Federal Take-Home Pay Calculator
Calculate your actual biweekly net paycheck as a GS federal employee — accounting for FEHB premiums, FERS retirement contributions, TSP, Social Security, Medicare, and federal income tax withholding.
2026 Pay Rates
| Deduction | Biweekly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
Gross Biweekly Pay Before any deductions | $3,901.65 | $101,443 |
− FEHB Premium (employee share) Pre-tax (FIT + FICA) | ($133.77) | ($3,478) |
− Social Security Tax (6.2%) FICA | ($233.61) | ($6,074) |
− Medicare Tax (1.45%) FICA | ($54.63) | ($1,420) |
− TSP Traditional (5%) Pre-tax (FIT only) | ($195.08) | ($5,072) |
− Federal Income Tax Withholding (est.) Federal income tax (est.) | ($519.13) | ($13,497) |
− FERS-FRAE Contribution (4.4%) After-tax | ($171.67) | ($4,463) |
| = Net Biweekly Take-Home | $2,593.76 | $67,438/yr |
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How the paycheck deduction waterfall works
Your GS salary is a gross figure — your actual take-home pay is significantly lower after mandatory and elected deductions. The order in which those deductions are computed matters because some deductions reduce the base that others are calculated on.
The most misunderstood rules: FEHB premiums reduce both federal income tax and FICA wages (Social Security + Medicare) — this is the premium conversion benefit under 5 CFR Part 892. FERS contributions are after-tax — they do not reduce your income tax withholding base, unlike TSP traditional contributions. And TSP traditional reduces income taxes but not FICA — the same rule as private-sector 401(k) contributions.
| Step | Tax treatment | Example (GS-12 Step 5, DCB) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Gross biweekly pay | Starting point | $4,464.27 | Annual locality pay ÷ 26 |
| 2. FEHB premium | Pre-tax (FIT + FICA) | ($133.77) | Reduces both income tax and payroll tax bases |
| 3. Social Security (6.2%) | FICA (on gross − FEHB) | ($268.49) | $184,500/yr wage base; TSP does not reduce this |
| 4. Medicare (1.45%) | FICA (on gross − FEHB) | ($62.79) | No wage base cap; +0.9% above $200k annual wages |
| 5. TSP Traditional | Pre-tax (FIT only) | ($223.21) | Does NOT reduce SS/Medicare wages |
| 6. Federal income tax (est.) | Withholding estimate | ($636.72) | Pub 15-T Percentage Method; assumes standard W-4 |
| 7. State income tax (opt.) | State — on same base as FIT | ($0.00) | Enter your state rate; some states exempt fed wages |
| 8. FERS contribution | After-tax | ($196.43) | Does NOT reduce FIT or FICA — this surprises many |
| 9. TSP Roth (opt.) | After-tax | — | No tax reduction at contribution time |
| 10. FEGLI premium (opt.) | After-tax | — | Life insurance; does not reduce any tax base |
| = Net take-home | — | $2,942.86 | GS-12 Step 5, DC locality, FRAE 4.4%, 5% TSP, BCBS Basic Self Only, Single |
Why FERS contributions are after-tax (and why it matters)
Many federal employees assume that all their retirement contributions — like private-sector workers with a 401(k) — reduce their taxable income. For TSP traditional contributions, that's true. For FERS, it is not.
FERS employee contributions are not a salary-reduction arrangement under IRC Section 125 or a 401(k)-style deferral. The IRS confirmed in Publication 721 that FERS contributions are "included in your gross income for federal income tax purposes in the years [they are] taken out of your pay." Your W-2 Box 1 includes your full salary before FERS is deducted.
FEHB premium conversion: why you save on both income and payroll taxes
Unlike most private-sector employer health plans, FEHB premiums operate under "premium conversion" (5 CFR Part 892, IRC Section 125). This means your employee premium share is deducted before Social Security and Medicare taxes are computed — not just before income taxes.
For a GS-12 Step 5 employee in DC paying $133.77 biweekly in FEHB premiums, the FICA savings alone are roughly $102 per year ($133.77 × 26 × 7.65%). That is on top of the income tax savings. Over a 30-year federal career, the cumulative FICA savings from premium conversion can exceed $3,000 — a meaningful benefit that is rarely discussed.