Texas Paycheck Calculator

Use Texas 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.

Texas Payroll Taxes

There are no state income taxes in Texas, but each employer is required to pay state unemployment taxes (SUTA). The taxable wage base in Texas is $9,000, with rates ranging from 0.31% to 6.31%. 

You must pay unemployment insurance taxes if you: are liable under FUTA; pay $1,500 or more in gross wages in a calendar quarter; or have at least one employee for 20 weeks in a calendar year. To review all applicable rules and regulations, visit the Texas Workforce Commission website.

In Texas, SUTA taxes change annually and have five parts: General Tax Rate (GTR), Replenishment Tax Rate (RTR), Obligation Assessment Rate (OAR), Deficit Tax Rate (DTR), and Employment and Training Investment Assessment (ETIA). 

To dive into each of these parts and see how they apply to your company, check with the Texas Workforce Commission.

Paying Payroll Taxes

Texas employers can pay their unemployment taxes online through the Texas Department of Workforce Development website. Payment methods include ACH,  debit, and credit card. 

Employers who would like to pay by check need to have a hardship waiver on file with the Texas Workforce Commission.

Using a Payroll Tax Service

In Texas, 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!