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South Carolina Paycheck Calculator
Calculate your exact SC take-home pay. Uses 2026 SC tax brackets (0%, 3%, 6.2%), federal income tax, FICA, and your pre-tax deductions to show exactly what lands in your bank account.
✓ Verified: SC Dept. of Revenue 2026 Brackets & IRS Federal Tables — April 2026
Please enter your annual salary.
401(k), HSA, health insurance per paycheck
Net Pay Per Paycheck
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⚠️ Disclaimer: Estimates only. Actual withholding depends on W-4 elections, employer payroll processing, and year-to-date totals. Consult your payroll department or a tax professional for exact figures.
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Sources & Methodology
✓ SC tax brackets and federal tables verified against SC DOR 2026 guidelines and IRS Publication 15-T.
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South Carolina Department of Revenue — Individual Income Tax
dor.sc.gov — Official SC 2026 tax brackets: 0% ($0-$3,460), 3% ($3,461-$17,330), 6.2% ($17,331+). Top rate temporarily 6.0% Jul 2025-Jun 2026 per FY2026 budget.
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Tax Foundation — 2026 State Income Tax Rates
taxfoundation.org — Confirms SC top rate reverts to 6.2% July 1, 2026 per South Carolina FY2026 budget provision.
SC Tax: Taxable = Annual gross − pre-tax deductions × pay periods − SC standard deduction. Apply 3 brackets. Federal Tax: Apply 2026 federal brackets after standard deduction and 50% SE adjustment. FICA: SS = 6.2% × min(gross, $184,500). Medicare = 1.45% × gross. All divided by pay periods.
Last reviewed: April 2026
South Carolina Income Tax for 2026
South Carolina uses a progressive three-bracket income tax system for 2026. The state conforms to the federal standard deduction, which significantly reduces taxable income for most workers. There are no local income taxes anywhere in SC, simplifying the paycheck calculation.
SC 2026 Tax Brackets
SC Tax = $0 on first $3,460 + 3% on $3,461–$17,330 + 6.2% on $17,331+
SC Take-Home Pay by Salary (Single, Biweekly, 2026)
Annual Salary
SC Tax/yr
Fed Tax/yr
FICA/yr
Net/Biweekly Check
$40,000
$1,087
$2,714
$3,060
$1,279
$60,000
$2,085
$5,414
$4,590
$1,849
$80,000
$3,325
$9,014
$6,120
$2,366
$100,000
$4,565
$13,814
$7,650
$2,879
Pre-Tax Deductions That Reduce Your SC Tax
Contributing to a 401(k), HSA, or FSA reduces your gross income before both federal and SC state taxes are calculated. On a $65,000 salary, contributing $5,000/year to a 401(k) saves approximately $310 in SC taxes (at the 6.2% bracket) plus federal savings. Health insurance and dental premiums paid pre-tax also reduce both SC and federal taxable income.
💡 Pro Tip: SC conforms to federal standard deductions, so itemizing deductions on your SC return is only beneficial if your SC-deductible expenses exceed the standard deduction. Most SC filers use the standard deduction. Review your SC W-4 annually to ensure your withholding matches your actual tax liability.
Frequently Asked Questions
SC has three brackets for 2026: $0-$3,460 at 0%, $3,461-$17,330 at 3%, and $17,331+ at 6.2%. The top rate was temporarily reduced to 6.0% from July 2025 through June 2026, then reverts to 6.2% on July 1, 2026. No local income taxes exist in SC.
Yes. SC conforms to the federal standard deduction: $15,750 for single filers, $31,500 for married filing jointly, and $23,500 for head of household in 2026. This deduction is subtracted before calculating SC state tax.
FICA taxes fund Social Security and Medicare. Social Security: 6.2% on the first $184,500 of wages (2026 wage base). Medicare: 1.45% on all wages. Additional Medicare: 0.9% on wages over $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married).
Start with gross pay. Subtract pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA, health insurance). Calculate federal income tax on the remainder minus your standard deduction. Calculate SC tax using SC brackets on the SC taxable amount. Subtract FICA taxes. The result is your net take-home pay.
SC uses a progressive bracket system with three brackets (0%, 3%, 6.2%) as of 2026. Some sources incorrectly describe SC as flat-tax — SC has not implemented a flat tax and continues to use graduated brackets.
401(k) contributions, traditional IRA contributions, HSA contributions, health/dental/vision insurance premiums, FSA contributions, and commuter benefits all reduce both federal and SC taxable income. These deductions reduce both federal and state taxes.
Pay frequency varies by employer. Common schedules are weekly (52 paychecks/year), biweekly (26 per year), semi-monthly (24 per year), and monthly (12 per year). Your annual salary is divided by the number of pay periods to get gross pay per check.
SC top rate of 6.2% compares to: NC 3.99% flat, GA 5.39% flat, TN 0% (no income tax), FL 0% (no income tax). SC's effective rate is lower than the top bracket suggests due to the 0% bracket and federal standard deduction conformity.
SC withholding is based on the SC W-4 (SC Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate). Additional allowances reduce withholding. Changing allowances mid-year requires submitting a new SC W-4 to your employer. Claiming too many allowances may result in a tax bill at filing.
No. Overtime pay is taxed at the same federal and SC marginal rates as regular pay. It simply increases your gross income, which may push more of your income into higher tax brackets.