South Carolina Paycheck Calculator

Use South Carolina Paycheck Calculator to estimate net or “take home” pay for salaried employees. Simply input salary details, benefits and deductions, and any other necessary information as prompted below, and let our tool handle the rest.

What Are Payroll Taxes?

Payroll taxes withheld from employee paychecks fund Social Security and Medicare, to which the employer also makes payroll tax contributions.

The Social Security tax is paid by the employee and the employer at a rate of 6.2% of the employee’s wages. The Medicare tax is also paid by both employee and employer, but at a rate of 1.45%.

Employers are also required to pay taxes under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) and the State Unemployment Tax Act (SUTA). The employer must also collect federal income tax from employee paychecks, and pay that amount to the IRS. The rate is determined by the employee’s tax bracket.

Each state also has specific state payroll taxes that must be withheld and paid.

South Carolina Payroll Taxes

There are two South Carolina employer payroll taxes to keep track of in addition to Social Security and Medicare. 

Employers contribute to a state unemployment tax account (SUTA) and employees pay state income tax. 

SUTA

Under SUTA, companies must allocate a portion of their payroll taxes toward the state’s unemployment program, which pays out benefits to the unemployed until they find a new job or the predetermined benefit runs out.

In South Carolina, the current taxable wage base is $14,000 with tax rates ranging from 0.06% to 5.46%. New businesses in South Carolina typically have a SUTA rate of 0.49%. You can find more information on the  Department of Employment and Workforce website.

State Income Tax 

The state income tax in South Carolina follows the federal income tax structure. The federal taxable income of each employee is used to determine their state income tax liability. Individual income tax rates range from 0% to 7%.

Find more information on the Department of Revenue website.

Paying Payroll Taxes

Just as you need an EIN to pay federal payroll taxes, in South Carolina, you’ll need to register for state withholdings with the Department of Revenue and, for SUTA taxes, with the Department of Employment and Workforce. 

To pay these taxes you’ll log into these accounts. Check with the relevant state agency for deadlines. 

Your municipality may also require certain tax registrations, so be sure to check with your local government for requirements.

Using a Payroll Tax Service

In South Carolina, payroll and payroll taxes come with countless laws and restrictions, which is why many business owners turn to a payroll service provider to ensure their business remains fully compliant. It’s usually less expensive than creating a new staff position for managing payroll, and relatively easy.

You’ll just send over your digital timesheets and relevant information, and the service provider will take care of the calculations, payments, and taxes, freeing you up to focus on growing your business. 

We highly recommend hiring a payroll service — as a busy entrepreneur, you won’t regret it!