See What a Virginia Paycheck May Look Like After Tax
Estimate one current Virginia paycheck using the 2026 federal withholding method, Virginia’s official annualized formula, VA-4 exemptions, Social Security and Medicare year-to-date limits, overtime, bonuses, benefits, and extra withholding.
Before You Calculate: Copy These Items From Your Records
A calculator becomes much more useful when its inputs match the current pay period. Keep the latest pay stub, federal Form W-4, and Virginia Form VA-4 nearby.
Current Virginia Paycheck Calculator
This calculator estimates one check. Hourly pay is annualized from average weekly hours; salary pay is divided by the selected number of checks. Federal withholding follows the 2026 automated percentage method for a 2020-or-later W-4.
Enter current-check details and calculate.
How the Current-Check Estimate Is Built
See the Same Earnings by Pay Frequency
These figures annualize the current calculation. A biweekly check is not the same as a semimonthly check: biweekly normally means 26 checks, while semimonthly normally means 24.
| Period | Estimated gross | Estimated take-home | Useful for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly | $0.00 | $0.00 | Hourly cash-flow planning |
| Biweekly | $0.00 | $0.00 | A 26-check employer schedule |
| Semimonthly | $0.00 | $0.00 | Two fixed pay dates each month |
| Monthly | $0.00 | $0.00 | Rent, mortgage, and recurring bills |
| Annualized | $0.00 | $0.00 | Job-offer comparison |
Virginia’s Official Withholding Formula, Explained
Virginia’s current employer tables apply to wages paid after July 1, 2025 and are the relevant published tables for 2026 unless Virginia issues a replacement. The annualized method is more precise than simply multiplying gross pay by 5.75%.
| Annual formula amount | Annual Virginia withholding calculation | Marginal step |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$3,000 | 2% of the amount | 2% |
| Over $3,000–$5,000 | $60 + 3% of excess over $3,000 | 3% |
| Over $5,000–$17,000 | $120 + 5% of excess over $5,000 | 5% |
| Over $17,000 | $720 + 5.75% of excess over $17,000 | 5.75% |
Why the $8,750 figure can be confusing
The employer formula subtracts $8,750 for each employee before VA-4 exemptions. Virginia’s individual-return standard deduction is a separate filing concept; the current return amounts are $8,750 for single filers and $17,500 for married couples filing jointly for tax year 2026, subject to future legislative changes.
Why withholding is not your final Virginia tax
Payroll withholding is a prepayment. A return may include a different filing status, credits, itemized deductions, additions, subtractions, part-year residency, nonresident allocation, or credit for tax paid to another state.
Use the official Virginia employer withholding tables when an exact payroll decision depends on the formula.
Form VA-4 and Federal W-4: What Each Field Changes
The two forms control different taxes. VA-4 affects Virginia withholding; W-4 affects federal withholding. Copying a number from one form into the other can create a large mismatch.
Virginia Form VA-4 line by line
| VA-4 line | What it does | How this calculator uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Line 1(a) | Personal and dependent withholding exemptions | Subtracts $930 per exemption from annualized Virginia withholding wages |
| Line 1(b) | Qualifying age-65-or-blind exemptions | Subtracts $800 per exemption |
| Line 2 | Additional Virginia tax requested each pay period | Adds the exact entered amount after normal state withholding |
| Line 3 | General Virginia withholding exemption when legal requirements are met | The exemption checkbox sets Virginia withholding to $0 |
| Line 4 | Military-spouse/SCRA withholding exemption when requirements are met | The same exemption checkbox sets Virginia withholding to $0 |
Review or download the current Virginia Form VA-4 and its instructions before claiming an exemption.
Federal W-4 entries used here
| W-4 entry | Effect on federal withholding | Common input mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Filing status | Selects the 2026 Publication 15-T schedule | Using tax-return plans instead of the status actually filed with payroll |
| Step 2(c) | Uses the higher multiple-jobs/spouse-works table | Checking it in the calculator when it is not checked on payroll, or vice versa |
| Step 3 | Reduces annual withholding by credits before conversion to a per-check amount | Entering the annual amount as though it were per paycheck |
| Step 4(a) | Adds annual other income to the annualized wage amount | Entering recurring wages that are already in gross pay |
| Step 4(b) | Subtracts annual deductions from the annualized wage amount | Also entering the same amount as a payroll pre-tax deduction |
| Step 4(c) | Adds a flat extra amount to each check | Entering an annual amount instead of the per-check amount |
For a personalized federal adjustment, use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator after you gather recent pay stubs for every job.
Virginia Reciprocity, Remote Work, and Military Spouses
Where work is physically performed and where the employee lives can change withholding. A worker should not select “Virginia exempt” merely because the employer is based in another state or because the employee crosses a state line.
Reciprocal jurisdictions
| Home jurisdiction | General Virginia rule | Details to verify |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | A qualifying wage earner may claim exemption from Virginia withholding | Residence, daily commuting arrangement, wage-only income, and VA-4 filing |
| Kentucky | A qualifying wage earner may claim reciprocity | Residence, commuting conditions, wage-only income, and payroll certificate |
| Maryland | A qualifying resident may avoid Virginia wage withholding | No Virginia abode, 183-day condition, wage/salary income, and VA-4 |
| Pennsylvania | A qualifying resident may avoid Virginia wage withholding | No Virginia abode, 183-day condition, wage/salary income, and VA-4 |
| West Virginia | A qualifying resident may avoid Virginia wage withholding | No Virginia abode, 183-day condition, wage/salary income, and VA-4 |
Remote and hybrid workers
Virginia generally looks at services physically performed in Virginia. Hybrid schedules, temporary assignments, a move during the year, and work performed in multiple states can require allocation rather than a simple resident-state choice.
Military spouse exemption
A qualifying military spouse can use VA-4 line 4 to claim an exemption under applicable federal protections. Eligibility depends on domicile and service-related facts; marriage to a service member alone is not enough.
Read the official Virginia reciprocity rules and the exemption instructions on Form VA-4.
Virginia Overtime Pay and the Federal Overtime Deduction
Most covered nonexempt employees are entitled to one and one-half times the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek. The “regular rate” can include certain nondiscretionary bonuses, commissions, and shift premiums, so it is not always identical to the base hourly rate.
| Question | Practical answer | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| How is ordinary overtime estimated here? | Regular rate × 1.5 × entered overtime hours | Whether the legal regular rate includes other compensation |
| Is all overtime income tax-free? | No | The federal deduction generally concerns only the qualifying premium portion, not the entire overtime payment |
| What may be deductible? | For time-and-a-half overtime, the qualifying premium is commonly the extra 0.5× portion required by federal law | FLSA qualification, employer reporting, income limits, and tax-year instructions |
| What are the federal limits? | Up to $12,500, or $25,000 for qualifying joint filers, for tax years 2025–2028 | Phaseout begins at modified AGI of $150,000 single or $300,000 joint |
The main calculator includes all overtime in taxable payroll wages and does not automatically reduce withholding for a tax-return deduction. Review IRS qualified-overtime guidance and Virginia overtime information.
2026 Virginia Minimum Wage and Tipped Pay
Virginia’s minimum wage is $12.77 per hour beginning January 1, 2026 for covered employees. A tipped employee may receive a cash wage as low as $2.13 only when all tip-credit conditions are satisfied and cash wages plus tips reach at least the full minimum wage.
| Worker situation | 2026 baseline | What to compare on the pay stub |
|---|---|---|
| Covered non-tipped worker | At least $12.77 per compensable hour | Gross straight-time wages ÷ compensable hours |
| Covered tipped worker | Cash wage may be $2.13 only with a lawful tip credit | Cash wages + credited tips must reach at least $12.77 per hour |
| Overtime-eligible worker | Generally 1.5× the regular rate after 40 hours | Rate calculation, overtime hours, bonuses, and shift premiums |
See the official 2026 Virginia minimum-wage notice for coverage and tipped-pay details.
Pay, Overtime, Bonus, and Net-to-Gross Tools
Hourly to Annual Gross
Salary to Hourly
Overtime Gross Pay
One-Time Bonus Withholding
Target Take-Home
Pay Frequency Converter
Bonuses, Commissions, Severance, and Supplemental Pay
A separately identified payment can be withheld differently from ordinary wages. When federal requirements are met, an employer may use the 22% federal flat supplemental rate for payments not exceeding $1 million. Virginia may use a 5.75% flat method on separately paid supplemental wages when regular-wage withholding requirements are satisfied.
| Payment method | Possible withholding approach | Why the deposit may surprise you |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus combined with regular wages | Aggregate payroll calculation | The larger check is annualized and can produce temporarily high withholding |
| Bonus separately identified | Federal 22% and Virginia 5.75% flat methods may be available | Social Security and Medicare usually still apply |
| Supplemental wages over $1 million | Special federal 37% rule applies to the excess | The ordinary 22% method does not apply to all of the payment |
| Commission, severance, retro pay, or award | May be treated as supplemental wages depending on payroll facts | Timing, aggregation, and FICA limits can change the result |
See the supplemental-wage rules in IRS Publication 15 and Virginia’s official employer withholding instructions.
How Common Benefits Change Taxable Wages
| Deduction or benefit | Common payroll treatment | Calculator setting |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional 401(k) or 403(b) | Often reduces federal and Virginia income-tax wages, but not Social Security or Medicare wages | Reduce income-tax wages only |
| Roth 401(k) | Generally post-tax for current income tax | Post-tax deduction |
| Qualifying Section 125 health/FSA benefit | May reduce federal, Virginia, Social Security, and Medicare wages | Reduce income-tax and FICA wages |
| HSA through a qualifying cafeteria plan | May reduce income-tax and FICA wages | Reduce income-tax and FICA wages |
| Union dues, Roth IRA, garnishment | Usually does not reduce taxable wages | Post-tax deduction |
Paycheck Does Not Match? Use This Troubleshooting Order
A neutral message to payroll
2026 Social Security, Medicare, and Virginia PFML
| Payroll item | 2026 employee treatment | How this calculator handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security | 6.2% up to $184,500 of Social Security wages per employer | Uses entered prior YTD wages and taxes only the remaining wage-base room |
| Medicare | 1.45% with no ordinary wage cap | Applies 1.45% to current FICA wages |
| Additional Medicare | Employer withholds an extra 0.9% after its wages exceed $200,000 | Taxes only the current-check portion crossing $200,000 based on entered YTD Medicare wages |
| Virginia statewide PFML | No statewide payroll contribution in 2026 | Adds $0; statutory contributions are scheduled to begin April 1, 2028 |
Verify the 2026 Social Security contribution base, review IRS FICA guidance, and see Virginia’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance law.
Official Sources Used for the 2026 Estimate
Use the source that matches the question. Virginia Tax controls state withholding forms and tables; DOLI covers Virginia wage rules; the IRS controls federal withholding; and SSA publishes the Social Security wage base.
Official formula, rate schedule, pay-period tables, and supplemental-wage instructions.
Open the Virginia PDFCurrent exemption, additional-withholding, reciprocity, and military-spouse form.
Open Form VA-4IRS Publication 15-T percentage and wage-bracket procedures.
Open Publication 15-TOfficial $12.77 notice and tipped-wage explanation.
Open the wage posterState information for covered overtime wages and enforcement.
Review Virginia overtimeBonus, commission, severance, and aggregate/flat withholding rules.
Open IRS Publication 15Eligibility, premium portion, dollar limits, and income phaseout.
Read IRS overtime FAQsOfficial wage base and FICA withholding references.
Check the SSA wage baseCompare Virginia With Nearby or No-Tax States
A relocation comparison should use net pay together with housing, commuting, insurance, retirement benefits, and local costs. These verified calculators provide useful contrasts without forcing unrelated links.
Compare a North Carolina paycheck for a neighboring-state salary decision.
Compare a Pennsylvania paycheck when reciprocity or relocation is relevant.
Compare a Florida paycheck for a no-state-personal-income-tax scenario.
Virginia Paycheck Calculator FAQs
Does Virginia withhold state income tax from paychecks?
Yes. Virginia employers generally withhold state income tax from covered wages using the employee’s Form VA-4 and the current employer withholding formula or tables.
What Virginia income tax rates are used for payroll?
The Virginia annualized withholding schedule uses marginal steps of 2%, 3%, 5%, and 5.75% after subtracting the $8,750 payroll base and applicable VA-4 exemption amounts.
How do VA-4 exemptions change a paycheck?
Under the current formula, each line 1(a) personal or dependent exemption reduces annualized withholding wages by $930, and each line 1(b) age-65-or-blind exemption reduces them by $800.
Can this calculator estimate hourly and salary pay?
Yes. Hourly mode uses regular and overtime hours, while salary mode divides annual salary across weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, or monthly pay periods.
Can I estimate a biweekly Virginia paycheck?
Yes. Select biweekly to use 26 checks per year. The result also shows annualized, weekly, semimonthly, and monthly planning figures.
What is the Virginia minimum wage in 2026?
The Virginia minimum wage is $12.77 per hour effective January 1, 2026 for covered employees. Special coverage and tipped-wage rules can apply.
Does this calculator include overtime?
Yes. Hourly mode estimates overtime at 1.5 times the entered regular rate. The legal regular rate can be different when certain bonuses, commissions, or premiums must be included.
Is all overtime pay tax-free under the federal overtime deduction?
No. Overtime remains payroll income. The federal deduction generally concerns only qualifying overtime premium required under federal law, is subject to dollar and income limits, and does not automatically remove withholding from the paycheck.
Which jurisdictions have wage-tax reciprocity with Virginia?
Virginia has reciprocity with the District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Eligibility conditions and a properly completed VA-4 must be satisfied before Virginia withholding is stopped.
How may a bonus be withheld in Virginia?
When a payment is separately identified and the requirements are met, an employer may use a 22% federal supplemental rate and a 5.75% Virginia method. The aggregate method may instead be used, and Social Security and Medicare generally still apply.
Does Virginia deduct statewide paid family leave in 2026?
No statewide Virginia PFML payroll contribution is added for 2026. Statutory contributions are scheduled to begin April 1, 2028, although an employer’s private benefit plan can have a separate premium.
Why is my real Virginia paycheck different from this estimate?
Differences can come from employer rounding, W-4 or VA-4 settings, benefit tax treatment, year-to-date FICA wages, taxable fringe benefits, bonuses, multi-state allocation, corrections, or a payroll method not represented by the simplified inputs.
Is this official tax, payroll, or legal advice?
No. It is a planning tool. Use Virginia Tax, Virginia DOLI, IRS, SSA, your employer’s payroll records, or a qualified professional for an exact withholding change, wage claim, tax filing, or legal decision.