See your Phoenix take-home pay before your next paycheck
Enter your annual salary or hourly wages to estimate how much money you could keep after federal income tax, Arizona withholding, Social Security, Medicare and employee benefits.
The calculator uses Arizona’s 2026 flat 2.5% state income tax for annual tax planning and lets you select the withholding percentage from Arizona Form A-4. That distinction matters because the amount deducted from each paycheck may not equal your eventual Arizona income tax.
Best suited to a full-year Arizona resident with one covered W-2 job. The result is an estimate, not a direct connection to your employer’s payroll system.
Phoenix paycheck calculator
Start with your pay and filing status. The calculator shows an estimated paycheck using your Arizona A-4 election, plus a separate projection of annual income-tax liability.
How much tax comes out of a Phoenix paycheck in 2026?
Phoenix employees generally pay federal income tax, Arizona income tax and employee Social Security and Medicare taxes. Arizona’s 2026 individual income tax rate is 2.5%, and Phoenix does not impose an additional city income tax on employee wages.
However, the Arizona state tax deducted from each paycheck is based on your Form A-4 withholding election. That deduction may be 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3% or 3.5% of Arizona gross taxable wages, even though final Arizona income tax is generally calculated using a 2.5% flat rate on Arizona taxable income.
Arizona tax rate
Flat state income tax applied to Arizona taxable income.
Phoenix wage tax
No additional city wage income tax. Other local taxes are separate.
Social Security
Employee tax on covered wages up to $184,500 in 2026.
Medicare
Regular employee Medicare tax on covered wages, with no ordinary wage cap.
Does Phoenix have its own income tax?
No. Arizona law generally reserves individual income taxation to the state, preventing municipalities such as Phoenix from imposing their own separate wage income tax while the applicable state revenue-sharing arrangement is maintained.
Phoenix may still impose transaction privilege taxes and other local taxes or fees. Those charges are not the same as an employee income tax deduction and are not included in this paycheck calculator.
References: Arizona Department of Revenue withholding rules and Arizona Revised Statutes §43-201.
Phoenix salary after taxes: $40,000 to $150,000
Compare common salary amounts to understand the approximate annual federal income tax, Arizona income tax and employee Social Security/Medicare deductions. These examples assume single filing, one covered W-2 job, the 2026 federal standard deduction, the modeled Arizona standard deduction, and no credits, retirement contributions, extra benefits or other income.
| Annual salary | Estimated federal tax | Estimated Arizona tax | Employee FICA | Annual after-tax income | Biweekly equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $2,390 | $597.50 | $3,060 | $33,952.50 | $1,305.87 |
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $847.50 | $3,825 | $41,507.50 | $1,596.44 |
| $75,000 | $7,670 | $1,472.50 | $5,737.50 | $60,120 | $2,312.31 |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $2,097.50 | $7,650 | $77,082.50 | $2,964.71 |
| $150,000 | $24,734 | $3,347.50 | $11,475 | $110,443.50 | $4,247.83 |
These are annual tax-liability illustrations, not predictions of actual A-4 or federal W-4 withholding. The Arizona deduction values are modeled from 2026 inflation-indexed amounts; check the final Arizona filing instructions before preparing a return.
How much is $80,000 after taxes in Phoenix?
For a single employee earning $80,000, using the 2026 standard deduction and no extra adjustments, the simplified model estimates approximately $8,770 in federal income tax, $1,597.50 in Arizona income tax and $6,120 in regular employee FICA.
That leaves approximately $63,512.50 per year after those modeled taxes, or around $2,442.79 per biweekly period before retirement and other benefit deductions.
With the default 2% Arizona A-4 withholding, $1,600 would be withheld for the year on $80,000 in assumed taxable wages. That is slightly more than the projected $1,597.50 annual Arizona tax in this example.
How Arizona Form A-4 changes your Phoenix paycheck
Form A-4 tells your employer the Arizona income tax withholding percentage you want applied to gross taxable wages. Arizona provides several fixed percentage elections. The selected percentage is normally applied to wages after qualifying pre-tax payroll deductions.
2026 A-4 withholding percentage comparison
The following table shows the estimated Arizona tax withheld from a $75,000 annual taxable wage amount, assuming 26 equal paychecks and no extra withholding.
| A-4 election | Annual Arizona withholding | Biweekly Arizona withholding | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5% | $375 | $14.42 | May be insufficient for some taxpayers. |
| 1.0% | $750 | $28.85 | Lower withholding election. |
| 1.5% | $1,125 | $43.27 | May still differ from final annual tax. |
| 2.0% | $1,500 | $57.69 | Default rate when a new employee has not provided Form A-4. |
| 2.5% | $1,875 | $72.12 | Withholding rate equals Arizona’s flat tax rate, but the taxable bases differ. |
| 3.0% | $2,250 | $86.54 | Higher withholding may increase a potential refund. |
| 3.5% | $2,625 | $100.96 | Highest listed regular percentage election. |
How to change your Arizona withholding
- Open the Arizona Department of Revenue website. Visit the official Form A-4 download page.
- Select tax year 2026. Open the current Employee’s Arizona Withholding Election form and read the employee instructions.
- Check your current withholding. Review your most recent paystub and find the Arizona state income tax withholding line.
- Choose an available rate. Select one of the form’s permitted percentage options. Review the official withholding calculation guide to estimate an appropriate election.
- Add extra withholding if necessary. Form A-4 allows an additional dollar amount to be withheld each paycheck when appropriate.
- Complete the form. Enter your personal information, make your election, sign and date it as instructed.
- Give Form A-4 to your employer. The completed form generally goes to the payroll department, not directly to the Arizona Department of Revenue.
- Review the next paycheck. Check whether the new percentage has been applied and compare actual withholding against your estimated annual tax requirement.
What happens if you never complete Form A-4?
Arizona’s official 2026 Form A-4 instructions state that employers generally withhold Arizona income tax at 2.0% of gross taxable wages when an employee required to provide Form A-4 has not submitted the election.
You can provide a valid updated Form A-4 to change the rate. When your wages or household circumstances change, the appropriate withholding choice may change as well.
How the Phoenix paycheck calculator estimates net pay
The tool uses two related calculations: expected paycheck cash after withholding and expected annual income after estimated tax liability. Keeping those results separate helps avoid treating payroll withholding as the final tax owed.
- Calculate annual gross wages. Salary mode uses your annual salary plus anticipated bonus or commission. Hourly mode converts your hourly pay, regular hours, overtime and working weeks into annual wages.
- Estimate federal taxable income. Eligible traditional retirement contributions and qualified pre-tax benefits reduce wages for federal income-tax purposes. The 2026 federal standard deduction or verified itemized deduction is then applied, along with any other entered federal deductions.
- Apply federal tax brackets. The calculator uses the 2026 progressive federal tax schedule for the selected filing status and subtracts entered nonrefundable federal credits up to the amount of federal income tax.
- Estimate Arizona taxable income. Starting from projected federal taxable wages, the tool applies the Arizona standard deduction estimate or user-provided Arizona itemized deductions, eligible Arizona subtractions and any qualified charitable standard-deduction increase.
- Calculate Arizona income tax. The state projection applies the 2.5% flat income tax rate and subtracts eligible modeled or manually entered nonrefundable Arizona credits.
- Calculate FICA. Social Security is 6.2% of covered wages up to $184,500. Regular Medicare is 1.45%. Additional Medicare is evaluated separately for higher earnings.
- Calculate Arizona payroll withholding. The elected A-4 percentage is applied to estimated Arizona gross taxable wages, along with the extra Arizona withholding entered per paycheck.
- Calculate estimated paycheck cash. Subtract federal withholding, Arizona withholding, employee FICA, traditional retirement contributions, benefits and after-tax deductions from annual gross pay; divide by pay frequency.
- Compare annual withholding with tax liability. The results identify potential Arizona and federal balances based on the annualized amounts entered.
2026 federal standard deduction amounts
Single / married separately
Basic 2026 federal standard deduction for eligible taxpayers.
Married filing jointly
Basic joint federal deduction for 2026.
Head of household
Basic 2026 federal standard deduction for eligible head-of-household filers.
Arizona’s standard deduction in 2026
Arizona has its own standard deduction rules, including inflation adjustments under Arizona Revised Statutes §43-1041. For planning, this calculator uses $16,100 for single and married filing separately, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for head of household.
Those are modeled 2026 Arizona amounts derived from the state’s inflation-indexing approach, rather than a claim that a final 2026 Arizona Form 140 booklet has already been published. Taxpayers should confirm the final state instructions when filing.
Arizona legislation also changed the standard-deduction charitable-contribution increase for 2026, with qualifying amounts and filing-status limits. Enter only a verified eligible increase rather than the entire amount of every donation.
Phoenix hourly paycheck calculator: $20, $25 and $30 per hour
Hourly workers can estimate pay by entering a regular hourly wage, weekly work schedule and expected weeks worked. The tool annualizes those wages before estimating income and payroll taxes.
| Hourly rate | Hours per week | Annual gross at 52 weeks | Biweekly gross | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $20/hour | 40 | $41,600 | $1,600 | Tax filing status, benefit deductions and work schedule. |
| $25/hour | 40 | $52,000 | $2,000 | Arizona A-4 percentage and federal withholding. |
| $30/hour | 40 | $62,400 | $2,400 | 401(k) elections, overtime and health premiums. |
| $35/hour | 40 | $72,800 | $2,800 | Overtime, bonuses and any additional withholding. |
| $40/hour | 40 | $83,200 | $3,200 | Tax bracket effects, retirement savings and benefits. |
Example: $25 per hour in Phoenix
At $25 per hour, working 40 hours per week for 52 weeks produces $52,000 in annual gross pay. This is $2,000 gross for a normal biweekly 80-hour period before taxes and other deductions.
The amount deposited into the worker’s account will be lower once federal withholding, Arizona A-4 withholding, Social Security, Medicare and any benefits are applied.
For an irregular schedule, enter your average expected hours and realistic working weeks rather than automatically assuming every week has 40 paid hours.
Are bonuses and overtime taxed differently in Phoenix?
Bonus or commission checks
Bonus and commission income is generally included in taxable wages. However, the employer may calculate federal withholding using supplemental wage procedures, causing the bonus paycheck to appear more heavily taxed than a normal paycheck.
Enter the expected annual bonus to see its impact on total yearly taxable compensation, but do not assume the same net percentage will be used on the actual bonus check.
Overtime earnings
Overtime pay is generally included in gross wages. A federal deduction can apply to certain qualified overtime premium compensation, subject to eligibility, limits and income phaseouts.
The federal deduction does not automatically eliminate Social Security or Medicare contributions and generally does not mean all overtime gross wages are tax-free.
Arizona’s 2026 treatment of special deductions
Arizona’s 2026 tax conformity legislation includes changes affecting certain federal tax provisions, qualified tips, overtime and other allowable adjustments. The exact deduction is not assumed for every worker because qualifications differ.
To estimate the effect, determine an eligible amount using the IRS guidance on deductions for workers, then consult Arizona’s tax-year instructions before applying any Arizona-specific subtraction.
The calculator allows eligible federal and Arizona deductions to be entered separately to avoid automatically treating every federally deductible amount as identical under state law.
Why your actual Phoenix paycheck may be smaller than expected
Most paycheck differences come from how the employer handles withholding, benefits, year-to-date wages or additional deductions. Compare your current paystub with the calculator before changing any tax election.
| What you notice | Likely reason | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona withholding seems too high. | Your A-4 percentage may be higher than necessary for the expected state liability. | Review the A-4 election and the official Arizona withholding worksheet. |
| Federal withholding does not match. | Payroll may be using W-4 information, multiple-job adjustments or Publication 15-T methods. | Compare the paycheck with the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator. |
| Biweekly net pay is lower than estimated. | Health benefits, retirement contributions, garnishments or after-tax deductions may be missing. | Review every deduction line and update the calculator inputs. |
| Bonus check is much smaller. | Supplemental withholding may apply to the separate bonus payment. | Ask payroll which withholding method was used. |
| Paycheck changes late in the year. | The Social Security wage base may have been reached. | Check the 2026 $184,500 cap and year-to-date covered wages. |
| Married household has two jobs. | Each employer may withhold without considering all household earnings. | Review both Form W-4 elections using the IRS estimator. |
| Expected Arizona refund looks unusual. | A-4 withholding and final 2.5% Arizona tax are based on different calculations. | Compare expected annual withholding with Arizona taxable income, credits and adjustments. |
How to check your Phoenix paycheck line by line
- Find gross wages. Identify wages before taxes, retirement savings and other deductions.
- Identify federal withholding. Look for federal income tax, FIT or a similar label. Keep this separate from FICA.
- Find Arizona state withholding. Compare the amount with your A-4 percentage and gross taxable wages.
- Check Social Security and Medicare. For typical covered W-2 wages, verify the ordinary 6.2% and 1.45% employee rates, subject to the applicable limits.
- Check benefits. Review health insurance, traditional retirement, Roth contributions, HSA/FSA and after-tax deductions.
- Review year-to-date wages. Contribution limits and certain withholding calculations can vary through the year.
- Update the calculator. Enter the verified numbers and compare the resulting per-paycheck cash estimate with your actual direct deposit.
How to update your federal Form W-4 in Phoenix
Phoenix employees should not use Arizona Form A-4 to adjust federal income tax withholding. The federal W-4 and Arizona A-4 serve different purposes.
- Open the official IRS estimator. Go to IRS Tax Withholding Estimator.
- Gather your current paystub. Have gross wages, current federal tax withholding, year-to-date payments and anticipated bonus income ready.
- Enter your filing status and job details. Include other household jobs or spouse earnings if relevant.
- Add relevant deductions and credits. Review dependent tax credits, retirement contributions and other tax adjustments.
- Check the estimated annual tax position. The IRS estimator can indicate whether the projected withholding is high or low.
- Complete an updated W-4. Download Form W-4 or update your employer’s payroll system using the recommended information.
- Submit the changes to payroll. Your employer, not this calculator, changes the actual federal withholding.
- Review a subsequent paycheck. Confirm that the updated withholding is reflected and reassess after a significant life or income change.
How to file Arizona income taxes as a Phoenix resident
Tax year 2026 generally covers income earned from January 1 through December 31, 2026, with the corresponding federal and Arizona returns typically filed during 2027.
For a full-year Arizona resident, Form 140 is the main individual income tax return when required by the taxpayer’s circumstances. Some eligible residents may use simpler forms, while nonresidents and part-year residents have different filing requirements.
- Collect your tax documents. Gather W-2s, 1099s, dependent records, donation receipts, federal return information and documents supporting Arizona credits or subtractions.
- Open Arizona’s official individual tax forms. Visit the Arizona Department of Revenue individual income tax forms page.
- Select the correct filing year. For 2026 income, use the final 2026 Arizona forms and instructions when they become available for filing in 2027.
- Choose the applicable return. Review Form 140 for full-year residents, Form 140PY for part-year residents or Form 140NR for nonresidents as appropriate.
- Enter federal adjusted gross income and Arizona adjustments. Arizona generally starts from federal adjusted gross income, then applies state-specific additions, subtractions and deductions.
- Claim eligible Arizona credits. Review dependent credits, qualifying charitable contributions and other allowable credits using official state instructions.
- Enter Arizona income tax withheld. Reconcile Arizona withholding reported on your W-2 with estimated payments and credits.
- Review and file your return. Use a supported e-filing method or official paper process. Keep confirmation records.
How to check an Arizona tax refund or make a payment
Use the Arizona Department of Revenue website to navigate to individual income-tax payment and refund services. Select the appropriate tax year, verify the identity and payment requirements, and retain the confirmation.
If you have income with little or no withholding, you may need federal and Arizona estimated payments. State estimated-tax procedures differ from paycheck A-4 elections and should be checked separately.
1099 contractors, multi-state workers and unusual tax situations
Self-employed or 1099 income
Independent contractors need a calculation based on net business profit, federal self-employment tax, Arizona income tax, deductible business expenses and estimated payments.
A W-2 employee paycheck calculator should not apply ordinary employee-only FICA treatment to a complete 1099 income projection.
Live in another state
Arizona residents working elsewhere or nonresidents earning Arizona-source income may face allocation, state credits or withholding exceptions.
Review the relevant Form 140, 140NR or 140PY instructions and tax agreements before relying on a full-year Arizona resident calculation.
High income or investment income
Significant capital gains, investment income, employee stock awards, AMT, Additional Medicare Tax and other special provisions can require a complete federal and state tax projection.
Do not assume the ordinary salary-only estimate includes every investment or special tax rule.
Phoenix Paycheck Calculator 2026 FAQs
1. How much income tax do I pay on my paycheck in Phoenix?
Phoenix employees generally pay federal income tax, Arizona income tax and Social Security/Medicare taxes. Arizona’s flat income tax rate is 2.5% on Arizona taxable income. Actual Arizona paycheck withholding uses the percentage selected on Form A-4, which can differ from final tax liability.
2. Does Phoenix have a city income tax in 2026?
No. Phoenix does not impose a separate municipal wage income tax. Arizona law generally reserves income taxation to the state. Phoenix transaction privilege taxes and other local charges are not employee wage income tax deductions.
3. What is Arizona’s income tax rate for 2026?
Arizona’s individual income tax rate for 2026 is 2.5%. The flat rate applies to Arizona taxable income after applicable deductions, adjustments and credits. It should not be confused with the Arizona A-4 payroll withholding percentage.
4. How do I calculate biweekly take-home pay in Phoenix?
Enter your annual salary or hourly wages, choose biweekly pay frequency, select your tax filing status and Arizona A-4 withholding percentage, and add any benefits or deductions. The calculator estimates federal withholding, Arizona withholding, employee FICA and take-home pay for 26 equal periods.
5. What is the default Arizona tax withholding percentage?
Arizona generally requires a new employee to submit Form A-4 within five days of employment. If the employee does not submit the required form, the employer generally withholds Arizona income tax at 2.0% of gross taxable wages until a valid election is made.
6. Why is my Phoenix paycheck smaller than my salary divided by 26?
Federal income tax withholding, Arizona A-4 withholding, Social Security, Medicare, health premiums, retirement contributions, additional withholding and other payroll deductions can all reduce direct deposit amounts.
7. How much is $80,000 after taxes in Phoenix?
For a single filer using the 2026 standard deduction assumptions, an $80,000 W-2 salary produces an estimated $63,512.50 after federal income tax, Arizona income tax and regular employee FICA, before other benefits or deductions. Actual paycheck amounts vary with withholding elections.
8. Can I change Arizona tax withholding on my paycheck?
Yes. Obtain the current Arizona Form A-4 from the Arizona Department of Revenue, choose an eligible withholding percentage and any extra dollar amount, sign the form and provide it to your employer. Review the following paycheck to confirm the change.
9. Are bonuses and overtime taxed in Phoenix?
Bonuses, commissions and overtime generally count as taxable compensation. Federal supplemental withholding rules may affect bonus checks. Certain qualifying overtime compensation may be eligible for deductions under 2026 tax law, but eligibility and income limits apply, and ordinary payroll taxes can still be due.
10. Can I use this calculator for Phoenix 1099 or self-employment taxes?
Not as a complete calculation. The tool is intended for covered W-2 employee wages. Freelancers and business owners generally need to estimate tax using net business profit, federal self-employment tax, federal and Arizona income tax, business deductions and any estimated payments.
Official IRS and Arizona resources for 2026 Phoenix paychecks
These government sources support the rates, payroll elections, deduction rules and practical steps explained on this page.
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Arizona Department of Revenue — Individual Withholding
Arizona withholding percentage elections, default withholding and Form A-4 guidance.
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Arizona Department of Revenue — Form A-4
Official 2026 employee Arizona withholding election form.
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Arizona Department of Revenue — Withholding Calculations
State withholding percentage and extra withholding calculation instructions.
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Arizona Department of Revenue — Individual Income Tax Forms
Arizona resident, part-year and nonresident filing resources.
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Arizona Revised Statutes §43-1041
Arizona standard deduction and inflation-adjustment framework.
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Arizona Revised Statutes §43-201
State preemption of local income taxation.
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IRS — 2026 Federal Income Tax Inflation Adjustments
Federal standard deductions and progressive income-tax brackets.
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Social Security Administration — 2026 Wage Base
The $184,500 Social Security taxable wage cap and employee rates.
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IRS Publication 15-T — Federal Income Tax Withholding
Official employer paycheck withholding methods.
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IRS Tax Withholding Estimator
Federal paycheck withholding review and Form W-4 planning.
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IRS — 2026 Worker Tax Deductions
Certain qualifying tips, overtime, senior and vehicle-related deductions.
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Arizona Department of Revenue — Tax Credits
State tax-credit categories and eligibility guidance.