Payroll Tax Calculator 2026
Calculate your total employer payroll tax burden — FICA, FUTA, and state unemployment — for any state. Free, instant, no signup.
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Uses 2026 federal rates and new-employer SUTA rates. Actual SUTA rates vary by employer experience rating. This is an estimate — consult a tax professional for exact obligations.
How This Calculator Works
This payroll tax calculator estimates the total employer-side tax burden for your business. It covers three mandatory federal payroll taxes plus your state's unemployment insurance contribution.
FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) is the combination of Social Security tax (6.2% on wages up to $176,100.00 in 2026) and Medicare tax (1.45% on all wages, no cap). As an employer, you pay the same rate your employees pay — so the total FICA obligation is split 50/50. This calculator shows only the employer share.
FUTA (Federal Unemployment Tax Act) is a federal tax that funds state unemployment programs. The gross rate is 6.0% on the first $7,000 of each employee's wages, but employers who pay state unemployment taxes on time receive a 5.4% credit, reducing the effective FUTA rate to 0.6%.
SUTA (State Unemployment Tax Act) rates and wage bases vary significantly by state. New employers are assigned a default rate (shown in this calculator) which typically adjusts after 2-3 years based on your claims experience. States like Alaska and Washington have wage bases exceeding $40,000, while states like California and Florida cap at $7,000.
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Last updated: June 2026. Tax rates sourced from IRS.gov and state workforce agency websites.