Estimate your Wisconsin take-home pay per paycheck. Enter salary or hourly pay and your exemptions to see federal tax, FICA and Wisconsin's progressive 3.5% to 7.65% tax, including the sliding standard deduction, with every bracket shown step by step.
Last updated:
Gross pay
How are you paid?
$
$
h
h
Paid at 1.5× your rate
Married filing separately is not modeled (WI uses half the joint brackets)
Federal (2026 Form W-4)
$
$2,200 per child under 17, $500 per other dependent
$
Wisconsin (WT-4)
You, spouse and dependents, $700 each
$250 each for you and/or spouse
$
0 = use the sliding-scale table automatically
Deductions
% of gross
Capped at the 2026 limit of $24,500
$
Section 125 deductions
$
Roth 401(k), union dues, garnishments
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Wisconsin Paycheck Calculator
Enter your pay: annual salary, or hourly rate and weekly hours.
Pick pay frequency and filing status; joint filers get wider Wisconsin brackets and a bigger deduction.
Enter exemptions for you, your spouse and dependents, plus any age-65 exemptions.
Add your 401(k) % and health premiums per check.
Press Calculate take-home pay to see Wisconsin tax bracket by bracket.
Wisconsin paycheck formula
Wisconsin income = wages − traditional 401(k) − section 125 deductions
Standard deduction (single) = $13,560 − 12% × (income − $18,190), not below $0 (joint: $25,110 − 19.778% over $26,230)
Taxable income = income − standard deduction − $700 × exemptions − $250 × age-65 exemptions
Example: a single filer earning $60,000 with one exemption gets a standard deduction of $13,560 − 12% × $41,810 = $8,542.80. Taxable income is $50,757.20, and Wisconsin tax = $513.80 + $1,575.20 + 5.3% × $277.20 = $2,103.69 a year, about $80.91 per biweekly check.
Wisconsin income tax brackets (2025)
Rate
Single / head of household
Married filing jointly
Married filing separately
3.5%
$0 – $14,680
$0 – $19,580
$0 – $9,790
4.4%
$14,680 – $50,480
$19,580 – $67,300
$9,790 – $33,650
5.3%
$50,480 – $323,290
$67,300 – $431,060
$33,650 – $215,530
7.65%
Over $323,290
Over $431,060
Over $215,530
Wisconsin tax on common salaries
Wages (single, 1 exemption)
Standard deduction
WI taxable income
Wisconsin tax
Effective rate
$35,000
$11,543
$22,757
$869.20
2.48%
$50,000
$9,743
$39,557
$1,608.40
3.22%
$60,000
$8,543
$50,757
$2,103.69
3.51%
$75,000
$6,743
$67,557
$2,994.09
3.99%
$100,000
$3,743
$95,557
$4,478.09
4.48%
$150,000
$0
$149,300
$7,326.46
4.88%
No pre-tax deductions assumed. Notice how the standard deduction fades out as wages rise, so Wisconsin's effective rate climbs faster than the brackets alone suggest. Brackets and deduction amounts are indexed for inflation each year; check the Wisconsin Department of Revenue for the latest figures.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Wisconsin income tax brackets?
For 2025, single filers pay 3.5% on the first $14,680 of taxable income, 4.4% up to $50,480, 5.3% up to $323,290 and 7.65% above that. Married couples filing jointly use $19,580, $67,300 and $431,060. The 2025-27 state budget (Act 15) widened the 4.4% bracket, which lowered tax for many middle-income workers.
How does the Wisconsin standard deduction work?
Wisconsin's standard deduction shrinks as income rises. For a single filer it was $13,560 in the 2024 table, reduced by 12% of income over about $18,190, reaching zero near $131,000. Joint filers start at $25,110 and lose it near $153,000. The amounts are indexed each year, so you can enter your own figure.
How much is a Wisconsin exemption?
Wisconsin allows a $700 exemption for you, your spouse and each dependent, plus an extra $250 for you and your spouse if 65 or older. You claim exemptions for withholding on Form WT-4.
Does Milwaukee or Madison have a city income tax?
No. No Wisconsin city or county taxes wages, so your paycheck has only federal, FICA and Wisconsin state withholding.
Do 401(k) contributions lower Wisconsin tax?
Yes. Wisconsin starts from federal adjusted gross income, so traditional 401(k) and 403(b) deferrals and section 125 health premiums reduce Wisconsin taxable wages. Roth contributions do not.
I live in Wisconsin and work in Illinois or Minnesota. Which state taxes me?
Wisconsin has a reciprocity agreement with Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan, so residents working there can have only Wisconsin tax withheld. Reciprocity with Minnesota ended in 2010, so Wisconsin residents working in Minnesota pay Minnesota tax and claim a credit on their Wisconsin return.
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