Tech Total Compensation After-Tax Calculator (2026)

Recruiters quote total compensation as if your RSU grant arrives as cash. It doesn't. Your $500K TC offer means $250K salary plus $125K of RSUs per year — and RSU income is withheld at only 22% federal, leaving a gap of $25,000–$60,000 that shows up in April. Add state income tax, FICA, and the effect of 401(k) contributions, and your real take-home is often 30–40% lower than the headline number.

This calculator models your actual take-home across all four vesting years, accounting for the complete federal and state tax picture. Enter your offer details below.

Why the headline TC number misleads

The 22% federal withholding gap

IRS regulations let employers withhold federal income tax on supplemental wages — including RSU vests — at a flat 22% rate (37% above $1M). For most senior tech employees, the real marginal federal rate is 32–37%. The difference is yours to pay in April. On a $150K annual RSU vest, that's a $15,000–$22,500 federal shortfall before state taxes.

State supplemental withholding: better or worse

California withholds at 10.23% on RSU income. If your total income lands in the 9.3% bracket, you're fine. If you're above $371,480 (10.3%), you're also fine. But above $445,772 (11.3%), you're slightly under-withheld, and above $742,954 (12.3%), the state gap adds up too. New York withholds at 9.62% — which is actually above the 6.85% marginal rate most tech employees pay, giving you a state refund on RSU income. Washington has no state income tax.

FICA: withheld correctly, but expensive

Social Security (6.2%) applies to the first $184,500 of wages in 2026 — that's $11,439 maximum, already subtracted from your first paycheck of the year. Medicare (1.45%) applies to all wages with no cap. If your wages exceed $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married), an additional 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax applies to the excess — withheld by your employer once your YTD wages cross the threshold. FICA is withheld correctly, so it doesn't create an April surprise, but it does reduce take-home.

401(k) is your best lever

Every dollar you contribute to a traditional 401(k) reduces both federal and state taxable income. At a 32% federal + 9.3% California marginal rate, maxing out at $24,500 saves approximately $10,000 in taxes — a guaranteed 40%+ return on day one. For employees over 50, the 2026 limit is $32,500 ($8,000 catch-up). For those ages 60–63, a SECURE 2.0 super-catch-up allows up to $11,250 additional, for a $35,750 total limit. If your employer offers a mega backdoor Roth, your total 401(k) capacity can reach $70,000 under IRC § 415(c).