Iowa Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your Iowa take-home pay. Iowa completed a dramatic transformation: from 9 brackets with a top rate of 8.53% just a few years ago, the state moved to a true flat tax of 3.8% effective TY2025 (HF 2317 of 2022, fully phased in for 2025+). The standard deduction is $2,130 single / $5,240 MFJ. No local income tax in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, or anywhere else in Iowa. Iowa also fully exempts Social Security and all retirement income for filers age 55+ — one of the most retirement-friendly states in the Midwest.
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 Des Moines
Say you take a $60,000-a-year job in Des Moines, 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 |
| Iowa state tax (3.8% × ($60,000 − $2,130 standard deduction)) | −$2,199.06 |
| Take-home for the year | $48,190.94 |
| Take-home per biweekly check | $1,853.50 |
About 20% of your gross goes to federal, FICA, and Iowa state tax combined. Iowa's effective state rate at $60k single is about 3.67% — close to the 3.8% headline because the small $2,130 standard deduction provides modest shielding. The combined burden has dropped substantially since 2022, when Iowa's top rate was 8.53%. No local income tax means the 3.8% state rate is your total income tax.
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. Iowa follows federal — both pre-tax items reduce IA taxable income. The MFJ standard deduction is $5,240. State tax for the year runs about $4,051, and your monthly take-home lands around $7,488.
How a Iowa paycheck is calculated
Iowa uses a flat tax for 2026. The formula is:
A few Iowa-specific details worth knowing:
- 3.8% is the endpoint of HF 2317. Iowa's 2022 reform laid out a multi-year reduction from 9 brackets (top 8.53%) down to a single flat rate. The phase-down ran 2023-2024 and reached flat 3.8% in TY2025+. This is one of the most dramatic state tax reforms in recent US history.
- SD source conflicts in published guides. Some sources (Tax Foundation) cite Iowa's combined SD/exemption as $12,500/$25,000 (rolled into the reform); other sources (remoteLaws Feb 2026, citing tax.iowa.gov) cite $2,130/$5,240 as the standalone SD. This calculator uses the lower number — conservative — which slightly overstates Iowa tax. Verify your individual situation against your IA 1040.
- No local income tax anywhere. Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, Iowa City, Waterloo — none collect income tax. Iowa joins about 35 states without any local wage tax.
- 401(k) and pre-tax both reduce IA tax. Iowa follows federal treatment for traditional 401(k) and Section 125 items.
- Illinois reciprocity only. Iowa has a tax reciprocity agreement with Illinois only — Iowa residents working in Illinois pay Iowa tax (not Illinois), and Illinois residents working in Iowa pay Illinois tax (not Iowa). No reciprocity with Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, or South Dakota.
- All retirement income exempt for age 55+. Iowa's 2023 reform made Social Security, pensions, 401(k) distributions, IRA withdrawals, and military retirement ALL fully exempt for residents age 55 or older. Combined with the flat 3.8% rate during working years, Iowa is now one of the most retirement-friendly states.
- Filing deadline is April 30. Iowa's deadline is two weeks later than federal April 15 — giving you extra time. Iowa also has no estate tax (eliminated 2022) and phased out its inheritance tax.
What Iowa paychecks look like at common salaries (single, no 401k)
| Annual salary | Federal tax | FICA | IA tax (3.8%) | Net per year | Net per biweekly check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $2,620.00 | $3,060.00 | $1,439.06 | $32,880.94 | $1,264.65 |
| $50,000 | $3,820.00 | $3,825.00 | $1,819.06 | $40,535.94 | $1,559.07 |
| $60,000 | $5,020.00 | $4,590.00 | $2,199.06 | $48,190.94 | $1,853.50 |
| $75,000 | $7,670.00 | $5,737.50 | $2,769.06 | $58,823.44 | $2,262.44 |
| $100,000 | $13,170.00 | $7,650.00 | $3,719.06 | $75,460.94 | $2,902.34 |
| $150,000 | $24,734.00 | $11,475.00 | $5,619.06 | $108,171.94 | $4,160.46 |
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 Iowa's state income tax rate in 2026?
Iowa has a flat 3.8% state income tax for TY2026, the endpoint of HF 2317's (2022) multi-year phase-down. The reform eliminated Iowa's prior 9-bracket structure (top rate 8.53%) and consolidated to a single flat rate. The 3.8% rate applies equally to single and married filers.
How much of a $60,000 salary do you take home in Iowa?
A single filer earning $60,000 in Iowa with no pre-tax deductions takes home roughly $48,191 a year, or about $1,854 every two weeks. That's $5,020 federal, $4,590 FICA, and $2,199 Iowa state tax (3.8% on $57,870 after the $2,130 standard deduction). No local income tax in Iowa.
What is the Iowa standard deduction for 2026?
Sources conflict. The Tax Foundation cites Iowa's reformed combined SD as $12,500 single / $25,000 MFJ. Other authoritative sources (remoteLaws Feb 2026 citing tax.iowa.gov) cite $2,130 single / $5,240 MFJ — the historical Iowa-specific amounts. This calculator uses the lower numbers — conservative — meaning it may overstate your IA tax slightly. Check your IA 1040 instructions for your specific filing year.
Does Des Moines or Cedar Rapids have a local income tax?
No. Iowa does NOT allow cities or counties to levy income taxes on wages. Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, Iowa City, Waterloo — every Iowa city collects zero income tax. The 3.8% state rate is your total income tax burden.
Is retirement income taxed in Iowa?
No, for residents age 55 or older. Iowa's 2023 reform made ALL retirement income fully exempt for filers 55+ — including Social Security, pensions, 401(k) distributions, IRA withdrawals, and military retirement pay. Iowa is now one of the most retirement-friendly states in the country, complementing its eliminated estate tax (2022) and phased-out inheritance tax.