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Iowa Paycheck Calculator 2026: IA Take-Home Pay

Iowa Paycheck Calculator

This Iowa paycheck calculator shows where your money goes in 2026. Iowa just moved to a flat 3.8% state income tax, down from a graduated system that once topped out at 8.53%, so take-home is higher than it used to be. Estimate your pay from a salary or hourly wage, see how Iowa compares, then build a pay stub from the same numbers.

  • Iowa's new flat 3.8% state tax, no brackets
  • The 2026 Iowa standard deduction built into withholding
  • Federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for 2026
  • See how Iowa now compares to Illinois and no-tax states

2026 figures checked against the Iowa Department of Revenue withholding formula and IRS. Last updated September 2026.

Estimated Take-Home Pay

$4,050.33
Gross Pay$5,000.00
Federal Income Tax-$418.33
Iowa State Tax (3.8%)-$148.83
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)-$382.50
Net Pay$4,050.33

Example: $60,000 salary, single filer, paid monthly, 2026 rates. Iowa's flat 3.8% tax puts the effective rate near 19.0 percent.

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Iowa's flat 3.8% is new, and many calculators missed it

Iowa used to have graduated income tax brackets that topped out at 8.53%. As of 2025 it's a single flat 3.8% for everyone, and that continues in 2026. Plenty of calculators still show the old Iowa brackets, which overstates your state tax by a lot at higher incomes. This one uses the current flat rate and the 2026 Iowa withholding deduction, and itemizes every line like a real pay stub. One Iowa quirk to know: many school districts add a surtax at filing, explained below.

Calculate Your Iowa Take-Home Pay for 2026

Salary or hourly, any pay schedule. It applies the 2026 IRS federal brackets, Iowa's new flat 3.8% tax after the standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. It updates as you type.

$0.00

estimated take-home pay per paycheck

Want these numbers on a document? Turn this estimate into an Iowa pay stub with the same 2026 math, preview before you download.

How this calculator works: it applies the 2026 IRS federal brackets, 7.65 percent FICA (Social Security to the $184,500 wage base plus Medicare), and Iowa's flat 3.8 percent income tax on pay after the 2026 Iowa withholding standard deduction ($13,000 single, $26,000 joint). A school district surtax may apply at filing in some districts; it isn't withheld, so it's not shown here. Treat it as a close estimate.

Iowa Take-Home vs Illinois and a No-Tax State in 2026

Iowa's tax cut changed how it stacks up against its neighbors. Both Iowa and Illinois are now flat-tax states, but Iowa's 3.8% is below Illinois's 4.95%, and Iowa's deduction is larger, so Iowa keeps more. A no-income-tax state still keeps the most. Here's the same single-filer salary across all three for 2026, using this site's verified calculators.

Annual salaryIowa take-homeIllinois take-homeNo-tax stateIowa vs IL / no-tax
$50,000$40,949$40,025$42,355+$924 / -$1,406
$75,000$59,236$58,025$61,592+$1,212 / -$2,356
$100,000$75,874$74,375$79,180+$1,499 / -$3,306
Iowa now beats Illinois on take-home, thanks to the 3.8% flat rate School district surtax can apply at filing, but not to your paycheck

Iowa Take-Home Pay Examples for 2026

What common salaries keep in Iowa for 2026, using the flat 3.8% rate and the Iowa withholding standard deduction. Because the rate is low and flat, the effective rate rises gently. These are the same numbers the calculator prints, before any school district surtax at filing.

Annual salarySingle: per yearSingle: per monthSingle: biweeklyMarried joint: per year
$40,000$33,294$2,774$1,280.54$35,628
$50,000$40,949$3,412$1,574.96$43,483
$60,000$48,604$4,050$1,869.38$51,278
$75,000$59,236$4,936$2,278.33$62,760
$100,000$75,874$6,323$2,918.23$81,898
$120,000$89,184$7,432$3,430.15$97,208
Flat 3.8% rate for every filer, down from a 8.53% top rate $7.25 minimum wage, Iowa follows the federal floor

How to Calculate Your Iowa Paycheck

1Start with gross payYour salary per pay period, or hourly rate times hours, plus time and a half for overtime past 40 hours.
2Remove pre-tax deductions401(k) and health premiums come out first and lower the income that gets taxed, state and federal.
3Apply federal, Iowa and FICA2026 federal brackets, then Iowa's flat 3.8% after the standard deduction, plus 7.65% FICA.
4What's left is take-homeA school district surtax may be added at filing, but it doesn't come out of your regular paycheck.

You don't have to do this by hand. The paystub generator runs every line and puts it on a downloadable stub. If your check looks smaller than expected, our guide to why paychecks come out low explains where it goes.

How Iowa Paycheck Taxes Work

Iowa's paycheck math got a lot simpler. On top of federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, Iowa now charges a single flat rate of 3.8% on your taxable income, the same for everyone. That's a major shift: only a few years ago Iowa had nine graduated brackets that reached 8.53% at the top. The flat rate took full effect in 2025 and continues in 2026, so higher earners in particular take home more than they used to. There's no city or county wage income tax, so a $60,000 single filer keeps about $48,604 a year.

Iowa's withholding uses a standard deduction built into the 2026 formula, $13,000 for a single filer and $26,000 for joint, which comes off before the 3.8% rate applies. Pre-tax deductions like a 401(k) or a health premium come off first too, lowering both your federal and Iowa tax. Iowa also no longer taxes retirement income for those 55 and older, though that doesn't affect a working paycheck.

The Iowa School District Surtax

Here's the Iowa detail most calculators skip. Many school districts levy a surtax that's a percentage of your Iowa income tax, not your income, and it varies widely by district, from nothing up to around 20%. The key point for a paycheck: it is not withheld. Your employer withholds the 3.8% state tax, and the school district surtax is calculated on your annual Iowa return based on where you live. So your take-home reflects the flat rate, and the surtax, if your district has one, is settled at tax time.

Hourly Pay and the Minimum Wage

An hourly wage gets annualized first. Iowa follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, with no state increase scheduled, though most employers pay above it. At $22 an hour, 40 hours a week is about $45,760 a year, and a single filer at that rate nets close to $1,455 on a biweekly check after federal tax, the 3.8% Iowa tax and FICA. The gap between one check and your year-to-date totals is explained in our guide to current vs YTD on a pay stub.

Overtime in 2026: Iowa taxes overtime as regular wages, so the flat 3.8% applies to it too. The only break is federal: the deduction of up to $12,500 of overtime premium ($25,000 joint, through 2028) claimed on your federal return. Your W-2 carries the amount, explained in our guide to overtime on the W-2.

Iowa Paycheck FAQ

How much is taken out of a paycheck in Iowa?
Iowa takes federal income tax, a flat 3.8% state income tax, and 7.65% FICA, with no city or county income tax. A single filer earning $60,000 in 2026 keeps about $48,604 a year, roughly a 19.0% effective rate, of which Iowa state tax is about $1,786. Iowa's move to a low flat rate makes take-home higher than it was a couple of years ago.
What is Iowa's income tax rate for 2026?
Iowa has a flat 3.8% individual income tax for 2026. This is a big change: as recently as 2022 Iowa had graduated brackets topping out at 8.53%. If a calculator still shows Iowa tax brackets, it's out of date. Every filer now pays the same 3.8% on taxable income.
Did Iowa really cut its income tax to a flat rate?
Yes. Iowa phased out its graduated brackets and reached a single flat rate of 3.8% effective January 1, 2025, which continues in 2026. The old top rate was 8.53%, so higher earners in particular keep noticeably more now. It's one of the larger state income tax cuts in the country in recent years.
What is the Iowa school district surtax?
Many Iowa school districts add a surtax that is a percentage of your Iowa state income tax, not your income, and it varies by district, from 0% up to around 20%. It is not withheld from your paycheck; it's calculated on your annual Iowa return based on where you live. So your paycheck reflects the 3.8% rate, and the surtax is settled at filing.
How much is $60,000 after taxes in Iowa?
About $48,604 a year for a single filer in 2026, close to $4,050 a month or $1,869 on a biweekly check, after federal tax, the 3.8% Iowa tax and FICA. Iowa state tax alone is about $1,786. Married filing jointly keeps about $51,278, before any school district surtax at filing.
How much is $75,000 after taxes in Iowa?
About $59,236 a year for a single filer in 2026, roughly $4,936 a month or $2,278 biweekly, at an effective rate near 21.0%. Iowa's flat 3.8% on that income is about $2,356. Married filing jointly keeps about $62,760.
Is take-home pay higher in Iowa or Illinois?
Iowa now, for most workers. Iowa's flat 3.8% is below Illinois's flat 4.95%, and Iowa's standard deduction is larger, so a single filer keeps about $1,212 more in Iowa at $75,000 in 2026. Both states have no local income tax on wages, though Iowa adds a school district surtax at filing in many districts.
Does Iowa have a local income tax?
No city or county in Iowa charges a wage income tax that comes out of your paycheck. The one local piece is the school district surtax, which some districts levy as a percentage of your state tax and settle on your annual return, not through withholding. So your regular paycheck loses only federal tax, the 3.8% Iowa tax and FICA.
How much is $50,000 after taxes in Iowa?
About $40,949 a year for a single filer in 2026, close to $3,412 a month or $1,575 on a biweekly check, after federal tax, the 3.8% Iowa tax and FICA. Iowa state tax on that income is about $1,406. Married filing jointly keeps about $43,483, before any school district surtax at filing.
How much is $100,000 after taxes in Iowa?
A single filer keeps about $75,874 a year in 2026, close to $6,323 a month, at an effective rate near 24.1%. Iowa's flat 3.8% on that income is about $3,306, well below what the old graduated brackets would have taken. Married filing jointly keeps about $81,898.
What was Iowa's income tax rate before the flat tax?
Iowa had nine graduated brackets that topped out at 8.53% as recently as 2022. A series of cuts phased that down and replaced it with a single flat rate, reaching 3.8% in 2025 and continuing in 2026. Higher earners saw the biggest drop, since the top marginal rate more than halved.
How is the Iowa school district surtax calculated?
It's a percentage of your Iowa state income tax, set by your school district, and it ranges from 0% up to around 20% depending on where you live. If your district's surtax is 10% and your Iowa tax is $1,800, the surtax adds about $180. It's figured on your annual Iowa return based on your residence, not withheld from your paycheck.
Is take-home pay higher in Iowa or Nebraska?
Usually Iowa now. Iowa's flat 3.8% is below Nebraska's graduated rates, which still reach into the 5% range at middle incomes for 2026. Both are Midwest neighbors with similar costs, so Iowa's low flat rate gives it an edge on take-home for most workers, though your exact figure depends on deductions and any Iowa school district surtax.
How is overtime taxed in Iowa?
Iowa taxes overtime as regular wages, so the flat 3.8% applies to it along with federal tax and FICA. There's no separate Iowa overtime rate. The only break is federal: the deduction of up to $12,500 of overtime premium ($25,000 joint, through 2028) claimed on your federal return, with the amount shown on your W-2.

Turn your Iowa estimate into a pay stub

Enter your pay and the generator runs the full 2026 Iowa math, the flat 3.8% tax, the standard deduction and FICA. Preview it, then download when it looks right.

Create an Iowa Pay Stub →

Disclaimer: Estimates are for education, based on 2026 Iowa and federal rates. Iowa tax depends on your deductions and any school district surtax; your actual pay depends on your W-4, Iowa Form IA W-4 and benefits. This isn't tax advice; confirm with the Iowa Department of Revenue or a tax professional. Comparison figures use this site's own 2026 state calculators.

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