Iowa · 2026
Iowa 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 |
| Iowa income tax | −$67.15 | −$1,745.90 |
| Take-home pay | $1,870.92 | $48,643.92 |
The official method, step by step
For 2026, the Iowa lines are worked out as follows (rule set us-ia-2026.1): Iowa income tax by the 2026 formula: 3.80% of pay after the deduction for the IA W-4 marital status, less the IA W-4 allowance amount divided over the pay periods.
- 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.
- Iowa income tax follows the Iowa Withholding Formula effective 1 January 2026: the pay period's deduction for the IA W-4 marital status comes off ($500 every two weeks for most employees, $750 for head of household, $1,000 for married filing jointly with a spouse who has no earned income), 3.80% applies, and the IA W-4 allowance amount divided over the pay periods is subtracted.
What this leaves out
The calculator works out federal income tax, social security, Medicare and the Iowa lines for 2026, and leaves out the items below.
- IA W-4 forms from 2023 or earlier, which use allowance counts
- IA W-4 additional withholding (the pay stub generator handles it)
- Benefits, garnishments and other after-tax deductions
- W-4 Step 3 credits and Step 4 entries (the pay stub generator handles them)
Sources: Iowa Department of Revenue, Iowa Withholding Formula Effective January 1, 2026: deduction by marital status, 3.80%, less the IA W-4 allowance amount ÷ pay periods; Iowa Department of Revenue, 2026 IA W-4 Employee Withholding Allowance 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.
Iowa paycheck calculator: common questions
Common questions about Iowa paychecks and take-home pay in 2026, answered from the official sources listed above.
What is the Iowa income tax rate for 2026?
A flat 3.80% for withholding in 2026.
How is Iowa tax withheld from a paycheck?
The Department of Revenue's example: $2,100 every two weeks, marital status Other, $40 allowance amount: $2,100 − $500 = $1,600; 3.80% is $60.80; less $40 ÷ 26 is $59.26.
What is the allowance amount on the IA W-4?
Since 2024 the IA W-4 asks for a dollar amount of allowances rather than a count. It's a yearly credit, spread over the pay periods.
Can I make a pay stub from this?
Yes. “Make a Iowa pay stub with these numbers” opens the pay stub generator with this paycheck, Iowa as the work state and these deductions filled in. Once you add the pay date, it can recalculate the same Iowa line.
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