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Free calculatorEmployer payroll burden typically 12-20% above gross wages for office work. Construction much higher due to workers comp.
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Payroll tax calculator · free to use · no signup

Payroll tax. Employer-side.

Calculate your employer-side payroll burden: FICA match (7.65% up to wage base), FUTA (0.6% on first $7k), SUTA (state-specific), workers comp (industry-specific). Plus benefits typically 15-30% more.

Federal
+ State
+ FICA + FUTA + SUI
Per-state
Withholding
tables updated
Year-end
Forms
W-2, 1099-NEC ready
Partner
Payroll
Gusto, Justworks, Rippling
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How this tool actually works

Three things that make Payroll tax calculator useful in the real world.

Not a calculator that ships you to a paywall after the result.

01

Real federal + state stack

Federal income tax, FICA (7.65% each side), FUTA, plus state withholding and SUI tracked by state.

02

See net pay, not just gross

Output is take-home pay, employer cost, and the tax line by line · not just a percentage.

03

Hand-off to payroll partner

Once you hire a second person, push the data into Gusto, Justworks, or Rippling.

Payroll tax calculator

Employer-side payroll taxes. Enter your employee's gross annual wages. We'll calculate FICA match, FUTA, SUTA, and workers comp.

How payroll taxes work

Employer-side breakdown.

01

FICA (Federal)

Employer match: 7.65% on wages up to $168,600 (2024 Social Security wage base) for the 6.2% Social Security portion. Medicare 1.45% has no cap. Plus 0.9% Additional Medicare on wages over $200k single ($250k joint), employer pays half via withholding.

02

FUTA (Federal Unemployment)

Federal Unemployment Tax Act: 6.0% on first $7,000 of wages per employee. Most employers receive 5.4% state UI credit, reducing effective FUTA to 0.6% ($42/year per employee).

03

SUTA (State Unemployment)

State unemployment tax rate varies by state (0.5%-6%+) and by employer experience rating. New employers pay the "new employer rate" (typically 2.5-3.4%). On the first $7,000-$15,000+ of wages per employee depending on state.

04

Workers Compensation

State-mandated insurance covering employee injuries. Rate varies by state, industry, and claims history. Construction: 5-15%. Office work: 0.2-0.8%. Service work: 1.5-3%. Required in 49 states (Texas optional).

05

Plus benefits

Health insurance, retirement contributions, paid time off. Not technically payroll taxes but real employee costs. Typically 15-30% of gross wages.

Get payroll set up properly.File.Business connects to Gusto, OnPay, and Rippling for full-service payroll. Workers comp through partner brokers. EIN and state employer registrations handled.
Set up payroll →From $40/mo + $6/employee
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