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When you’re living in California, one of the first things you’ll want to know is how much of your paycheck will go toward taxes.
Luckily, there are a few ways to find out.
If you use an online tax calculator, they will ask for your income and then give you a number that represents how much money will be taken out of your check each pay period.
Alternatively, if you have access to your company’s human resources department, they can tell you the exact amount that is taken out of each paycheck.
If you’re moving to California and wondering how much of your paycheck will be withheld for taxes, there’s good news: it’s not too bad.
The California state income tax rate is between 1% and 13.3%. The average rate for taxpayers in the state is about 9%. That means that if you make $50,000 per year, about $4,500 of it will be withheld for taxes.
California state tax rates and tax brackets
The standard deduction for state income taxes in California is $4,803 (single or married filing separately) and $9,606 (married filing jointly, qualifying widow/er or head of household).
Note that regardless of filing status, an additional 1% tax applies to income exceeding $1 million. The revenues from this tax support mental health services.
Single or married filing separately
| Tax rate | Taxable income bracket | Tax owed |
|---|---|---|
| 1% | $0 to $9,325. | 1% of taxable income. |
| 2% | $9,326 to $22,107. | $93.25 plus 2% of the amount over $9,325. |
| 4% | $22,108 to $34,892. | $348.89 plus 4% of the amount over $22,107. |
| 6% | $34,893 to $48,435. | $860.29 plus 6% of the amount over $34,892. |
| 8% | $48,436 to $61,214. | $1,672.87 plus 8% of the amount over $48,435. |
| 9.3% | $61,215 to $312,686. | $2,695.19 plus 9.3% of the amount over $61,214. |
| 10.3% | $312,687 to $375,221. | $26,082.09 plus 10.3% of the amount over $312,686. |
| 11.3% | $375,222 to $625,369. | $32,523.20 plus 11.3% of the amount over $375,221. |
| 12.3% | $625,370 or more. | $60,789.92 plus 12.3% of the amount over $625,369. |
Married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er)
| Tax rate | Taxable income bracket | Tax owed |
|---|---|---|
| 1% | $0 to $18,650. | 1% of taxable income. |
| 2% | $18,651 to $44,214. | $186.50 plus 2% of the amount over $18,650. |
| 4% | $44,215 to $69,784. | $697.78 plus 4% of the amount over $44,214. |
| 6% | $69,785 to $96,870. | $1,720.58 plus 6% of the amount over $69,784. |
| 8% | $96,871 to $122,428. | $3,345.74 plus 8% of the amount over $96,870. |
| 9.3% | $122,429 to $625,372. | $5,390.38 plus 9.3% of the amount over $122,428. |
| 10.3% | $625,373 to $750,442. | $52,164.17 plus 10.3% of the amount over $625,372. |
| 11.3% | $750,443 to $1,250,738. | $65,046.38 plus 11.3% of the amount over $750,442. |
| 12.3% | $1,250,739 or more. | $121,579.83 plus 12.3% of the amount over $1,250,738. |
Head of household
| Tax rate | Taxable income bracket | Tax owed |
|---|---|---|
| 1% | $0 to $18,663. | 1% of taxable income. |
| 2% | $18,664 to $44,217. | $186.63 plus 2% of the amount over $18,663. |
| 4% | $44,218 to $56,999. | $697.71 plus 4% of the amount over $44,217. |
| 6% | $57,000 to $70,542. | $1,208.99 plus 6% of the amount over $56,999. |
| 8% | $70,543 to $83,324. | $2,021.57 plus 8% of the amount over $70,542. |
| 9.3% | $83,325 to $425,251. | $3,044.13 plus 9.3% of the amount over $83,324. |
| 10.3% | $425,252 to $510,303. | $34,843.34 plus 10.3% of the amount over $425,251. |
| 11.3% | $510,304 to $850,503. | $43,603.70 plus 11.3% of the amount over $510,303. |
| 12.3% | $850,504 or more. | $82,046.30 plus 12.3% of the amount over $850,503. |
Other things to know about California state taxes
California has its version of the Earned Income Tax Credit. To qualify, you must reside in California for the majority of the year, have taxable income below a certain threshold, and have a filing status other than married filing separately.
Qualifying residents could see a reduction of their overall tax liability. The State of California Tax Franchise Board notes that for tax year 2020 households making up to $30,000 could qualify for a tax credit of up to $3,026. You can check its website for 2021 updates, eligibility and estimated benefit amounts.
California’s gasoline tax is the highest in the nation at 51.1 cents per gallon . And if you smoke, you’ll pay a cigarette tax of $2.87 per 20-pack, according to the Tax Foundation.
The State of California Tax Franchise Board is a wise resource to turn to for information about tax requirements, filing online and paying any liabilities owed.
