Estimate your Colorado take-home pay per check. It applies the 4.4% flat state income tax, the FAMLI paid leave premium, the Denver, Aurora or Greenwood Village occupational privilege tax if you work there, and 2026 federal tax and FICA.
Last updated:
Your pay
How are you paid?
$
$
h
h
Paid at 1.5× your hourly rate
Federal (Form W-4)
$
$2,200 per child under 17, $500 per other dependent
$
Deductions
% of gross
$
Section 125 deductions: lower income tax and FICA
$
Roth 401(k), union dues, garnishments
Colorado (2026)
%
Flat 4.4% for 2026 (a TABOR refund year can lower it; editable)
$
%
2026: 0.88% total; employers may deduct up to half (0.44%)
$
Withheld in months you earn at least the city threshold
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Colorado Paycheck Calculator
Enter your pay: annual salary, or hourly rate, weekly hours and overtime, and how often you are paid.
Fill in the federal W-4 details: filing status, dependent credits and any extra withholding.
Add deductions: 401(k) percentage, health insurance or HSA per check, and after-tax items.
Check the Colorado settings: the 4.4% rate, your FAMLI share and the city OPT if you work in Denver, Aurora or Greenwood Village.
Press Calculate take-home pay to see net pay per check, Colorado tax, FAMLI, OPT and the full breakdown.
How a Colorado paycheck is worked out
Colorado keeps paycheck math simple compared with most states: one flat rate and no city income tax. For a year of wages:
Colorado taxable wages = gross pay − traditional 401(k)/403(b) − section 125 deductions (health, dental, HSA) − the federal standard deduction. Colorado uses federal taxable income as its starting point.
Colorado income tax = taxable wages × 4.4%, plus any extra amount you request on Form DR 0004.
FAMLI premium = wages (up to $184,500) × your share, at most 0.44% in 2026.
Occupational privilege tax: a flat monthly amount if you work in Denver, Aurora or Greenwood Village.
Example: $65,000 salary, biweekly, single, 5% 401(k) and $80 health per check, working in Denver. Colorado taxable wages are $65,000 − $5,330 − $16,100 = $43,570, so Colorado tax is $43,570 × 4.4% = $1,917.08 a year, or $73.73 per check. FAMLI adds $10.65 and the Denver OPT averages $2.65 per check.
Colorado take-home pay at common salaries (2026)
Single filer, paid biweekly, no 401(k) or health deductions, FAMLI 0.44%, no OPT.
Salary
Federal tax
FICA
CO income tax
FAMLI
Take-home per check
Take-home per year
$40,000
$100.77
$117.69
$40.45
$6.77
$1,272.78
$33,092
$60,000
$193.08
$176.54
$74.29
$10.15
$1,853.63
$48,194
$80,000
$337.31
$235.38
$108.14
$13.54
$2,382.55
$61,946
$100,000
$506.54
$294.23
$141.98
$16.92
$2,886.48
$75,048
$150,000
$951.31
$441.35
$226.60
$25.38
$4,124.59
$107,239
Colorado OPT cities and paycheck tips
City
Employee OPT
Applies in a month when you earn
Denver
$5.75 a month
$500 or more working in Denver
Aurora
$2 a month
$250 or more working in Aurora
Greenwood Village
$2 a month
$250 or more working in Greenwood Village
OPT follows where you work, not where you live. A Lakewood resident who works in Denver pays the Denver OPT; a Denver resident working fully remote for an out-of-city employer generally does not.
Pre-tax savings stretch further. A traditional 401(k) contribution lowers federal and Colorado tax together, about 26% back on each dollar for someone in the 22% federal bracket.
Watch for TABOR years. When the rate is temporarily cut, your withholding may not change until the next year, so the difference shows up as a larger refund.
Check who pays FAMLI. Some employers cover the employee half; set the FAMLI rate to 0 if your stub shows no FAMLI line.
Figures reflect 2026: Colorado 4.4% flat rate (editable), FAMLI premium 0.88% total with up to 0.44% from employees, Denver, Aurora and Greenwood Village OPT rates, IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 brackets and the $184,500 Social Security wage base. Check your city or employer for current local amounts.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Colorado income tax rate in 2026?
Colorado has a flat income tax of 4.4% on Colorado taxable income. In years when state revenue exceeds the TABOR limit, the rate can be temporarily cut for that tax year (it was 4.25% for 2024), so the rate is editable in this calculator.
How is Colorado income tax calculated on a paycheck?
Colorado taxable income starts from federal taxable income, so 401(k) deferrals, section 125 health premiums and the federal standard deduction all reduce it. The calculator multiplies that amount by 4.4% and spreads it across your paychecks. Employers use Form DR 0004 and the DR 1098 tables, which give a similar result.
What is the Colorado FAMLI deduction?
FAMLI is Colorado's paid family and medical leave insurance. For 2026 the premium is 0.88% of wages up to the Social Security wage base ($184,500), and employers may deduct up to half of it (0.44%) from your pay. Some employers pay the whole premium, so the rate is editable.
What is the Denver occupational privilege tax?
Denver charges an employee OPT of $5.75 a month for each month you earn at least $500 working in Denver, and the employer pays a separate $4 a month. Aurora and Greenwood Village charge employees $2 a month. It is usually withheld from one paycheck each month.
Does a 401(k) lower my Colorado tax?
Yes. Because Colorado starts from federal taxable income, traditional 401(k) and 403(b) deferrals reduce your Colorado tax as well as your federal income tax. Each $1,000 you defer saves $44 of Colorado tax at the 4.4% rate.
Do Colorado cities have a local income tax?
No Colorado city taxes income as a percentage of wages. A few cities charge the flat monthly occupational privilege tax instead, so for most workers state tax and FAMLI are the only state deductions.
Why is my real paycheck a little different?
Payroll systems apply the official withholding tables per pay period, may take the whole monthly OPT from one check, and may treat bonuses at supplemental rates. This calculator annualizes everything, so expect small differences of a few dollars.
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