VestMathVestMath
CalculatorLearnIPO TrackerGlossaryPricingAbout
Sign inOpen calculator

Tax year 2026

Your information

Enter your details, equity, and plans.

Brackets, deductions and rates for this year.

All 50 states and DC

$

Wages for the year excluding equity

Used for per-paycheck withholding and the W-4 4(c) planner

Pre-tax savings

$

Pre-tax only. Leave out Roth and after-tax money

$

Also skips Social Security and Medicare

$

Taken out of paychecks before tax

$

Only the part you can deduct. Not Roth or backdoor Roth

$

Not through your employer

Don't enter these. They are not pre-tax:

  • Roth 401(k), Roth 403(b), Roth 457: taken from pay after tax, so it doesn't lower this year's tax.
  • After-tax 401(k) ("mega backdoor Roth"): also taken from pay after tax.
  • Roth IRA and backdoor Roth IRA: never deductible; a non-deductible traditional IRA isn't either.
  • ESPP paycheck contributions: bought with after-tax pay; enter the shares in step 3 instead.
  • Employer 401(k) match or HSA contribution: not part of your salary, so there's nothing to subtract.
  • 529 college savings: no federal deduction; some states give a small one we don't include.

Federal tax withheld from paychecks

This is a rough guess, not your real number. It assumes your paychecks withhold just enough to cover the tax on your salary. What's actually withheld depends on your W-4 and can be very different. Check a recent pay stub and pick Year-to-date amount above to enter it.

Paid commissions or bonuses? Big checks can be withheld at a flat 22% or at a much higher rate. Update your year-to-date amount after a big month. How commission withholding works

State tax withheld from paychecks

This is a rough guess, not your real number. It assumes your paychecks withhold just enough to cover the tax on your salary at California's rates. What's actually withheld depends on your state withholding form and can be very different. Check a recent pay stub and pick Year-to-date amount above to enter it.

Paid commissions or bonuses? Big checks can be withheld at a flat 22% or at a much higher rate. Update your year-to-date amount after a big month. How commission withholding works

Deductions

$

Self-employment, interest

$

Dividends and rents, for the 3.8% NIIT

$

3.8% tax you paid the IRS on this income. Sale payments go in the Exit plan step

These view buttons are also at the top left of the screen.

Your results

Your estimated taxes and take-home, updated as you type.

Total before taxes

$500,000
Regular income$200,000RSUs$300,000

Take-home after taxes

$250k – $325k
Free results are shown as a range. Premium shows your own calculated figure and every line behind it.

Shortfall: set aside for taxes

Balance due
You owe the IRS more than was withheld. Premium shows the amount.

Total tax for the year

$175k – $225k
Federal + state combined, shown as a rangeFree results are shown as a range. Premium shows your own calculated figure, the split between federal, state, Social Security and Medicare, and your effective rate.

Already withheld

$169,321
From your paychecks and your equity

Sample preview, not your numbers. Single · California · $220,000 salary · $180,000 of RSUs at an IPO. Upgrading shows all of this for your own scenario.

Penalty if you wait until April

$719
Charged for paying tax later than the quarterly deadlines

Penalty if you wait until April

See what the IRS and your state would charge if you skip quarterly payments.

Everything here becomes visible for your own numbers once you upgrade.

Who you owe, and who owes you

IRS (federal)

You owe

Pay this agency

California

Refund to you

This agency pays you back

What you can do about it

  • Make quarterly estimated payments. Pay online at irs.gov/payments and on your state's tax website by each deadline in the payment plan.

4 more steps picked for your situation

You still owe money to the IRS

Premium shows how much you owe each agency, what to pay each quarter, and the date each payment is due.

You overpaid California

Expect this back as a refund when you file. California and the IRS are paid separately, so a refund from one can't be used to pay the other. That's why this doesn't reduce what you still owe.

Next quarterly tax payment

Q4 2026 payment due Friday, January 15, 2027

Covers income from Sep 1 – Dec 31, 2026.

107

Days

02

Hours

21

Min

These are two separate payments to two different agencies.

Federal · pay the IRSIRS (federal tax)$8,420
State · pay CaliforniaCalifornia (state tax)$2,150

Estimate only, based on what you entered and the standard deduction. Due dates that fall on a weekend or holiday move to the next business day.

Your RSU backlog lands all at once

The IPO settles $300,000 of RSUs this year, 1.5× your salary. With "double-trigger" RSUs, every share that vested while the company was private is taxed in this one year. Your employer will likely withhold a flat 22% federal, but your top federal rate is 35%, plus state tax. Plan to set the difference aside and pay it with your quarterly estimate.

Sample preview, not your numbers. Single · California · $220,000 salary · $180,000 of RSUs at an IPO. Upgrading shows all of this for your own scenario.

Income

Salary, bonus and other income$220,000
RSU settlementTaxed like salary$180,000
NSO spreadTaxed like salary$0
Short-term gains$0
Long-term gains$0
Adjusted gross income$400,000

Federal

Standard deduction-$16,100
Tax on ordinary income35% marginal$103,134
Tax on long-term gainsSingle: 15% rate at your income$0
Alternative minimum taxDoes not apply$0
Net investment income taxExtra 3.8% on investment gains for higher earners; already included in Total federal below$0
Social Security$11,439
Medicare$7,600
Total federalIncludes income tax, payroll tax, and NIIT$122,173
Effective federal rateFederal tax ÷ total income30.5%

State — California

Standard deduction-$5,706
Taxable income$394,294
Tax on ordinary income$33,336
State alternative minimum taxDoes not apply$0
Total state$33,336
Effective state rateState tax ÷ total income8.3%

Withholding already taken

Federal from your paychecksEstimated: tax on salary alone$41,704
Federal on equity22% of equity income$39,600
State from your paychecksEstimated: tax on salary alone$16,368
State on equity$18,414
Payroll$19,039
Total withheld$135,125
Federal balance+ underpaid, − overpaid$21,830
State balance+ underpaid, − overpaid-$1,446
Combined balance$20,384
Effective total rateFederal (incl. NIIT) + state tax ÷ total income38.9%

Where your shortfall and overpayment come from

IRS (federal)You owe $21,830

Salary and other income$56,513 tax − $56,513 withheld or paid for itCovered
Stock compensation (RSUs and options)$65,660 tax − $43,830 withheld or paid for itShort $21,830

CaliforniaRefund $1,446

Salary and other income$16,368 tax − $16,368 withheld or paid for itCovered
Stock compensation (RSUs and options)$16,968 tax − $18,414 withheld or paid for itOver $1,446

Why you're short

  • Your employer withheld about 22% federal tax on $180,000 of equity pay. Employers are allowed to use that flat rate, but this income is taxed in your 35% bracket, so every dollar came up short by the difference.

Why you overpaid

  • The tax taken from your paychecks was more than the tax on your salary. Paycheck withholding assumes you earn the same amount all year and take no extra deductions, so it often takes a little too much.

See how your tax was calculated

Every line of the calculation: taxable income, brackets, AMT, Medicare and investment surtaxes, state tax and withholding, so you can check it against published tax law.

Everything here becomes visible for your own numbers once you upgrade.

Your PDF tax report

This scenario and your quarterly payment plan in one document, to keep for your records or share with your CPA.

What Premium shows

Sample, not your numbers

Example only: these are not your results

Every number below belongs to a made-up household. None of it is based on what you entered, so don't use it to plan payments. Upgrade to see these sections worked out from your own numbers.

San Francisco, CA

Single · $220,000 salary · $180,000 of RSUs vest after the IPO

California cities don't charge individual income tax, so this household pays the IRS and California only.

Tax caused by the equity event$82,630

Where it comes from

Federal income tax$61,430

Medicare (1.45% + 0.9%)$4,230

California income tax$16,970

Already covered, and what's left

Federal withheld (22%)$39,600

Medicare withheld$4,230

California withheld (10.23%)$18,414

Still to pay: IRS$21,830

Still to pay: California$0

Salary is already over the Social Security cap, so the vest adds Medicare only. Payroll withholding covers that Medicare in full.

Who you owe, and who owes you

IRSOwe $21,830

CaliforniaRefund $1,444

Quarterly payment plan

IRS · Jun 15, 2026$10,915

IRS · Sep 15, 2026$5,458

IRS · Jan 15, 2027$5,457

Payroll already covers the tax on the $220,000 salary. These payments cover only the gap from the RSU vest: 22% was withheld, but it's taxed at 32–35%.

Penalty if you wait until April

IRS$950

Full tax breakdown (excerpt)

Total income$400,000

Federal tax on salary alone$41,700

Extra federal tax from the RSU vest$61,430

Federal withheld on the RSU vest (22%)$39,600

Extra California tax from the RSU vest$16,970

California withheld on the RSU vest (10.23%)$18,414

Sample

What lowered your taxable income

Federal standard deduction
$16,100
Federal taxable income
$483,900
California standard deduction
$5,706
California taxable income
$494,294

Estimates only. Not tax, legal, or investment advice. See our methodology

Total tax

$175k – $225k

Take-home

$250k – $325k

Estimates only. Not tax, legal, or investment advice. See our methodology

VestMath

Independent, plain-English tax estimates for startup equity. Built for people who are about to get a very large, very confusing paycheck.

The pre-IPO tax checklist

Product

  • Calculator
  • Exercise timing
  • Withholding gap
  • AMT estimator
  • State move
  • Leaving a company
  • Methodology
  • Pricing

Learn

  • Equity tax guide
  • IPO Tracker
  • Glossary
  • Newsletter

Company

  • About
  • For businesses
  • Contact
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising disclosure

Legal

  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility

VestMath provides educational estimates based on published tax rules. It is not tax, legal, or investment advice, and it does not consider your complete situation. Consult a licensed professional before making decisions.

© 2026 VestMath. All rights reserved.

    How the calculator works

    Fill in the numbered steps under Your information. Your results update as you type: on the right on a computer, below the steps on a phone.

    1. 1About you. The tax year, your filing status, the state you live in (and any city tax, like New York City's), your salary and bonus, pre-tax savings such as a 401(k) or HSA, tax already taken from your paychecks, and your deductions. This sets the tax brackets everything else is measured against. The Quick start fields (filing status, state, salary and one RSU vest) are free. To add anything else, you'll be asked for your email once. Premium members can also see the state brackets used, with a link to the state's official site. Read what changed for 2026.
    2. 2The event. What is turning your equity into income this year (an IPO, tender offer, acquisition, or a normal vest or exercise) and which part of the year it happens in, so we can show the right payment deadline. See RSU taxes at an IPO, tender offers and acquisitions.
    3. 3Your grants. Your RSUs, stock options (NSOs and ISOs), ESPP shares, early exercises and 83(b) elections, and stock you already own, including QSBS. Add one entry per grant, and name the company if you have equity from more than one employer. Guides: RSUs, NSOs, ISOs, 83(b), QSBS.
    4. 4Exit plan. Any shares you plan to sell this year, with the price and date, and any tax you already paid on those sales. Leave it empty if you're not selling. Nothing is usually withheld on sales, so read why and long-term vs. short-term gains.
    5. 5Assumptions. Optional details that make the estimate sharper: last year's tax, pay already received this year, estimated payments you've already made, and a move between states, which can be worked out from your workdays. See estimated taxes and safe harbor and moving states. Tip: save a few versions (for example "exercise now" and "wait") and compare them side by side from your saved scenarios.

    Reading your results

    • The numbers at the top are your answer: what you take home, what to set aside and your total tax.
    • Colored boxes flag anything that needs action, like a balance due or extra taxes.
    • Show the math walks through every line, and the PDF report gives you a copy to keep or share with your CPA.
    • The numbered sections below open one at a time for the details.
    • On the free plan, take-home and total tax are shown as a range, and detailed cards show a sample household. Upgrading shows your own calculated figures, the federal and state split, your quarterly payment plan and every line of the math.

    On a computer, use the Inputs, Both and Results buttons at the top left to choose what fills the screen: just your information, both side by side, or your results full screen. The same buttons are at the bottom of your information. On a phone, tap See results in the bar at the bottom of the screen.

    Your numbers are private. What you type stays on your device unless you save a scenario, import a statement or ask the assistant. Saved scenarios can be seen only by you. Not even our team can open them. Share links expire after 30 days, and you can export or delete everything from your account page.

    • Pick the tax year at the top of step 1 to compare years.
    • Coming from the IPO Tracker or your Portfolio? The company, state, dates and share price are already filled in.
    • Tap What is this? under any field for a plain-English explanation with an example.