How California taxes your paycheck
California taxes wages on a graduated scale with nine brackets, from 1% on the first slice of taxable income to 12.3% at the top, plus an extra 1% Behavioral Health Services Tax on taxable income over $1 million. The brackets rise with inflation every year; the 2026 schedules are below.
Two things make California different. Its standard deduction is small, but every filer also gets an exemption credit that comes straight off the tax, not off income, and it shrinks once federal AGI passes about $250,000. And on top of income tax, State Disability Insurance (SDI), which also pays for Paid Family Leave, takes a percentage of every dollar of wages: since 2024 there is no wage cap.
2026 California tax brackets: single
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 to $11,456 | 1% |
| $11,457 to $27,157 | 2% |
| $27,158 to $42,861 | 4% |
| $42,862 to $59,498 | 6% |
| $59,499 to $75,197 | 8% |
| $75,198 to $384,109 | 9.3% |
| $384,110 to $460,927 | 10.3% |
| $460,928 to $768,213 | 11.3% |
| $768,214 to $1,000,000 | 12.3% |
| Over $1,000,000 | 13.3% |
2026 California tax brackets: married filing jointly
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 to $22,912 | 1% |
| $22,913 to $54,314 | 2% |
| $54,315 to $85,722 | 4% |
| $85,723 to $118,996 | 6% |
| $118,997 to $150,394 | 8% |
| $150,395 to $768,218 | 9.3% |
| $768,219 to $921,854 | 10.3% |
| $921,855 to $1,000,000 | 11.3% |
| $1,000,001 to $1,536,426 | 12.3% |
| Over $1,536,426 | 13.3% |
2026 California tax brackets: head of household
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 to $22,927 | 1% |
| $22,928 to $54,316 | 2% |
| $54,317 to $70,018 | 4% |
| $70,019 to $86,654 | 6% |
| $86,655 to $102,356 | 8% |
| $102,357 to $522,385 | 9.3% |
| $522,386 to $626,864 | 10.3% |
| $626,865 to $1,000,000 | 11.3% |
| $1,000,001 to $1,044,771 | 12.3% |
| Over $1,044,771 | 13.3% |
- Standard deduction: $5,900 single, $11,800 married filing jointly, $11,800 head of household.
- Exemption credit: $158 single, $316 married filing jointly, $158 head of household, taken off the tax itself.
California payroll taxes
On top of income tax, California takes these from every paycheck. Pre-tax health premiums lower them; 401(k) contributions don't.
- State Disability Insurance (SDI), which includes Paid Family Leave: 1.3% of wages, with no wage cap.
Worked example
You earn $75,000 a year in California, file single and are paid every two weeks. Federal income tax is $7,670 and Social Security and Medicare $5,738, the same in every state.
California taxes $69,100 of it, for $2,665 of state income tax, plus $975 of CA SDI. You keep $57,952 a year, or $2,228.94 per paycheck: $3,640 a year less than in a state with no income tax.
The same salary takes home $61,593 in Texas and $57,784 in New York.
Take-home pay in California by salary
Single filer, paid every two weeks, no 401(k) or premiums.
| Salary | California tax | Take-home per year | Per paycheck |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $1,068 | $33,252 | $1,278.91 |
| $60,000 | $2,353 | $48,037 | $1,847.57 |
| $80,000 | $4,105 | $61,005 | $2,346.34 |
| $100,000 | $6,211 | $72,969 | $2,806.51 |
| $150,000 | $11,511 | $102,280 | $3,933.85 |
Things to know
- SDI on your 401(k) money. A traditional 401(k) lowers your California income tax, but SDI is figured on wages before 401(k) deferrals, so contributing doesn't lower that line of your paycheck.
- California doesn't recognize HSAs. Health savings account contributions through payroll escape federal tax but are taxed by California, so expect a little more state tax than federal-only calculators show if you use one.
- Remote work from another state. California taxes nonresidents only on pay for work done in California. Days you work from your home in another state usually aren't California income, even if your employer is based here.
- No city income tax on wages. San Francisco and other cities tax employers, not paychecks, so nothing local comes out of your pay.
- This estimates what you owe, not what's withheld. Withholding follows your W-4 and California's own withholding form, so paychecks can differ a little; the difference comes back as a refund or is due when you file. The W-4 withholding calculator checks the federal side.
Questions people ask
What is CA SDI on my paycheck?
State Disability Insurance: an employee-paid payroll tax that funds disability and Paid Family Leave benefits. It's a flat percentage of all wages, with no cap since 2024, and it doesn't go down when you contribute to a 401(k).
Does California tax my 401(k) contributions?
Not for income tax: traditional 401(k) deferrals come off your California taxable wages, as they do federally. They are still subject to SDI, Social Security and Medicare.
What is California's top tax rate?
12.3% on taxable income above the top bracket, and 13.3% on the part of taxable income over $1 million, because of the 1% Behavioral Health Services Tax (formerly the Mental Health Services Tax).
Paycheck calculators for other states
Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Michigan · New York · North Carolina · Ohio · Pennsylvania · Texas. For any other state, the paycheck calculator takes your state's rate.
Sources
- California Franchise Tax Board: Tax News, October 2026 (2026 indexing: brackets, standard deduction, exemption credits)
- California Franchise Tax Board: 2025 Form 540 booklet (exemption credit phase-out, behavioral health services tax)
- California EDD: contribution rates and withholding schedules (SDI 1.3%, no wage limit)
- California EDD: 2026 California Payroll Taxes (DE 201)
- IRS: tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (federal brackets and standard deduction)
- Social Security Administration: contribution and benefit base ($184,500 in 2026)
Reviewed October 11, 2026 by The Dollars World team. How we build and check our calculators · Our data and formulas. This is general information, not financial advice.