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Tax Withholding Calculator

Estimate how much income tax to withhold from each remaining paycheck so projected payments cover an annual liability plus an optional refund cushion. The calculator compares the target with withholding already recorded and other expected payments.

It is designed for a midyear paycheck check, not to reproduce an employer’s official payroll tables. Use a separate withholding form or official estimator to implement any change.

Enter your assumptions

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Result
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Estimated result
Remaining amount to cover—
Recommended per pay period—
Projected current withholding—
Change per pay period—

1. Use one tax period
Enter all income, deductions, payments, and rates for the same tax year or modeled period.

2. Enter the source amounts
Use records or a prepared estimate rather than mixing gross and net figures.

3. Apply the correct treatment
Choose rates and deductions that match the jurisdiction, taxpayer, asset, or entity being modeled.

4. Review the breakdown
Check intermediate values for duplicated deductions, missing payments, or an unintended zero result.

5. Test another scenario
Change one assumption at a time to see which input drives the estimate; use Reset to restore defaults.

Remaining amount = max(0, Annual tax + Target refund − Withheld to date − Other payments) Recommended withholding per pay period = Remaining amount ÷ Pay periods remaining Adjustment = Recommended amount − Current amount per pay period

What the result means

The displayed result applies only to the assumptions entered and the simplified calculation shown above.

This is a planning estimate, not tax advice. Tax rules vary by jurisdiction, entity type, filing status, holding period, deductions, credits, and tax year.

Given: Annual tax of $16,800, $7,200 withheld so far, 12 pay periods left, and a $500 target refund.

Calculation: Remaining amount = $16,800 + $500 − $7,200 = $10,100. Per-pay withholding = $10,100 ÷ 12 = $841.67.

Result: About $841.67 should be withheld from each remaining paycheck under these assumptions.

Should Social Security and Medicare be included?

Not unless the annual-liability target is specifically defined to include them. This page is intended for income-tax withholding planning.

What counts as other expected payments?

Examples include scheduled estimated-tax payments or withholding from another payer. Do not enter the same payment twice.

Why add a target refund?

It creates a deliberate cushion above the estimated liability. A larger target reduces take-home pay and increases projected overpayment.

Can I use this before receiving a paycheck?

You can model a scenario, but actual payroll withholding depends on payroll tables and information supplied to the payer.

When should withholding be reviewed again?

Review it after major changes in income, deductions, credits, filing status, or the number of jobs, and again when updated tax rules become available.