Iowa Paycheck Calculator
Iowa now taxes wages at a flat 3.8% on your federal taxable income, with a small $40-per-person exemption credit on top.
Worked example
Single filer earning $60,000 in Iowa, paid biweekly: federal tax is $5,020.00/yr (after the $16,100 standard deduction). Iowa taxable income is $60,000 − the federal standard deduction = $43,900.00, so state tax is $1,628.20/yr. Social Security is $3,720 and Medicare is $870. Take-home: $48,761.80/yr — $1,875.45 per biweekly paycheck. Change the salary above and try your own.
How Iowa paycheck tax works
Federal first: your employer annualizes each paycheck. Federal taxable income is your gross minus the IRS standard deduction for 2026 — $16,100 if you file single, $32,200 married filing jointly (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32) — then taxed through the 2026 federal brackets (10% up to 22% across most middle incomes). Social Security takes 6.2% of wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500, and Medicare takes 1.45% of all wages (plus 0.9% over $200,000 single / $250,000 joint).
Iowa tax uses its 2026 tables: a flat 3.8% — Iowa scrapped its old nine-bracket system in 2025. Iowa starts from your federal taxable income (federal standard deduction $16,100 single / $32,200 joint for 2026), then subtracts a $40 personal exemption credit per person from the tax. This calculator annualizes your salary; your employer's per-paycheck withholding may differ slightly.
Iowa paycheck FAQ
What is the Iowa income tax rate in 2026?
For 2026, Iowa taxes wages at a flat 3.8% — Iowa scrapped its old nine-bracket system in 2025, after the federal standard deduction. Enter your salary above to see the dollar amount on your income.
My real Iowa paycheck is different. Why?
Pre-tax 401(k) or HSA contributions, health premiums, garnishments, bonuses (often withheld at a flat 22% federal), and your W-4 elections all move the real number. Many states also withhold a little differently per paycheck than this annualized estimate. Treat this as a close, honest estimate — not payroll software.
What about overtime or a bonus?
Overtime hours are taxed at the same rates — a higher paycheck just annualizes higher. Try our time and a half calculator and bonus tax calculator for those.