How your Georgia paycheck is calculated
Georgia withholding (4.99%)
Georgia's withholding rate is 4.99% for wages paid on or after May 11, 2026 (5.19% before). From each paycheck the standard deduction for your status is subtracted — $576.92 biweekly for single or head of household (from $15,000 a year), $1,153.85 for married filing jointly with one income ($30,000), or $576.92 for married filing separately or jointly with both spouses working — then $192.31 per dependent allowance ($5,000 a year).
Pre-tax deductions
Traditional 401(k) and Section 125 contributions reduce Georgia taxable wages, as they do federally.
Federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare
Federal withholding uses the IRS 2026 percentage method for automated payroll systems (Publication 15-T, Worksheet 1A). Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to the $184,500 wage base, and Medicare is 1.45% of all wages plus 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on wages above $200,000. Per-paycheck Social Security and Medicare are shown as a yearly average: if you pass the wage base, your later paychecks will show none.
What this calculator does not include
This estimate does not cover bonuses or other supplemental wages, multiple jobs, Roth (after-tax) contributions, HSA payroll contributions, wage garnishments, or tips and overtime deductions unless you enter them on Form W-4 Step 4(b). G-4 "additional allowances" (line 5) and the Georgia wage-bracket tables are not modeled; results use the 4.99% rate in effect since May 11, 2026. See the methodology for details.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Georgia income tax withholding rate in 2026?
4.99% starting May 11, 2026, per the Georgia DOR 2026 Employer's Tax Guide. Paychecks before that date used 5.19%.
How much is the Georgia dependent allowance in 2026?
$5,000 a year per dependent ($192.31 per biweekly paycheck), up from $4,000.
How is federal income tax withholding calculated?
We follow Worksheet 1A of IRS Publication 15-T (2026) for a 2020-or-later Form W-4: your taxable pay is annualized, adjusted by the Form W-4 entries (Step 2 checkbox, Step 3 credits, Step 4 other income, deductions and extra withholding), run through the 2026 percentage-method table for your filing status, and divided back by your number of paychecks. Our engine reproduces all 4,350 cells of the IRS 2026 wage-bracket tables for weekly, biweekly, semimonthly and monthly pay.
Why does Social Security stop at $184,500?
For 2026 the Social Security (OASDI) wage base is $184,500 (SSA). The 6.2% employee tax applies only to wages up to that amount each year. Medicare (1.45%) has no cap, and employers must withhold an extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on wages above $200,000 in the year, regardless of filing status.
Is withholding the same as the tax I will owe?
No. Withholding is an estimate taken from each paycheck. Your actual tax is settled when you file your return and depends on all your income, deductions and credits, so you may get a refund or owe more.
Official sources
- Georgia DOR: 2026 Employer's Tax Guide (updated September 2026)
- IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods
- IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 tax brackets and standard deduction)
- SSA: 2026 Social Security wage base ($184,500)
- IRS Topic 560: Additional Medicare Tax