How to use the Illinois paycheck calculator
- Enter your pay. Choose Salary or Hourly, type the amount, and pick how often you are paid.
- Copy your Form W-4. Select your filing status and fill in Steps 2, 3 and 4 the way they are on the federal form your employer has.
- Copy your Form IL-W-4. Enter the allowances on lines 1 and 2 of your Form IL-W-4 and any extra amount on line 3. If you never filled one in, leave the boxes empty: the employer then withholds with no allowances.
What is the Illinois paycheck calculator?
The Illinois paycheck calculator is a tool that turns gross pay into take-home pay for someone who works in Illinois. Illinois taxes income at one flat rate of 4.95%. Each allowance on Form IL-W-4 takes a fixed amount off the wages before the rate is applied, so the tax on a paycheck depends on the pay and the number of allowances.
The federal lines use the 2026 method in IRS Publication 15-T. The Illinois line follows the Illinois Department of Revenue's 2026 automated payroll method, step by step, and the working is shown under the result. To see how Illinois compares with other states, see income tax by state.
Features
- Illinois income tax withholding with the Illinois Department of Revenue's 2026 automated payroll method
- Every line of Form IL-W-4, the Illinois withholding form
- Salary and hourly pay, with overtime hours at a multiplier you set
- Weekly, biweekly, twice-a-month and monthly pay periods
- Federal income tax from the 2026 IRS percentage method tables and every step of Form W-4
- Social Security up to the $184,500 wage base, Medicare and Additional Medicare Tax
- The federal and the state working shown step by step
- A PDF report of your inputs and every result line, to save or share on WhatsApp
Illinois paycheck taxes in 2026
| Tax or deduction | Rate | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | 0% to 37% of the adjusted annual wage, by Form W-4 | Internal Revenue Service |
| Social Security | 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 | Social Security Administration and IRS |
| Medicare | 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% above $200,000 in the year | Internal Revenue Service |
| Illinois income tax | 4.95% flat | Illinois Department of Revenue |
| City or county income tax | None administered by the state | Illinois Department of Revenue |
| State unemployment tax taken from employee pay | None: the employer pays it | Illinois Department of Employment Security |
Illinois takes no disability or paid family leave contribution from wages. The Paid Leave for All Workers Act gives employees paid leave, but the employer pays for it.
How Illinois withholding is worked out
The Department of Revenue's Booklet IL-700-T for 2026 gives wage-bracket tables and an exact formula for payroll systems:
- Multiply the Line 1 allowances by $2,925 and the Line 2 allowances by $1,000, and add them.
- Divide that total by the number of pay periods in the year.
- Subtract the result from the wages for the pay period.
- Multiply by 4.95%, then add any extra amount from Line 3.
The Line 1 amount rose from $2,850 in 2025 to $2,925 in 2026. Illinois withholding follows federal withholding wages, so pre-tax 401(k) contributions and health premiums come off first.
Checked against the state's own example
Booklet IL-700-T pays an employee $800 a week with 2 allowances on Line 1 and 2 on Line 2. The allowances total $7,850, or $150.96 a week, and the booklet withholds $32.13. This calculator gives $32.13.
Illinois Form IL-W-4
Form IL-W-4, the Employee's and other Payee's Illinois Withholding Allowance Certificate, has three lines:
| Line | What to enter | Effect on withholding |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basic allowances: one for yourself, one for your spouse, one for each dependent | Each lowers yearly wages by $2,925 |
| 2 | Additional allowances for age 65 or over, blindness, and deductions from the worksheet | Each lowers yearly wages by $1,000 |
| 3 | An extra amount to withhold from each paycheck | Added to every paycheck |
Without an IL-W-4, the Department of Revenue says the employer "must withhold Illinois Income Tax on the entire amount of your compensation, without allowing any exemptions."
Illinois take-home pay by salary
The table shows 2026 take-home pay in Illinois for a single filer paid every two weeks, with one basic allowance on Form IL-W-4, and no pre-tax deductions.
| Salary | Federal income tax | Social Security and Medicare | Illinois income tax | Take-home pay per year | Per paycheck (every two weeks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $1,420 | $2,295 | $1,340 | $24,945 | $959.41 |
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $3,825 | $2,330 | $40,025 | $1,539.43 |
| $75,000 | $7,670 | $5,738 | $3,568 | $58,025 | $2,231.72 |
| $83,211 | $9,476 | $6,366 | $3,974 | $63,395 | $2,438.25 |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $7,650 | $4,805 | $74,375 | $2,860.56 |
| $150,000 | $24,734 | $11,475 | $7,280 | $106,511 | $4,096.57 |
The $83,211 row is Illinois's median household income in the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey. A single filer paid that salary takes home $63,395 a year, or $2,438.25 every two weeks, after $3,974 in Illinois taxes.
Illinois take-home pay by hourly wage
The table shows a 40-hour week for a single filer paid weekly, with one basic allowance on Form IL-W-4. The first row is the Illinois minimum wage of $15.00 an hour.
| Hourly wage | Gross pay per week (40 hours) | Federal taxes per week | Illinois taxes per week | Take-home pay per week | Take-home pay per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $600.00 | $75.98 | $26.92 | $497.10 | $25,849 |
| $18.00 | $720.00 | $99.56 | $32.86 | $587.58 | $30,554 |
| $20.00 | $800.00 | $115.28 | $36.82 | $647.90 | $33,691 |
| $25.00 | $1,000.00 | $154.58 | $46.72 | $798.70 | $41,533 |
| $30.00 | $1,200.00 | $193.88 | $56.62 | $949.50 | $49,374 |
| $40.00 | $1,600.00 | $304.59 | $76.42 | $1,218.99 | $63,387 |
At $15.00 an hour, a 40-hour week pays $600.00 before tax and $497.10 after federal and Illinois taxes.
Working in Illinois from a neighbouring state
Illinois has reciprocal agreements with Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan and Wisconsin. Residents of those states file Form IL-W-5-NR with an Illinois employer, and no Illinois tax is withheld. An Illinois resident working in one of those states pays Illinois tax.
Illinois pay rules that shape your paycheck
These Illinois rules decide how much is on a paycheck and when it arrives.
| Rule | What Illinois law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $15.00 an hour for workers 18 and over; $13.00 for some younger workers. Chicago $17.05 and Cook County $15.40 from 1 July 2026 | Illinois Department of Labor; City of Chicago; Cook County |
| Tipped employees | Cash wage of $9.00, with tips bringing the total to at least $15.00 | Illinois Department of Labor |
| Overtime | One and one-half times the regular rate after 40 hours in a week. No daily overtime. | 820 ILCS 105/4a |
| Paydays | At least twice a month, within 13 days after the pay period ends; monthly for executive, administrative and professional employees | 820 ILCS 115/3 |
| Final paycheck | By the next regular payday, whether the employee quits or is fired | 820 ILCS 115/5 |
| Pay stub | Every pay period since 1 January 2025: hours, rates, overtime pay and deductions | Public Act 103-0953 |
| Meal break | 20 minutes for a shift of 7.5 hours, starting no later than the fifth hour | Illinois Department of Labor |
| Paid leave | One hour per 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours a year, for any reason | Paid Leave for All Workers Act |
Chicago has its own paid leave ordinance with a faster accrual rate. Employees also get 24 consecutive hours of rest in every seven-day period.
Who pays unemployment tax in Illinois?
Employers pay Illinois unemployment tax; nothing is taken from an employee's paycheck for it. For 2026 the taxable wage base is $14,250 per employee, and a new employer pays 3.35%.
What changed for Illinois paychecks in 2026, and what is next
- The IL-W-4 Line 1 allowance rose from $2,850 to $2,925; the 4.95% rate is unchanged.
- Chicago's minimum wage rose to $17.05 and Cook County's to $15.40 on 1 July 2026. The state minimum wage stays at $15.00.
- Federal figures changed: the Social Security wage base is $184,500 and the IRS published new withholding tables for 2026.
What the calculator includes
- Tax year: 2026. Illinois figures were checked against the Illinois Department of Revenue, the Department of Labor and the Department of Employment Security on 14 October 2026.
- Taxes: federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Additional Medicare Tax, Illinois income tax.
- Forms: the 2020-and-later Form W-4 and the current Form IL-W-4.
- Pay: gross pay up to $10,000,000, hourly rates up to $10,000, up to 744 hours in a pay period, and an overtime multiplier from 1 to 5.
- Illinois rules: the IL-700-T automated payroll method with Lines 1, 2 and 3 of Form IL-W-4. No state disability or paid leave deduction.
Is it private?
Yes. The calculation runs in your browser. Your pay, your withholding forms and your result are not sent to a server and are not saved.
Tips for an accurate estimate
- Copy Lines 1, 2 and 3 of your IL-W-4. Line 1 and Line 2 allowances are worth different amounts.
- If you never filled in an IL-W-4, leave the allowances empty. The employer withholds on all of your pay.
- Enter your 401(k) and health premium per paycheck. They come off before the Illinois rate is applied.
- If you live in Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan or Wisconsin, ask about Form IL-W-5-NR before using the Illinois line.
- Review your IL-W-4 before December, when employers ask employees to check it for the coming year.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
- Does Illinois have a state income tax?
- Yes, a flat 4.95% income tax. Employers subtract $2,925 a year for each basic allowance on Form IL-W-4 and withhold 4.95% of the rest.
- How much is $75,000 after taxes in Illinois?
- A single filer paid $75,000 a year in Illinois takes home $58,025 in 2026, or $2,231.72 every two weeks, with one basic allowance on Form IL-W-4. Federal income tax is $7,670, Social Security and Medicare are $5,738, and Illinois taxes are $3,568.
- What taxes come out of a paycheck in Illinois?
- Federal income tax, Social Security tax of 6.2%, Medicare tax of 1.45% and Illinois income tax. Illinois takes no state disability or paid leave contribution from wages.
- How many allowances should I claim on Form IL-W-4?
- One on Line 1 for yourself, one for your spouse and one for each dependent, and Line 2 allowances for age, blindness and the deductions worksheet. Each Line 1 allowance saves about $144.79 of Illinois tax a year.
- Is a bonus taxed differently in Illinois?
- No separate rate. Bonus, overtime and commission pay are wages and are withheld at 4.95% like the rest of your pay.
- What is the minimum wage in Illinois in 2026?
- $15.00 an hour for workers 18 and over. Chicago's is $17.05 and Cook County's $15.40 from 1 July 2026.
- When is a final paycheck due in Illinois?
- By the next regularly scheduled payday, including earned bonuses, vacation pay and commissions, whether the employee quits or is fired.
Sources
Every rate, bracket and limit this calculator uses comes from the official sources below. The method is shown on this page, so any result can be checked by hand.
- Illinois Department of Revenue, Booklet IL-700-T, Illinois Withholding Tax Tables (R-12/25); Form IL-W-4; Publication 130. The 4.95% rate, allowance amounts, the automated payroll method, the worked example and reciprocity.
- Illinois Department of Labor, Minimum Wage Law; Wage Payment and Collection Act FAQ; Paid Leave for All Workers Act. Illinois minimum and tipped wages, overtime, paydays, final pay, pay stubs, meal breaks and paid leave.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates, table B19013. Median household income by state.
- Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods. Worksheet 1A and the 2026 Percentage Method Tables for Automated Payroll Systems: every bracket, rate and the $12,900 and $8,600 amounts on line 1g.
- Internal Revenue Service, Topic no. 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates. Social Security 6.2%, Medicare 1.45%, and Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% on wages above $200,000 in a calendar year.
- Social Security Administration, Contribution and Benefit Base. The 2026 Social Security wage base of $184,500.