Iowa Paycheck Calculator
Estimate Iowa take-home pay — federal tax, FICA, and IDR withholding at 3.8% after IA W-4 deduction and allowance steps.
Your Pay Details
Your Estimated Take-Home
Net pay per bi-weekly paycheck
$2,280
$59,277 per year ·21.0% of gross withheld
Gross
$2,885
Federal tax
$295
10.2% effective
FICA
$221
Iowa tax
$89
3.1% effective
- Federal income tax$7,670
- FICA$5,738
- IA state tax$2,316
- Pre-tax deductions$0
- Take-home pay$59,277
| Line item | Per paycheck | Annual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,885 | $75,000 | Before deductions |
| Traditional 401(k) | $0 | $0 | Reduces taxable income |
| HSA | $0 | $0 | Reduces taxable income |
| Insurance premiums | $0 | $0 | Reduces taxable income |
| Federal income tax | $295 | $7,670 | 10.2% effective |
| Social Security | $179 | $4,650 | 6.2% up to annual wage base |
| Medicare | $42 | $1,088 | 1.45% on all wages |
| Additional Medicare | $0 | $0 | 0.9% above threshold |
| IA state income tax | $89 | $2,316 | 3.1% effective |
| Roth 401(k) | $0 | $0 | After-tax |
| Take-home pay | $2,280 | $59,277 | Everything above subtracted |
Federal taxable income: $58,900·Iowa taxable after deduction: $62,000
IDR four-step formula — 3.8% after IA W-4 pay-period deduction.
Iowa withholding steps (2026)
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| T1 = G − D | Gross taxable wages minus IA W-4 pay-period deduction (annualized) |
| T2 = T1 × 3.80% | Multiply by 3.8% |
| T3 = T2 − (W ÷ P) | Subtract annual allowance W (allowances × $40) |
| T4 = T3 + A | Add extra withholding per pay period from IA W-4 |
IA W-4 annual deductions (2024+ form)
| Status | Annual | Biweekly |
|---|---|---|
| Single / other (column A) | $13,000 | $500 |
| Head of household (column B) | $19,500 | $750 |
| MFJ one earner / QSS (column C) | $26,000 | $1,000 |
Tax year 2026. Sources: Iowa Department of Revenue; IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.
How Iowa paychecks are calculated
Iowa’s 2026 withholding rate is 3.8% — down from the old flat 4% headline many third-party calculators still show. Payroll runs the four-step IDR formula: subtract your IA W-4 pay-period deduction, multiply by 3.80%, subtract allowance dollars spread across paychecks, then add any extra withholding you requested.
On $75,000 single with one allowance, Iowa tax is $2,316.00 — about $89.08 per bi-weekly check. The Department’s published biweekly $2,100 example annualizes to $54,600 and matches $1,540.80 Iowa tax here with one allowance.
Iowa taxable wages follow federal AGI after pre-tax 401(k), HSA, and health premiums. There is no city wage tax in the Des Moines metro on ordinary W-2 income — unlike Ohio or Pennsylvania, you are not picking a municipal rate on top of state withholding.
At $100,000 single with one allowance, Iowa tax is $3,266.00 and total take-home is $75,914. The state line grows with wages, but the $13,000 column-(A) deduction and allowance credit still matter — skipping allowances costs you $40.00 more Iowa tax at $75,000 than claiming one.
Filing status and allowances on Form IA W-4
Married filing jointly with one earner uses the largest pay-period deduction ($26,000 annually), which lowers T1 before the 3.80% step runs. That is why married filers on $75,000 with two allowances show $1,782.00 Iowa tax here versus $2,316.00 single — even though federal tax also drops on a joint return.
| Scenario | IA tax | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Single, 1 allowance | $2,316.00 | $59,277 |
| Married, 2 allowances | $1,782.00 | $62,841 |
| Single, 0 allowances | $2,356.00 | $59,237 |
Head-of-household filers use column (B) at $19,500 per year. If both spouses work, Iowa expects column (A) instead — this calculator defaults married to one-earner column (C); adjust allowances if your IA W-4 matches a two-earner household.
IA W-4 deductions and allowances
The deduction on line T1 is not the federal standard deduction — it is an Iowa-specific pay-period amount from the 2026 tables. Single filers use column (A) ($13,000 annually). Married joint filers with one earner default to column (C) ($26,000). Each allowance in this calculator reduces annual tax by $40 after the rate step.
| Salary | IA tax | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $606.00 | $25,679 |
| $40,000 | $986.00 | $33,334 |
| $50,000 | $1,366.00 | $40,989 |
| $60,000 | $1,746.00 | $48,644 |
| $75,000 | $2,316.00 | $59,277 |
| $100,000 | $3,266.00 | $75,914 |
A $10,000 traditional 401(k) on $75,000 shrinks Iowa taxable wages and drops state tax from $2,316.00 to $1,936.00. Federal tax falls too — take-home lands at $51,707 because both layers respond to pre-tax deferrals.
Iowa vs Illinois and Missouri
Quad Cities and Council Bluffs job searches often pit Iowa offers against Illinois or Missouri. On $75,000 single with one allowance, Iowa withholding is $2,316.00 here, Illinois is $3,567.71, and Missouri is $2,587.67 in this model — take-home $59,277, $58,025, and $59,005 respectively. Allowances and filing status change every row; run each calculator with your actual IA W-4.
| State | State tax | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $2,316.00 | $59,277 |
| Illinois | $3,567.71 | $58,025 |
| Missouri | $2,587.67 | $59,005 |
Iowa paycheck examples
$75,000 salary
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay (annual) | $75,000 |
| Federal income tax | −$7,670 |
| FICA | −$5,738 |
| Iowa income tax | −$2,316.00 |
| Take-home (annual) | $59,277 |
| Take-home (per Bi-Weekly paycheck) | $2,280 |
$40,000 salary
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay (annual) | $40,000 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,620 |
| FICA | −$3,060 |
| Iowa income tax | −$986.00 |
| Take-home (annual) | $33,334 |
| Take-home (per Bi-Weekly paycheck) | $1,282 |
Iowa tax is $986.00 on $40,000 versus $2,316.00 on $75,000.
Hourly wages and Iowa take-home pay
Manufacturing and logistics roles along I-80 often quote hourly rates. Annualize first, then run the IDR formula — the state line does not use a separate hourly rate.
| Hourly rate | Annual gross (40 hr/wk) | IA tax | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15/hr | $31,200 | $651.60 | $26,598 |
| $18/hr | $37,440 | $888.72 | $31,374 |
| $22/hr | $45,760 | $1,204.88 | $37,743 |
| $28/hr | $58,240 | $1,679.12 | $47,297 |
| $35/hr | $72,800 | $2,232.40 | $57,812 |
Bi-weekly and monthly pay in Iowa
Pay frequency changes per-check amounts, not the annual IDR math. A $75,000 salary shows about $2,280 per bi-weekly check versus $4,940 monthly.
| Pay frequency | Paychecks / yr | Gross | IA tax | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly | 52 | $1,442 | $44.54 | $1,140 |
| Bi-Weekly | 26 | $2,885 | $89.08 | $2,280 |
| Semi-Monthly | 24 | $3,125 | $96.50 | $2,470 |
| Monthly | 12 | $6,250 | $193.00 | $4,940 |
Federal brackets still apply
Iowa withholding sits on top of federal income tax and FICA. The table below is federal only — your W-4 still controls the largest paycheck line item.
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $12,400 | $0 – $24,800 |
| 12% | $12,401 – $50,400 | $24,801 – $100,800 |
| 22% | $50,401 – $107,475 | $100,801 – $200,950 |
| 24% | $107,476 – $205,250 | $200,951 – $383,900 |
| 32% | $205,251 – $260,600 | $383,901 – $487,450 |
| 35% | $260,601 – $640,600 | $487,451 – $768,700 |
| 37% | Over $640,600 | Over $768,700 |
Related tools
Estimate only — not tax advice
This calculator models 2026 federal rules and Iowa Department of Revenue withholding (3.8%, IA W-4 deduction tables). Legacy IA W-4 paths, supplemental wage tables, and return-side credits are not fully modelled. Confirm amounts with your employer, the Iowa Department of Revenue, or a licensed tax professional.