Colorado · 2026
Colorado paycheck calculator
| Item | Per paycheck | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,307.69 | $59,999.94 |
| Federal income tax | −$193.08 | −$5,020.08 |
| Social security | −$143.08 | −$3,720.08 |
| Medicare | −$33.46 | −$869.96 |
| Colorado income tax | −$92.23 | −$2,397.98 |
| Take-home pay | $1,845.84 | $47,991.84 |
The official method, step by step
For 2026, the Colorado lines are worked out as follows (rule set us-co-2026.1): Colorado income tax by DR 1098: 4.40% of annual pay after $5,500 ($11,000 married filing jointly), or the DR 0004 amount.
- Pay is annualized, then reduced by the Form W-4 amount for your filing status ($8,600, or $12,900 if married filing jointly) unless the Step 2 box is checked.
- Federal income tax comes from the IRS 2026 Annual Percentage Method table for that status, divided back to one paycheck.
- Social security is 6.2% of wages until the year's wages reach $184,500.
- Medicare is 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% on wages over $200,000 in the year.
- A pre-tax 401(k) lowers federal income tax wages, not social security or Medicare wages.
- Colorado income tax follows DR 1098, the 2026 Colorado Withholding Worksheet for Employers: annual pay less $5,500 ($11,000 if the W-4 says married filing jointly), or less the DR 0004 Line 2 amount if the employee gave one, times 4.40%, divided over the pay periods.
What this leaves out
The calculator works out federal income tax, social security, Medicare and the Colorado lines for 2026, and leaves out the items below.
- Colorado FAMLI (paid family and medical leave) premiums
- Denver and other local occupational privilege taxes
- DR 0004 amounts and additional withholding (the pay stub generator handles them)
- W-4 Step 3 credits and Step 4 entries (the pay stub generator handles them)
Sources: Colorado Department of Revenue, DR 1098, 2026 Colorado Withholding Worksheet for Employers (4.40%; $11,000 married filing jointly, $5,500 otherwise, or the DR 0004 Line 2 amount); Colorado Department of Revenue, DR 0004, 2026 Colorado Employee Withholding Certificate; IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods: Worksheet 1A and the Annual Percentage Method Tables; IRS Publication 15 (2026), (Circular E) Employer's Tax Guide: social security and Medicare tax, Additional Medicare Tax.
Colorado paycheck calculator: common questions
Common questions about Colorado paychecks and take-home pay in 2026, answered from the official sources listed above.
What is the Colorado income tax rate for 2026?
A flat 4.40%, the rate DR 1098 uses for 2026 withholding.
How is Colorado tax withheld from a paycheck?
Pay is annualized, the allowance comes off ($5,500, or $11,000 for married filing jointly, or the amount on the employee's DR 0004), 4.40% applies, and the result is divided back to one paycheck. For example, $2,000 every two weeks, single: $52,000 − $5,500 = $46,500 × 4.40% = $2,046 a year, or $78.69 a paycheck.
Does an employee need a Colorado DR 0004?
No. It's optional. Without one, the employer uses the filing status on the federal W-4. With one, the employer must use its amounts, even if they're zero.
Can I make a pay stub from this?
Yes. “Make a Colorado pay stub with these numbers” opens the pay stub generator with this paycheck, Colorado as the work state and these deductions filled in. Once you add the pay date, it can recalculate the same Colorado line.
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