California Paycheck / Take-Home Pay Calculator
State income tax plus the uncapped 1.3% SDI deduction — the two California-specific bites out of your paycheck.
Your California-specific paycheck deductions are state income tax (marginal brackets, 1%-13.3%) plus the SDI payroll deduction (a flat 1.3% of all wages, no cap). This tool isolates those two to show your state-only take-home impact — add federal tax and FICA separately for your full paycheck picture.
Enter your gross annual income and filing status to see your state tax, SDI deduction, and estimated take-home pay.
CA Paycheck Calculator
Estimated Take-Home Pay (State-Only)
CA State Income Tax
SDI Deduction
How this is calculated
State income tax is computed the same way as our full bracket calculator: gross income minus the standard deduction ($5,706 single / $11,412 married filing jointly) run through the marginal bracket table, plus the extra 1% Mental Health Services Tax on any taxable income over $1,000,000.
The SDI deduction is separate and much simpler: a flat 1.3% of your entire gross income, with no wage cap since 2024 (so, unlike income tax, it's not marginal — every dollar of wages is deducted at the same rate).
Take-home pay shown here = gross income minus state income tax minus SDI — it does not subtract federal income tax or FICA (Social Security/Medicare), since this tool is scoped to what's specifically a California deduction. California has no city or county-level personal income tax, so these two lines are the complete state-specific picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What gets deducted from a California paycheck?
Federal income tax and FICA (Social Security/Medicare), plus California state income tax and the SDI (State Disability Insurance) payroll deduction, currently 1.3% of all wages with no annual cap. This calculator focuses on the California-specific deductions.
Is there a wage cap on the SDI deduction?
No. Since January 1, 2024, all wages are subject to the SDI deduction with no maximum — higher earners pay 1.3% on every dollar, not just up to a capped amount like in years before 2024.
Does California have local city income taxes?
No. Unlike some states, no California city or county imposes its own personal income tax on top of the state income tax — your paycheck deductions are state and federal only (plus a few cities' business-level payroll taxes, which don't come out of employee paychecks).
Why is my take-home pay lower than gross minus just income tax?
Because SDI is a separate payroll deduction from income tax, calculated as a flat percentage of gross wages rather than through the marginal bracket system — so it applies on top of, not instead of, your state income tax.
Does this calculator include federal taxes?
No. This tool focuses specifically on the California-only deductions (state income tax and SDI) to isolate what the state actually takes — add your federal income tax and FICA withholding separately for full take-home pay.
This tool provides an educational estimate only and is not tax advice. It excludes federal tax, FICA, pre-tax deductions (401k, health insurance), and local factors — consult a CPA or your payroll provider for your exact net pay.