Your work. Your state. Your take-home.
Maine paycheck calculator 2026
See what lands in your bank account. Estimate Maine take-home pay after federal and state taxes and your benefits.
Your pay details
2026 tax yearEstimated take-home pay
Average per paycheck - every 2 weeks
Current 2026 rules projected over a full year.
This is a full-year average. Actual checks can change when Social Security or state wage caps are reached, or Additional Medicare withholding begins.
IRS, SSA and state agency rules, linked below.
Employee taxes and benefits shown separately.
Steady wages projected over a full year.
How Maine taxes your paycheck
Maine withholding uses the revised August 2026 percentage method, including updated payroll deductions and the new 2% high-income surcharge. Head of household uses the single payroll withholding schedule.
Each W-4ME allowance removes $5,300 of annual income-tax wages. The payroll standard deduction is $12,850 single or $28,550 married at lower incomes and phases out over the official income ranges. These payroll deductions differ from final-return standard deductions.
Maine PFML can deduct up to 0.50% of covered employee wages, capped at the 2026 Social Security wage base of $184,500. The estimate assumes that maximum employee share.
Schedule effective 2026-01-01. Annual totals project this schedule over a full year; they do not reconstruct earlier 2026 checks.
| Item | Current 2026 rule |
|---|---|
| Base withholding segments | 5.80%, 6.75%, 7.15% |
| High-income surcharge | 2% above $1 million single/HOH or $1.5 million married |
| Payroll deduction single/married | $12,850 / $28,550 before phaseout |
| W-4ME allowance | $5,300 |
| PFML employee maximum | 0.50% of first $184,500 |
These are employee payroll withholding rules. Your final income tax return may use different deductions, credits or rates.
Maine take-home pay examples
Compare three salaries with the same calculator. These examples update with your filing status, pay frequency and benefits settings.
| Annual salary | Annual take-home | Average paycheck |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000.00 | $32,534.00 | $1,251.31 |
| $75,000.00 | $57,291.50 | $2,203.52 |
| $120,000.00 | $85,292.00 | $3,280.46 |
Single, biweekly pay, no 401(k), health premium or extra federal withholding, and the state defaults shown above.
Common paycheck questions
Does this include the 2026 Maine income-tax surcharge?
Yes. The revised withholding guide adds 2% of annualized income above $1 million for single/HOH withholding or $1.5 million for married withholding.
Why is the payroll standard deduction different from the return deduction?
Maine deliberately adjusts the standard deduction used in its withholding formula. The calculator uses the payroll figures in the official guide.
What is the maximum employee PFML contribution?
At the modeled 0.50% employee rate and 2026 wage cap, it is $922.50 for the year.
How accurate is this Maine paycheck calculator?
It estimates regular wages using official 2026 withholding rules and the assumptions shown. Bonuses, multiple jobs, credits, employer plans and year-to-date pay can change actual checks. Compare the result with your pay stub and withholding certificates.
Are my salary details stored?
No. The calculation runs in your browser. Your entries are not sent to a calculation server, saved to local storage or used for advertising.
Official sources & last update
Rules reviewed on October 23, 2026. The linked agencies publish the authoritative rules. This website independently implements them; it is not an agency service.
- Maine 2026 withholding guide, August revision, percentage method pages 6-7
Retrieved 2026-10-23 - Maine PFML 2026 actuarial report: contribution rate and wage cap
Retrieved 2026-10-23 - Maine PFML FAQ: total subject wages and employee contribution
Retrieved 2026-10-23 - Maine unemployment wage definitions: traditional 401(k) deferrals
Retrieved 2026-10-23 - IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Worksheet 1A and annual standard withholding schedules
Retrieved 2026-10-23 - IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32, sections 3.01 and 3.14 (2026 brackets and standard deduction)
Retrieved 2026-10-23 - SSA Contribution and Benefit Base, 2026 row
Retrieved 2026-10-23 - IRS Publication 15 (2026), sections 9 and 15 (FICA, Additional Medicare and traditional 401(k))
Retrieved 2026-10-23 - IRS qualified cafeteria-plan benefit tax treatment
Retrieved 2026-10-23 - IRS 2026 401(k) contribution limits
Retrieved 2026-10-23
Found a discrepancy? Compare the displayed assumption with the linked schedule and your pay stub. Until it is resolved, use your employer’s payroll calculation or consult a qualified tax professional.