Kentucky Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your Kentucky take-home pay after federal withholding and FICA. Nothing leaves your browser.
Showing a $60,000/year, single-filer example for Kentucky: $48,407.60 take-home pay after taxes. Enter your own numbers above for your result.
| Gross pay | $60,000.00 |
| Federal income tax | -$5,020.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$3,720.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$870.00 |
| Kentucky state income tax | -$1,982.40 |
| Net take-home pay | $48,407.60 |
Estimate only, not tax advice — see the full disclaimer. Tax data last verified: 2026-08-08.
How Kentucky paycheck taxes work
Kentucky taxes wages at a single flat rate (3.5% for 2026, down from 4.0% in 2025 as the state's ongoing rate-reduction law keeps chipping away at it) against one flat $3,360 standard deduction that's the same for every filer regardless of marital status, unlike most states that double the deduction for married couples. What this calculator doesn't capture is Kentucky's local occupational license tax, which is unusually widespread and can matter more than the state rate itself: 87 of the state's 120 counties levy one (roughly 0.5% to 2.5%), many cities add a separate city-level tax on top of that, and in places like Louisville Metro (2.2%) or Lexington-Fayette (2.25%) the city and county rates stack. A real Kentucky paycheck for someone working in one of those localities will be lower than this estimate shows. There's no state disability insurance or paid-family-leave payroll deduction in Kentucky.
Federal income tax is calculated using the 2026 IRS tax brackets after subtracting your standard deduction, based on your filing status. FICA is a flat 6.2% Social Security tax (up to the annual wage base) plus 1.45% Medicare tax, with an additional 0.9% Medicare tax on income above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly).
Tax data last verified: 2026-08-08.
Nearby states
Frequently asked questions
Does Kentucky have a state income tax?
Yes. Kentucky taxes wage income at a flat 3.5% rate. See the state-specific section above for exactly how that applies to your filing status.
How is federal income tax calculated on a Kentucky paycheck?
Federal tax is calculated on taxable income (gross pay minus your standard deduction) using the 2026 IRS marginal tax brackets, which apply the same way in every state, including Kentucky. See "How Paycheck Withholding Works" for the full breakdown.
What is FICA and how much is withheld?
FICA is 6.2% Social Security (up to the annual wage base) plus 1.45% Medicare, with an additional 0.9% Medicare tax above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). It applies the same way in every state, including Kentucky.
Is this calculator exact?
No, it's an estimate based on standard 2026 tax tables and common assumptions. It doesn't account for every possible deduction, credit, filing situation, or local tax. For Kentucky specifically, it doesn't include the state's widespread local occupational license tax, which applies in most counties and cities and can matter more than the state rate itself. See the disclaimer above the breakdown for details.