Global Tax & Take-Home Calculator

Whether you are a freelancer, an ecommerce seller with a Shopify or Etsy store, or a salaried employee, understanding how to calculate your taxes is one of the most important financial skills you can develop. This free tax calculator covers income tax for 21 countries, payroll deductions, and helps answer the most-searched tax questions for 2026.

How to Calculate Income Tax (Step-by-Step)

Most countries use a progressive tax bracket system — your income is taxed in layers, not all at once. Here is how to calculate it manually for the US (2026, Single filer, $75,000 salary):

• First $11,600 × 10% = $1,160
• Next $35,550 × 12% = $4,266
• Remaining $27,850 × 22% = $6,127
• Total Federal Tax = $11,553. Effective Rate = 15.4%

The key insight: your marginal rate (22%) only applies to your last dollars of income, not your full salary. That is why your effective rate (15.4%) is always lower.

How to Calculate Sales Tax

Sales tax is added at point-of-purchase on goods and services. The formula to calculate sales tax is simple: Sales Tax = Purchase Price × Tax Rate. For example, a $200 purchase in California (7.25% state rate + local): $200 × 0.0725 = $14.50 in tax, making the total $214.50.

US sales tax rates vary dramatically by state. Nine states have zero sales tax: Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Alaska. Tennessee has one of the highest at 9.55% combined. State-specific calculators for Texas (8.25%), New York City (8.875%), Missouri (4.225%), and New Jersey (6.625%) are among the most searched.

Paycheck Tax Calculator: What Gets Deducted?

Your gross pay and your take-home pay are very different numbers. Every US paycheck deducts:

• Federal Income Tax — based on your W-4 elections and income bracket
• FICA Taxes — Social Security (6.2%) + Medicare (1.45%) = 7.65% of gross pay
• State Income Tax — varies from 0% to 13.3% (California)
• Pre-tax deductions — 401k, health insurance (reduce your taxable income)

Use the calculator above to see your exact monthly, weekly, and daily take-home pay after all deductions. Switch between Employee and Self-Employed to see the full FICA burden self-employed individuals face (15.3% SE tax vs. 7.65% for employees).

Self-Employed & Ecommerce Seller Tax: What You Need to Know

If you run a Shopify store, Etsy shop, or freelance business, your tax situation is more complex. In the US, you must pay regular Federal Income Tax on your net profit plus Self-Employment (SE) Tax of 15.3%. You can deduct half of your SE tax, health insurance premiums, and retirement contributions to reduce your taxable income.

How to Get a Bigger Tax Refund in 2026

A tax refund simply means you overpaid throughout the year. To legally reduce your tax bill and keep more money: maximize contributions to pre-tax retirement accounts (401k: $23,000/year, IRA: $7,000/year), use an HSA if you have a high-deductible health plan, and claim every eligible business deduction. The What-If Scenarios tool above shows exactly how much each strategy saves you.