How does Wisconsin work out the income tax taken from my paycheck?

Publication W-166's alternate method has your employer turn the paycheck into a year of pay, subtract a standard deduction that gets smaller as pay rises, subtract $400 for each exemption on your Form WT-4, and apply rates of 3.54%, 4.65%, 5.30% and 7.65%. For a $60,000 salary with 1 exemption, the deduction is $1,635.60, the net wage is $57,964.40, the tax is $2,764.59 a year and $106.33 a paycheck.

How much is $60,000 a year after tax in Wisconsin?

For a single employee who claims 1 exemption on the WT-4 and is paid every two weeks, a $60,000 salary takes home $1,831.74 a paycheck, or $47,625.30 a year. The year's taxes are $5,020.08 of federal income tax, $2,764.58 of Wisconsin income tax, $3,720.08 of Social Security and $869.96 of Medicare.

How much is $20 an hour after tax in Wisconsin?

At 40 hours a week and weekly pay, $20 an hour is $800.00 gross and $652.56 take-home a week for a single employee with 1 exemption. That is $54.08 of federal income tax, $32.16 of Wisconsin income tax, $49.60 of Social Security and $11.60 of Medicare. Switch to hourly in the calculator to type your own hours, including overtime.

How many exemptions do I claim on the Wisconsin Form WT-4?

Line 1 adds up to three things: 1 for yourself, 1 for your spouse, and 1 for each dependent you can claim for federal income tax. Each is $400 of pay a year. On the $60,000 example, 0 exemptions withhold $107.15 a paycheck against $106.33 with 1 and $105.52 with 2. A federal Form W-4 cannot be used for Wisconsin, and a claim of complete exemption has to be renewed on a new WT-4 by April 30 each year or the employee is treated as claiming zero.

What are the three marital status boxes on the WT-4?

Single, Married, and Married but withhold at the higher Single rate; a married employee who is legally separated checks Single. Married employees get a bigger deduction, $9,461 against $6,702, so the same $60,000 salary with 1 exemption withholds $104.35 a paycheck as Married against $106.33 as Single.

How does Wisconsin tax a bonus?

A bonus paid at the same time as regular wages is added to them and taxed as one payment. One paid between paydays can be added to the current or the previous paycheck, or withheld at flat percentages that depend on the employee's annual gross salary: 3.54% under $12,760, 4.65% to $25,520, 5.30% to $280,950 and 7.65% above. This calculator treats all pay as regular pay, and the bonus tax calculator works out the bonus case.

What if I live in another state but work in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin has reciprocity agreements with Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan: an employer is not required to withhold Wisconsin tax from a resident of one of them, with written verification such as Form W-220. For a resident of any other state, Wisconsin tax is withheld on wages for work done in Wisconsin, and the employer may also have to withhold for the employee's home state.

What does a 401(k), an HSA or a health plan do to my Wisconsin paycheck?

Publication W-166 says Wisconsin's income and withholding tax laws generally conform to the Internal Revenue Code, and that Wisconsin follows the federal rules for HSAs. This calculator therefore takes a 401(k) deferral, health premiums through a cafeteria plan and HSA contributions through one out of the pay before it applies the Wisconsin method. Putting 6% of a $60,000 salary into a 401(k) ($138.46 a paycheck) cuts Wisconsin withholding by $8.22 and take-home pay by only $113.62. A $100 HSA contribution a paycheck cuts Wisconsin withholding by $5.94.

Who pays unemployment tax in Wisconsin, and how much is it?

The employer does, to the Department of Workforce Development, and nothing comes out of your paycheck for it. Taxable wages are the first $14,000 of each employee's pay. A new employer with a payroll under $500,000 pays 3.05% (3.25% from $500,000, and 2.50% or 2.70% in construction), which is $427.00 a year per employee. Wisconsin is not on the Labor Department's list of states with a 2026 federal credit reduction.

Wisconsin Paycheck Calculator

Last updated October 22, 2026FreeNo signupFormula shown

Enter your pay, how often you are paid, the answers on your Form W-4 and Wisconsin Form WT-4, and this Wisconsin paycheck calculator shows your 2026 take-home pay. It follows the Department of Revenue's alternate method, rates from 3.54% to 7.65% on what is left after a deduction that shrinks as pay rises and your exemptions, and works out the employer's side of the bill under it.

State

Wisconsin

Another state? Pick any of the 50 states and DC.

I'm paid

Yearly salary (USD)

Pay frequency

Filing status on Form W-4

Wisconsin withholding

Exemptions on Form WT-4

$400 a year each: you, a spouse, and each dependent.

Form W-4 steps 2 to 4

Step 2 box is checked

Two jobs with similar pay, or both spouses work. Wisconsin reads this as “Married, but withhold at the higher Single rate” on Form WT-4.

Children under 17

Step 3: $2,200 each.

Other dependents

Step 3: $500 each.

Other income per year

Step 4(a).

Deductions per year

Step 4(b).

Extra withholding each paycheck (USD)

Step 4(c).

401(k), % of pay

2026 limit $24,500.

Health premiums per paycheck

Pre-tax.

HSA per paycheck

2026 limit $8,750.

Take-home pay per paycheck

$1,831.74

$2,307.69 gross · $475.95 withheld (20.6%)

Where this paycheck goes

Gross pay: $2,307.69
Federal income tax: - $193.08
Social Security6.2%: - $143.08
Medicare1.45%: - $33.46
Additional Medicare0.9%: - $0.00
Wisconsin income tax: - $106.33
401(k): - $0.00
Health premiums: - $0.00
HSA: - $0.00

Take-home pay$1,831.74

Over the year, 26 paychecks

Gross pay: $60,000
Taxes: - $12,375
Pre-tax deductions: - $0
Share kept: 79.4%

Take-home pay$47,625

Of every $100 of gross pay, $79 is take-home.

Federal income tax$5,020 · 8.4%
Social Security$3,720 · 6.2%
Medicare$870 · 1.4%
Wisconsin income tax$2,765 · 4.6%
Take-home pay$47,625 · 79.4%

Take-home pay rises with every extra dollar of salary.

Gross payTake-home pay

This pay costs the employer $65,059 a year, $2,502.27 each pay period.

What the employer adds, per year

Employer Social Security6.2% to $184,500: $3,720
Employer Medicare1.45%: $870
Federal unemployment (FUTA)0.6% of the first $7,000: $42
Wisconsin unemployment3.05% of the first $14,000: $427

Employer taxes$5,059

Total cost of the employee

Gross pay: $60,000
Employer taxes: + $5,059
Per pay period: $2,502.27

Per year$65,059

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Wisconsin withholds 3.54% to 7.65% of a year's pay, after a deduction that shrinks as pay rises and $400 for each exemption.

Publication W-166 gives employers five steps. They turn the paycheck into a year of pay, subtract a deduction that is $6,702 for a single employee earning under $17,780, then subtract $400 for each exemption on the WT-4 to get the net wage. The tax on the net wage is 3.54% to $12,760, 4.65% to $25,520, 5.30% to $280,950 and 7.65% above, divided back across the paychecks.

A $60,000 Wisconsin salary takes home $1,831.74 every two weeks.

The calculator opens on this case: a single employee with 1 exemption on the WT-4 and a standard Form W-4, paid every two weeks, with no pre-tax deductions.

Gross pay: $60,000 ÷ 26 = $2,307.69
Federal income tax: $193.08
Wisconsin income tax: net wage $60,000 − $1,635.60 − 1 × $400 = $57,964.40; tax $2,764.59; ÷ 26 = $106.33
Social Security: 6.2% × $2,307.69 = $143.08; Medicare: 1.45% = $33.46
Take-home pay: $1,831.74 a paycheck, $47,625.30 a year

Of $60,000 gross, $47,625 reaches the bank account.

Federal income tax$5,020 · 8.4%
Social Security$3,720 · 6.2%
Medicare$870 · 1.4%
Wisconsin income tax$2,765 · 4.6%
Take-home pay$47,625 · 79.4%

Each paycheck: $1,831.74Kept: 79.4%

A single employee on a $60,000 salary, paid every two weeks, with 1 exemption on the WT-4. Invented example. Each tax is rounded to the cent in every paycheck, as payroll does.

The deduction fades to nothing at $73,630, so a raise in that range is withheld at about 5.936%.

For a single employee the deduction is $6,702 until annual pay reaches $17,780, then it falls by 12 cents for every dollar of pay above that and is gone at $73,630. At $30,000 it is $5,235.60, at $50,000 it is $2,835.60, and at $73,630 it is $0.00. While it shrinks, a dollar of raise adds $1.12 to the net wage, so in the 5.30% step the extra pay is withheld at 5.936%. For a married employee the deduction is $9,461, falls 20 cents on the dollar from $25,727 and is gone at $73,032, which makes 6.36% in the same step.

Each exemption on the WT-4 is worth only $0.82 a paycheck.

$400 at 5.30% is $21.20 a year, which is $0.82 across 26 paychecks. Line 1 of the form counts 1 for yourself, 1 for your spouse and 1 for each dependent. Claiming fewer than you are entitled to withholds a little more, and Form WT-4A asks for less withholding if the maximum still over-withholds.

Each exemption on the WT-4 takes $0.82 off the Wisconsin tax of a biweekly paycheck.

0 exemptions$107.15
1 exemption$106.33
2 exemptions$105.52
3 exemptions$104.70
5 exemptions$103.07

Invented example: a $60,000 salary, single, paid every two weeks. Each exemption is $400 of pay a year.

The marital status box moves the Wisconsin tax of this paycheck from $104.35 to $106.33.

The WT-4 has three boxes: Single, Married, and Married but withhold at the higher Single rate, for a household where both spouses work. A legally separated employee checks Single. The married deduction is bigger, so the tax is a little lower.

The marital status on the WT-4 sets the Wisconsin tax of a biweekly paycheck, from $104.35 to $106.33.

Single$106.33
Married$104.35
Married, but withhold at higher Single rate$106.33

Invented example: a $60,000 salary, paid every two weeks, 1 exemption, no pre-tax deductions.

Wisconsin follows the federal rule on wages, so a 401(k) lowers the tax.

Publication W-166 says Wisconsin's withholding laws generally conform to the Internal Revenue Code, and that Wisconsin follows the federal rules for HSAs. A 401(k) deferral of 6% on the $60,000 example is $138.46 a paycheck, and it lowers Wisconsin withholding by $8.22. Social Security and Medicare still apply to a 401(k) deferral, but not to health premiums or an HSA contribution made through a cafeteria plan.

A 6% 401(k) lowers federal tax by $16.62 and Wisconsin tax by $8.22 a paycheck.

Federal tax, no 401(k)$193.08
Federal tax, 6% 401(k)$176.46
Wisconsin tax, no 401(k)$106.33
Wisconsin tax, 6% 401(k)$98.11

Invented example: a $60,000 salary, single, paid every two weeks. 6% of pay is $138.46 a paycheck.

Hiring that employee costs $65,059 a year in Wisconsin.

On top of the $60,000, the employer matches Social Security and Medicare at 6.2% and 1.45%, which is $4,590. It pays federal unemployment tax of 0.6% on the first $7,000, which is $42; Wisconsin is not on the Labor Department's list of states with a 2026 credit reduction. A new Wisconsin employer with a payroll under $500,000 pays unemployment tax at 3.05% on the first $14,000 of pay, which is $427.00 a year per employee. The employee pays nothing toward it.

On $60,000 of pay, the employer owes $5,059 more in taxes.

Employer Social Security$3,720
Employer Medicare$870
Wisconsin unemployment$427
Federal unemployment (FUTA)$42

An employee on a $60,000 salary. Wisconsin unemployment is the 2026 new-employer rate of 3.05% on the first $14,000.

Take-home pay in Wisconsin runs from $32,743 on $40,000 to $106,170 on $150,000.

For a single employee with 1 exemption, paid every two weeks. For a reciprocity partner, see the Michigan paycheck calculator.

Take-home pay in Wisconsin for a single employee on a standard Form W-4, paid every two weeks, with no pre-tax deductions. Wisconsin taxes are its income tax.
Salary	Federal tax	Social Security and Medicare	Wisconsin taxes	Take-home a year	Every two weeks
$40,000	$2,620	$3,060	$1,577	$32,743	$1,259.33
$50,000	$3,820	$3,825	$2,171	$40,184	$1,545.55
$60,000	$5,020	$4,590	$2,765	$47,625	$1,831.74
$75,000	$7,670	$5,738	$3,646	$57,946	$2,228.70
$100,000	$13,170	$7,650	$4,971	$74,209	$2,854.18
$150,000	$24,734	$11,475	$7,621	$106,170	$4,083.45

Methodology & sources

The formula this calculator uses is shown in full above, and every assumption is an input you control. There are no hidden industry presets. All math runs in your browser; nothing you enter is stored or sent to a server. For the reasoning behind the formula and its edge cases, see:

Frequently asked questions

How does Wisconsin work out the income tax taken from my paycheck?: Publication W-166's alternate method has your employer turn the paycheck into a year of pay, subtract a standard deduction that gets smaller as pay rises, subtract $400 for each exemption on your Form WT-4, and apply rates of 3.54%, 4.65%, 5.30% and 7.65%. For a $60,000 salary with 1 exemption, the deduction is $1,635.60, the net wage is $57,964.40, the tax is $2,764.59 a year and $106.33 a paycheck.
How much is $60,000 a year after tax in Wisconsin?: For a single employee who claims 1 exemption on the WT-4 and is paid every two weeks, a $60,000 salary takes home $1,831.74 a paycheck, or $47,625.30 a year. The year's taxes are $5,020.08 of federal income tax, $2,764.58 of Wisconsin income tax, $3,720.08 of Social Security and $869.96 of Medicare.
How much is $20 an hour after tax in Wisconsin?: At 40 hours a week and weekly pay, $20 an hour is $800.00 gross and $652.56 take-home a week for a single employee with 1 exemption. That is $54.08 of federal income tax, $32.16 of Wisconsin income tax, $49.60 of Social Security and $11.60 of Medicare. Switch to hourly in the calculator to type your own hours, including overtime.
How many exemptions do I claim on the Wisconsin Form WT-4?: Line 1 adds up to three things: 1 for yourself, 1 for your spouse, and 1 for each dependent you can claim for federal income tax. Each is $400 of pay a year. On the $60,000 example, 0 exemptions withhold $107.15 a paycheck against $106.33 with 1 and $105.52 with 2. A federal Form W-4 cannot be used for Wisconsin, and a claim of complete exemption has to be renewed on a new WT-4 by April 30 each year or the employee is treated as claiming zero.
What are the three marital status boxes on the WT-4?: Single, Married, and Married but withhold at the higher Single rate; a married employee who is legally separated checks Single. Married employees get a bigger deduction, $9,461 against $6,702, so the same $60,000 salary with 1 exemption withholds $104.35 a paycheck as Married against $106.33 as Single.
How does Wisconsin tax a bonus?: A bonus paid at the same time as regular wages is added to them and taxed as one payment. One paid between paydays can be added to the current or the previous paycheck, or withheld at flat percentages that depend on the employee's annual gross salary: 3.54% under $12,760, 4.65% to $25,520, 5.30% to $280,950 and 7.65% above. This calculator treats all pay as regular pay, and the bonus tax calculator works out the bonus case.
What if I live in another state but work in Wisconsin?: Wisconsin has reciprocity agreements with Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan: an employer is not required to withhold Wisconsin tax from a resident of one of them, with written verification such as Form W-220. For a resident of any other state, Wisconsin tax is withheld on wages for work done in Wisconsin, and the employer may also have to withhold for the employee's home state.
What does a 401(k), an HSA or a health plan do to my Wisconsin paycheck?: Publication W-166 says Wisconsin's income and withholding tax laws generally conform to the Internal Revenue Code, and that Wisconsin follows the federal rules for HSAs. This calculator therefore takes a 401(k) deferral, health premiums through a cafeteria plan and HSA contributions through one out of the pay before it applies the Wisconsin method. Putting 6% of a $60,000 salary into a 401(k) ($138.46 a paycheck) cuts Wisconsin withholding by $8.22 and take-home pay by only $113.62. A $100 HSA contribution a paycheck cuts Wisconsin withholding by $5.94.
Who pays unemployment tax in Wisconsin, and how much is it?: The employer does, to the Department of Workforce Development, and nothing comes out of your paycheck for it. Taxable wages are the first $14,000 of each employee's pay. A new employer with a payroll under $500,000 pays 3.05% (3.25% from $500,000, and 2.50% or 2.70% in construction), which is $427.00 a year per employee. Wisconsin is not on the Labor Department's list of states with a 2026 federal credit reduction.

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