New York Paycheck Calculator

New York Paycheck Calculator

New York Paycheck Quick Facts

• New York income tax rate: 4.00% - 10.9%
• Median household income: $81,386 (U.S. Census Bureau)
• Number of cities that have local income taxes: 2

How Your New York Paycheck Works

When you start a job in the Empire State, you have to fill out a Form W-4. Your new employer will use the information you provide on this form to determine how much to withhold from your paycheck in federal income taxes. How much you pay in federal income taxes depends on several factors like your marital status, salary and whether or not you have additional taxes withheld from your paycheck.

The new W-4 includes notable revisions. The biggest change is that you won't be able to claim allowances anymore. Instead, you'll need to input annual dollar amounts for additional income and things like non-wage income, total annual taxable wages, income tax credits and itemized and other deductions. The form also utilizes a five-step process that asks you to enter personal information, claim dependents and indicate any extra income or jobs.

In addition to federal income taxes, you will see FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) taxes being withheld from your paycheck. FICA taxes are Social Security and Medicare taxes, and they are withheld at rates of 6.2% and 1.45% of your salary, respectively. Your employer will match the amount you pay in FICA taxes, so the total contributions are doubled. It’s worth noting that if you are self-employed, you will have to pay the entire amount yourself, though the good news is that you can deduct the employer portion. 

Certain wages are also subject to what's known as the Additional Medicare Tax. If your filing status is single, head of household or qualifying widow(er), any wages you earn in excess of $200,000 are subject to the 0.9% Medicare surtax. This is not matched by employers. Meanwhile, married couples filing jointly pay this tax on all wages over $250,000, while married couples filing separately pay it on wages that exceed $125,000.

New York State’s progressive income tax system is structured similarly to the federal income tax system. There are nine tax brackets that vary based on income level and filing status. Wealthier individuals pay higher tax rates than lower-income individuals. New York’s income tax rates range from 4% to 10.9%. The top tax rate is one of the highest in the country, though only taxpayers whose taxable income exceeds $25,000,000 pay that rate.

What your tax burden looks like in New York depends on where in the state you live. If you live in New York City or Yonkers, you're going to face a heavier tax burden compared to taxpayers who live elsewhere. That’s because NYC and Yonkers imposes an additional local income tax.

Like the state’s tax system, NYC’s local tax rates are progressive and based on income level and filing status. There are four tax brackets starting at 3.078% on taxable income up to $12,000 for single filers and married people filing separately. The top rate for individual taxpayers is 3.876% on income over $50,000. The rates are the same for couples filing jointly and heads of households, but the income levels are different.

Yonkers also levies local income tax. Residents pay 16.75% of their net state tax, while non-residents pay 0.5% of wages.

Another thing worth noting is that certain self-employed taxpayers in New York City, as well as Richmond, Rockland, Nassau, Suffolk, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess and Westchester counties have to pay a metropolitan commuter transportation mobility tax (MCTMT) of up to 0.34% of net earnings to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

While New York as a whole has a generally high tax burden, it doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t buy a home there. It does mean it’s a good idea to be aware of the ongoing expenses and build them into your budget. If you are considering using a mortgage to purchase or refinance a property in New York, our New York mortgage guide can provide useful information about rates and getting a mortgage in the state.

A financial advisor can help you understand how taxes fit into your overall financial goals. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

How You Can Affect Your New York Paycheck

If you find yourself always paying a big tax bill in April, take a look at your W-4. One option that you have is to ask your employer to withhold an additional dollar amount from your paychecks. For example, you can have an extra $25 in taxes taken out of each paycheck by writing that amount on the corresponding line of your W-4. This paycheck calculator will help you determine how much your additional withholding should be.

Another way to manipulate the size of your paycheck - and save on taxes in the process - is to increase your contributions to employer-sponsored retirement accounts like a 401(k) or 403(b). The money you put into these accounts is taken out of your paycheck prior to its taxation. By putting money away for retirement, you are actually lowering your current taxable income, which can help you save in taxes right now. Another option is to put money in a spending account like a health savings account (HSA) or a flexible spending account (FSA) if your employer offers them. The money you put in these accounts is also taken from your paycheck before taxes, and you can use those pre-tax dollars to pay for medical-related expenses like copays or certain prescriptions. Just keep in mind that only $610 in an FSA will roll over from 2023 to 2024 and $640 from 2024 to 2025. If you contribute more than that and then don’t use it, you're out of luck.