models the standard deduction with a single or married filing status, which is what most people end up close to at tax time.