The formula for calculating your after-tax income is simple: start with your gross income, then subtract all the taxes you pay. These taxes include federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security, Medicare taxes, and any other local taxes.
After-tax income = Gross income – Total taxes
However, the calculation goes beyond merely subtracting taxes from your gross income, since various factors influence your monthly income after taxes. These factors include your filing status (single, married filing jointly, etc.), the number of dependents you have, and any deductions or credits you’re eligible for, like educational expenses, retirement contributions, or charitable donations.
Alternatively, if you know your effective tax rate (the overall percentage of tax you pay on your total income), not just your marginal tax rate (the tax rate applied to your last dollar of income), you can calculate your after-tax income by multiplying your gross income by your effective tax rate.
An example of after-tax income
Suppose you have an annual income of $60,000 and you pay $15,000 in taxes for the year. Your effective tax rate would be 25%, and your after-tax income would be $45,000. This represents what you have available to cover essential costs like food, housing, and utilities, as well as for spending on non-essential items like clothes, vacations, and anything else.
What is the difference between after-tax and before-tax income?
Before-tax income, or gross income, is the total earnings you receive from all sources before any taxes are deducted. It includes wages, salaries, bonuses, and any other income you may have, and is used by tax authorities to determine how much tax you owe.
After-tax income, on the other hand, is what remains after all taxes, including federal, state, and local taxes, have been subtracted from your before-tax income.
Knowing your income after taxes is key if you want to understand your true purchasing power.
