Illinois Salary Calculator

About the Illinois Paycheck Calculator

Illinois has a flat state income tax of 4.95%, no local income taxes, and no mandatory state-level benefit deductions like paid family leave or disability insurance. That makes it one of the more straightforward states to calculate take-home pay — but federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare still take a meaningful share of every paycheck. An Illinois salary calculator gives you the exact net number before you budget, negotiate an offer, or plan your retirement contributions.

Why Illinois Is a Simpler State for Paycheck Math

Illinois has a flat 4.95% income tax, so paycheck calculations are predictable no matter what you earn. There is no local income tax anywhere in the state, no state disability insurance deduction, and no mandatory paid-family-leave contribution. Your paycheck deductions are federal taxes, FICA, and the flat Illinois state income tax — nothing more unless you elect pre-tax benefits.

Illinois is also unusually retirement-friendly: it does not tax Social Security, pensions, or 401(k)/IRA distributions. For working-age earners, though, the flat 4.95% applies to all wage income above your personal exemption allowance.

What Gets Deducted from an Illinois Paycheck

1. Federal Income Tax

Withheld based on your IRS Form W-4 and the 2026 tax brackets. The 2026 federal standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers and $32,200 for married filing jointly. Your effective federal rate depends on your filing status and W-4 elections.

2. Social Security Tax

A flat 6.2% on wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Both you and your employer contribute equally. The maximum Social Security tax you can pay is $11,439 per year.

3. Medicare Tax

A flat 1.45% on all wages with no cap. Earners above $200,000 (or $250,000 filing jointly) also pay an Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9%, employee-only with no employer match.

4. Illinois State Income Tax

A flat 4.95% on all Illinois taxable income. Illinois has no standard deduction; instead it gives a personal exemption allowance of about $2,850 per person (2025, indexed annually), subtracted from income before the rate applies. The exemption phases out for single filers with AGI over $250,000 and joint filers over $500,000.

5. Pre-Tax Deductions (The Take-Home Booster)

These reduce both your federal and Illinois state taxable income before tax is calculated:

• 401(k): Up to $24,500 in 2026 ($32,500 if age 50+)
• HSA: Up to $4,400 for individuals, $8,750 for families
• FSA: Up to $3,300 (rollover cap: $660)
• Health, dental, and vision insurance premiums (if employer-sponsored, pre-tax)

Illinois Paycheck Deductions at a Glance (2026)

Estimated Take-Home Pay in Illinois (2026)

Single filer, one personal exemption, biweekly pay, no pre-tax deductions. Includes federal tax, Illinois state tax, and FICA.

Estimates only. Single filer, one personal exemption, no pre-tax deductions.

Illinois’ Flat Tax: What It Means for Your Paycheck

Illinois has taxed income at a flat 4.95% since July 2017. Because there are no brackets, every dollar of taxable wage income is taxed at the same rate — you never need to track which bracket you are in or how close you are to the next threshold. Illinois voters rejected a 2020 ballot measure that would have replaced the flat tax with a graduated one, so the single flat rate remains in place.

The one wrinkle is the personal exemption allowance: it lowers your taxable income by about $2,850 per person, but phases out entirely for high earners (single AGI over $250,000, joint over $500,000).

Illinois vs. Other States: Take-Home Pay Comparison

At a $100,000 gross salary for a single filer:

Estimates only. Single filer, no pre-tax deductions, no local tax.

W-4 Tips for Illinois Workers

Your federal W-4 controls federal withholding. Illinois uses its own withholding certificate, Form IL-W-4, to set your state exemptions. Both must be completed correctly to avoid a surprise tax bill in April.

• Dual-income households: Both spouses must complete Step 2(c) on the federal W-4. Skipping this is the most common cause of a $3,000–$8,000 federal under-withholding surprise.
• Illinois Form IL-W-4: This state form sets your personal-exemption allowances and is separate from the federal W-4. Update it when you start a new job or after a life change — marriage, divorce, a new dependent.
• Maximize pre-tax contributions: Every dollar contributed to a 401(k) or HSA reduces both your federal and Illinois taxable income, lowering your combined tax bill.
• Retirement income is tax-free in Illinois: Social Security, pensions, and 401(k)/IRA withdrawals are not taxed by Illinois — a major consideration for workers approaching retirement.

Illinois Minimum Wage and Overtime

Illinois’ state minimum wage is $15.00/hr (reached January 1, 2025). The city of Chicago sets a higher minimum wage — about $16.60/hr as of mid-2025 and adjusted annually for inflation — and Cook County also maintains its own rate above the state floor.

Overtime follows the federal standard: 1.5x the regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. The 2026 federal overtime exemption threshold is $58,656/year — salaried employees earning below this are entitled to overtime regardless of job title.

For Employers: Illinois Payroll Obligations

Illinois employer-side payroll obligations beyond standard FICA and FUTA:

• State Unemployment Insurance (SUI): Illinois’ SUI taxable wage base is $13,916 (2025). New non-construction employers pay a rate around 3.95%; experienced-employer rates vary with claims history.
• FUTA: 6% on the first $7,000 of wages, reduced to an effective 0.6% ($42/employee/year) when Illinois SUI is filed on time.
• Employer FICA match: Employers match your 6.2% Social Security and 1.45% Medicare contributions on every paycheck.
• Final paycheck rules: Illinois requires final compensation, including earned vacation pay, by the next regularly scheduled payday after separation.

Conclusion

Illinois’ flat 4.95% income tax, absence of local income taxes, and tax-free treatment of retirement income make it one of the more predictable states for paycheck math. Your take-home on wage income is lower than in no-tax states like Florida or Texas, but close to other flat-tax states and higher than in New York or California on the same gross salary.

Run your specific numbers — including your filing status, W-4 elections, and any 401(k) or HSA contributions — to get your accurate Illinois take-home pay. The difference between a rough estimate and the real number can easily be $2,000–$4,000 per year.