South Carolina · 2026
South Carolina 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 |
| South Carolina income tax | −$87.84 | −$2,283.84 |
| Take-home pay | $1,850.23 | $48,105.98 |
The official method, step by step
For 2026, the South Carolina lines are worked out as follows (rule set us-sc-2026.1): South Carolina income tax by WH-1603F: annual pay less $5,000 per allowance and a 10% standard deduction (up to $7,500), then 0%, 3% and 6%.
- 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.
- South Carolina income tax follows WH-1603F for 2026: annual pay less $5,000 per SC W-4 allowance and, with one or more allowances, a standard deduction of 10% of pay up to $7,500. The first $3,640 is taxed at 0%, up to $18,230 at 3%, and above that at 6%, then the tax is divided over the pay periods.
What this leaves out
The calculator works out federal income tax, social security, Medicare and the South Carolina lines for 2026, and leaves out the items below.
- SC W-4 line 6 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: South Carolina Department of Revenue, WH-1603F (Rev. 11/4/25), Formula for Computing South Carolina 2026 Withholding Tax ($5,000 per allowance; 10% standard deduction up to $7,500; 0%, 3% and 6%); South Carolina Department of Revenue, SC W-4 (2026): line 5 allowances, line 6 additional amount; 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.
South Carolina paycheck calculator: common questions
Common questions about South Carolina paychecks and take-home pay in 2026, answered from the official sources listed above.
What is the South Carolina income tax rate for 2026?
Withholding uses 0% on the first $3,640 of taxable income, 3% up to $18,230, and 6% above that.
How is South Carolina tax withheld from a paycheck?
The South Carolina Department of Revenue's own example: $750 a week with three allowances is $39,000 a year, less $15,000 for allowances and $3,900 standard deduction, leaving $20,100. At 6% minus $656.10 that's $549.90 a year, or $10.58 a week.
Why does claiming zero allowances raise withholding?
With zero allowances there's no personal allowance and no standard deduction, so all of the pay is taxed.
Can I make a pay stub from this?
Yes. “Make a South Carolina pay stub with these numbers” opens the pay stub generator with this paycheck, South Carolina as the work state and these deductions filled in. Once you add the pay date, it can recalculate the same South Carolina line.
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