Texas Paycheck Take-Home (2026)

The federal slice (identical in every state)

On $85,000 salary, single, $3,000 pre-tax deductions, 2026 standard deduction $16,100:

• Federal income tax (annualized brackets): $9,210
• Employee FICA: $6,502 (6.2% Social Security on wages up to $184,500 + 1.45% Medicare)
• Pre-tax deductions: $3,000 (already out of taxable wages for the federal estimate)

Texas withholds $0 state income tax. The state column below is empty on purpose.

A Texas paycheck has no state income-tax line

Texas W-2 withholding is federal income tax plus employee FICA. There is no state income-tax percentage to enter in the paycheck calculator — leave pc-state at 0. Local wage taxes are not a Texas feature the way they are in Pennsylvania or Ohio cities.

The take-home gap versus a high-tax state is the state line, not FICA. Social Security (6.2% up to $184,500) and Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% Additional Medicare above $200,000 single) are federal. An $85,000 Texas salary and an $85,000 California salary send the same FICA to the SSA; California then withholds FTB tax on top.

Property tax is paid outside payroll. Do not “gross up” a paycheck estimate to stand in for a mortgage escrow. If you also freelance, Texas still will not tax that profit, but the IRS will — use quarterly estimates for the 1099 side.

Source note: No Texas personal income tax on wages or Schedule C profit. Agency: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (franchise / margin tax only).

Worked biweekly stub: $85,000 in Texas

26 pay periods, single, $0 W-4 Step 3 credits, $0 extra withholding:

State column = salary × 0.00%, matching how calcPaycheck applies pc-state. Graduated states and cities will differ from payroll software.

Same salary, three states (why the matrix exists)

Federal + FICA on this $85,000 profile is the same everywhere ($15,712). The take-home gap is the state (and local) line. Texas and Florida add $0. Texas adds about $0 in this planning model ($0.00 per biweekly check).

A raise into Additional Medicare ($200,000 single) or over the Social Security wage base changes FICA the same way in every state. Texas brackets or flat rate then apply to the larger wage — they do not replace FICA.

Two more Texas salaries (same W-4 assumptions)

The paycheck calculator annualizes federal brackets, then splits by 26. State is still the flat planning % (0.00%) × salary — honest about what the tool does when locals are extra.

*$3,000 pre-tax, single, no Step 3 credit. Locals not included.

W-4 Step 4(a) when you also freelance in Texas

Extra withholding on the W-2 can cover federal income tax on a small 1099, but it never pays self-employment tax — that still needs 1040-ES. It also never pays Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (franchise / margin tax only) unless your payroll setup includes extra state withholding. Most Texas side hustles are cleaner as a separate quarterly set-aside: see quarterly taxes in Texas.

If your only income is this W-2, the $1,000 estimated-tax rule usually does not bite because withholding already paid the IRS. Switching from staff to 1099 mid-year is when Texas residents miss Q3/Q4. Put the start date on a calendar; do not wait for a 1099 in January.

Frequently asked questions