How to use the Virginia paycheck calculator
- 1 Enter your pay and choose whether it is a yearly salary or an hourly wage (with hours a week).
- 2 Choose how often you are paid and your filing status.
- 3 Enter your children under 17 and your 401(k) contribution.
- 4 Read your take-home pay per paycheck and every deduction.
Worked example
A single Virginia worker earning $60,000 a year, paid every two weeks, with 5% to a 401(k). From each $2,307.69 check: $115.38 of 401(k), $179.23 of federal income tax and $176.54 of Social Security and Medicare, and $94.75 of Virginia tax on $47,320 of taxable income ($57,000 less the $8,750 deduction and $930 exemption). Take-home pay is $1,741.79.
Getting more from a Virginia paycheck
- Check your pay stub against the calculator once a year.
- Raise your 401(k) to cut federal and state tax.
- Update your W-4 after marriage, a child or a raise.
- Claim your exemptions on Form VA-4: $930 each.
Compare with the North Carolina Paycheck Calculator, convert hourly pay with the Hourly to Salary Calculator and check withholding with the W-4 Withholding Calculator.
Features
2026 deductions
$8,750 / $17,500 standard deduction and $930 exemptions.
Four brackets
2%, 3%, 5% and 5.75%.
Salary or hourly
Enter a yearly salary or an hourly wage.
When to use it
Northern Virginia jobs
Compare DC-area offers by take-home pay. Convert hourly pay with the Hourly to Salary Calculator.
Moving from Maryland
See what changes with Virginia's lower rates.
Federal workers
Check your withholding with the W-4 Withholding Calculator.
Retirement saving
See your 401(k) growth with the 401(k) Calculator.
Related Pay and Salary tasks
Frequently asked questions
How much is taken out of a Virginia paycheck?
On a $60,000 salary paid every two weeks with 5% to a 401(k), about $95 of Virginia tax comes out of each check, plus $179 of federal tax and $177 of Social Security and Medicare.
What are the Virginia tax brackets for 2026?
2% on the first $3,000 of taxable income, 3% from $3,000 to $5,000, 5% from $5,000 to $17,000 and 5.75% above $17,000. They are the same for all filing statuses.
What is the Virginia standard deduction for 2026?
$8,750 for single filers and $17,500 for married couples filing jointly, the amounts set for 2025 and 2026.
What is the Virginia personal exemption?
$930 for you, your spouse and each dependent, plus $800 more for each filer who is 65 or older or blind.
Why do most Virginians pay 5.75%?
The top bracket starts at just $17,000 of taxable income, so almost every full-time worker pays 5.75% on most of their income, even though the average rate is lower.
Does Virginia have local income taxes?
No. Virginia cities and counties do not tax wages.
Do I pay Virginia tax if I work in DC or Maryland?
Virginia residents pay Virginia tax on all their income. DC does not tax nonresidents' wages, and Virginia has reciprocity with Maryland, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and DC for commuters.
What is Form VA-4?
Virginia's employee withholding exemption certificate, where you claim personal and dependent exemptions.
Do 401(k) contributions lower Virginia tax?
Yes. Traditional 401(k) contributions are excluded from Virginia taxable wages as well as federal. They do not reduce Social Security or Medicare.
How is federal tax worked out here?
Your yearly pay minus 401(k) contributions and the $16,100 federal standard deduction ($32,200 joint) is taxed at the 2026 brackets, then $2,200 is subtracted for each child under 17.
Is this my exact paycheck?
It is a close estimate. Employers use official withholding tables, and other deductions such as health insurance, HSA or union dues change your check.
Results are estimates based on the official rates linked above. Confirm important figures with the issuing authority or a qualified adviser before you act on them.
Built and reviewed by Hamza Farooq, founder and lead developer
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