Should my spouse work?

Your spouse's paycheck information: |
Additional expenses when spouse works: | Total: $0.00 |
Your net pay after expenses is estimated at KJE1. |
These are any additional expenses that you expect to pay when your spouse works. All of the expenses should be entered as the amount per pay period. The tool assumes that these expenses are paid with your after-tax income.
This is how often you are paid. Your selections are: Weekly (52 paychecks per year), Every other week (26 paychecks per year), Twice a month (24 paychecks per year), Monthly (12 paychecks per year), and Annually (one paycheck per year).
This is your gross pay, before any deductions, for the pay period. Please enter a dollar amount from $1 to $1,000,000.
This is the percent of your gross income you put into a taxable deferred retirement account such as a 401(k) or 403(b). While increasing your retirement account savings does lower your take home pay, it also lowers your Federal income tax withholding. The impact on your paycheck might be less than you think. While your plan may not have a deferral percentage limit, this calculator limits deferrals to 80% to account for FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes. Please note that your 401(k) or 403(b) plan contributions may be limited to less than 80% of your income. Check with your plan administrator for details. For 2025, the maximum contribution for this type of plan is $23,500 per year for individuals under age 50. For individuals age 60 to 63 the limit is $34,750. For all other individuals age 50 or older the limit is $31,000.
Health insurance premiums deducted from your pay. Do not include any amounts paid directly by your employer. Your health insurance premiums are not subject to FICA or Medicare taxes.
This is the percentage that will be deducted for state and local taxes. The tool multiplies your calculated taxable income by this rate to estimate your state and local taxes. Please note, this calculator can only estimate your state and local tax withholding. The tax rate displayed is an assumption that may or may not be relevant to your situation.
For 2025, Social Security tax is calculated as your gross earnings times 6.2%. For 2025, incomes over $176,100 that have already had the maximum Social Security tax of $10,918.20 withheld will not have additional withholding. Please note that if you have other wages or employers this calculator does not make any assumptions as to the total Social Security tax withheld for the current year other than the actual inputs for this calculator. This tax is also referred to as the Federal Insurance Contributions Act Old Age Survivors and Disability Insurance (FICA OASDI).
Medicare tax is calculated as your gross earnings times 1.45%. Unlike the Social Security tax, there is no annual limit to the Medicare tax. Starting in 2013, an additional Medicare tax of 0.9% is withheld on all gross earnings paid in excess of $200,000 in a calendar year. If you enter an amount for the year-to-date gross earnings, this additional Medicare tax will be calculated based on the current period's gross earnings that exceed the annual $200,000 threshold. If no year-to-date amount is entered, any additional Medicare tax withholding will be calculated only for any gross earnings in excess of $200,000 for the current payroll period. If year-to-date wages prior to the current payroll period have exceeded $200,000, the year-to-date wages must be entered to calculate an accurate additional Medicare tax.
2025 Federal income tax withholding calculation:
Annual taxable income between these amounts | Annual withholding | Withhold additional % of income over this amount |
---|---|---|
$0 - $6,400 | $0.00 | |
$6,400 - $18,325 | $0.00 | plus 10% of income over $6,400 |
$18,325 - $54,875 | $1,192.50 | plus 12% of income over $18,325 |
$54,875 - $109,750 | $5,578.50 | plus 22% of income over $54,875 |
$109,750 - $203,700 | $17,651.00 | plus 24% of income over $109,750 |
$203,700 - $256,925 | $40,199.00 | plus 32% of income over $203,700 |
$256,925 - $632,750 | $57,231.00 | plus 35% of income over $256,925 |
$632,750 - (no limit) | $188,769.75 | plus 37% of income over $632,750 |
*Source: http://www.irs.gov Publication 15 Income Tax Withholding Tables for 2025 |
Annual taxable income between these amounts | Annual withholding | Withhold additional % of income over this amount |
---|---|---|
$0 - $17,100 | $0.00 | |
$17,100 - $40,950 | $0.00 | plus 10% of income over $17,100 |
$40,950 - $114,050 | $2,385.00 | plus 12% of income over $40,950 |
$114,050 - $223,800 | $11,157.00 | plus 22% of income over $114,050 |
$223,800 - $411,700 | $35,302.00 | plus 24% of income over $223,800 |
$411,700 - $518,150 | $80,398.00 | plus 32% of income over $411,700 |
$518,150 - $768,700 | $114,462.00 | plus 35% of income over $518,150 |
$768,700 - (no limit) | $202,154.50 | plus 37% of income over $768,700 |
*Source: http://www.irs.gov Publication 15 Income Tax Withholding Tables for 2025 |
Annual taxable income between these amounts | Annual withholding | Withhold additional % of income over this amount |
---|---|---|
$0 - $13,900 | $0.00 | |
$13,900 - $30,900 | $0.00 | plus 10% of income over $13,900 |
$30,900 - $78,750 | $1,700.00 | plus 12% of income over $30,900 |
$78,750 - $117,250 | $7,442.00 | plus 22% of income over $78,750 |
$117,250 - $211,200 | $15,912.00 | plus 24% of income over $117,250 |
$211,200 - $264,400 | $38,460.00 | plus 32% of income over $211,200 |
$264,400 - $640,250 | $55,484.00 | plus 35% of income over $264,400 |
$640,250 - (no limit) | $187,031.50 | plus 37% of income over $640,250 |
*Source: http://www.irs.gov Publication 15 Income Tax Withholding Tables for 2025 |