Paycheck Estimator Georgia (2026)

Paycheck estimator Georgia: 2026 take-home pay at a glance

A single Georgia worker earning $60,000 a year and paid every two weeks takes home about $1,851.70 per paycheck ($48,144 a year). Of each $2,307.69 check, about $193.08 goes to federal income tax, $176.54 to Social Security and Medicare, and $86.37 to Georgia income tax. A married couple on one $60,000 income keeps more, about $1,964.34 per check, because both the federal and the Georgia standard deductions double.

Georgia paycheck taxes for 2026: what changed

Georgia has a flat income tax, so everyone pays the same rate on taxable wages. Three things changed for 2026 under HB 463, and most calculators still show old numbers:

• Rate cut to 4.99% (from 5.19%). Employers had to keep withholding 5.19% until May 11, 2026, then switch to 4.99%. Paychecks from January to early May were withheld at the higher rate; any extra comes back when you file.
• Standard deduction raised to $15,000 for single, head of household and married filing separately, and $30,000 for married filing jointly.
• Dependent deduction raised from $4,000 to $5,000 per dependent you claim on Form G-4.

So for the $60,000 single example: $60,000 − $15,000 = $45,000 × 4.99% = $2,246 a year, or $86.37 per biweekly check. That is 3.7% of gross pay - lower than the 4.99% headline because of the standard deduction.

Hourly pay in Georgia: what you actually keep

Georgia's minimum wage follows the federal $7.25 for most jobs, but most hourly workers earn far more. At $20 an hour and 40 hours a week, you take home about $1,318.40 every two weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5× after 40 hours under federal law; Georgia has no daily overtime rule.

What comes out of a Georgia paycheck

• Federal income tax: based on your W-4 and the IRS 2026 tables. This is usually the biggest deduction.
• Social Security (6.2%) on wages up to $184,500, and Medicare (1.45%) on all wages. Together they're called FICA.
• Georgia income tax (4.99%) on wages after the standard deduction and dependent allowances on your G-4.
• Pre-tax benefits: 401(k), health, dental, vision and HSA contributions lower the wages that get taxed.
• After-tax deductions: Roth 401(k), union dues, garnishments.

Georgia has no city or county income tax and no state disability deduction, so a Georgia paycheck is simpler than one in New York, New Jersey or Ohio. Compare with Texas, which has no state income tax at all.

New for 2026: the tips and overtime deduction

For 2025–2028, federal law (P.L. 119-21) lets workers deduct up to $25,000 of qualified tips and up to $12,500 of qualified overtime pay ($25,000 if married filing jointly). The 2026 Form W-4 lets you put these amounts in Step 4(b) so less federal tax is withheld from each check, instead of waiting for a refund. "Qualified overtime" is only the extra half in time-and-a-half, not the whole overtime check.

Example: a Georgia worker earning $20 an hour with 5 hours of overtime a week has about $2,600 of qualified overtime a year. With the deduction on the W-4, take-home is about $1,556.48 every two weeks. The estimator turns this on by default; switch it off under Adjust W-4 if you haven't updated your W-4. The deduction phases out above $150,000 of income ($300,000 joint) and does not reduce Social Security or Medicare.

How to use the Georgia paycheck estimator

1. Choose Salary or Hourly, then enter your pay. For hourly pay, add your usual hours and any overtime hours per week.
2. Pick how often you're paid (weekly, every 2 weeks, twice a month or monthly) and your filing status from your W-4.
3. Open Adjust W-4, benefits & local tax to add dependents, 401(k), health insurance, HSA or tips.
4. Read your take-home pay per paycheck and per year. Every line shows what was taken out and why.

Common mistakes when estimating a Georgia paycheck

• Using the old 5.19% rate or the $12,000 deduction. Both changed for 2026; several popular calculators still use them.
• Claiming the married $30,000 deduction when both spouses work. Georgia tells employers to use $15,000 each in that case. In the estimator, check W-4 Step 2.
• Mixing up biweekly and semi-monthly. Every 2 weeks is 26 paychecks a year; twice a month is 24. The same salary gives a smaller biweekly check.
• Forgetting pre-tax benefits. A 401(k) lowers income tax but not Social Security or Medicare; health premiums through a cafeteria plan lower both.
• Comparing an estimate with your first paycheck of the year. Year-to-date caps (Social Security, some state insurance) mean later checks can differ.

How we calculate (and how accurate it is)

Federal income tax uses the IRS Publication 15-T (2026) percentage method for 2020-and-later W-4s, worksheet 1A, the same math payroll software uses. Social Security is 6.2% up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500 and Medicare is 1.45%, plus 0.9% above $200,000. Georgia income tax uses the percentage method in the Georgia DOR 2026 Employer's Withholding Tax Guide (Table E/F), at the 4.99% rate in effect from May 11, 2026.

We annualize your pay, apply the tables and divide by your number of paychecks, so results can differ from your employer's per-period tables by a few cents. Tables were last checked against the official sources on October 4, 2026. This is an estimate, not tax advice. For decisions that matter, check with your payroll department or a tax professional.