Gross-Up Calculator
Enter the take-home pay you want. The calculator works backward to the gross pay that leaves exactly that amount after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and your state's taxes, for a regular paycheck or for a bonus.
Gross pay needed
Compare two scenarios
- A (saved)
- B (the form now)
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An estimate of what your employer withholds, using the IRS percentage method. Your actual paycheck can differ by a few cents because of rounding, or by more if your employer uses other settings.
How we got your number
Each step links to the official document it comes from.
Guides: how to read your pay stub · filling out Form W-4 · biweekly vs semi-monthly pay · why pay rises after the Social Security cap · how much tax is taken out, by state · who gets overtime · 1099 vs W-2 pay
How a gross-up works
A gross-up finds the pay before taxes that leaves a set amount after taxes. You cannot just add the tax rates to the net amount, because each extra dollar of gross pay is taxed too. The calculator tries gross amounts, runs each one through the full paycheck calculation (IRS 2026 withholding tables, Social Security, Medicare and your state's rules), and keeps the smallest gross pay that reaches your take-home amount, to the cent.
Grossing up a bonus
Employers often gross up a bonus or award so the employee receives a round amount. With the flat rate method, federal income tax is 22% of the gross bonus, so a $1,000 net bonus in a state with no income tax needs about $1,000 ÷ (1 − 0.22 − 0.062 − 0.0145) = $1,421.46. With the aggregate method the answer depends on your regular pay, so enter it in the form.
Pre-tax deductions you enter (for example a 401(k) percentage) come out of the gross pay too, so the gross-up covers them. After-tax deductions such as a Roth 401(k) also come out of take-home pay.
Gross-Up Calculator questions
How do I calculate gross pay from net pay?
Start from the take-home amount you want, then find the gross pay whose taxes and deductions leave exactly that. Because tax rates step up with pay, this is done by trying amounts until one fits, which the calculator does for you.
What is a gross-up?
Paying a larger amount before taxes so that the person receives a set amount after taxes. Employers use it for bonuses, relocation payments and awards.
Why can't I just divide by (1 minus my tax rate)?
That works only with a single flat rate, such as the flat rate method for bonuses. Regular paychecks are withheld with tax brackets, so the rate changes as pay rises; the calculator handles that exactly.
Does the gross-up include state tax?
Yes. Choose your state above and its income tax and payroll programs are included.