CATax year 2026Rules US-CA-2026-v1
California Paycheck & Income Tax 2026
California taxes wages with nine brackets from 1% to 12.3%, plus a 1% Behavioral Health Services Tax on taxable income above $1 million. Employees also pay State Disability Insurance (SDI) on every dollar of wages.
Last reviewed 8 October 2026 · Estimate only, not tax advice
California rules used for 2026
- 2026 standard deduction: $5,900 single, $11,800 married filing jointly or head of household.
- SDI: 1.3% of all wages in 2026 — there is no wage ceiling.
- Exemption credits: $158 personal ($316 joint) and $491 per dependent. Their high-income phase-out threshold for 2026 is not yet published, so incomes above $250,000 are marked partial.
- Paycheck: SDI is included; California income tax withholding (EDD Method B) is not yet calculated, so per-paycheck results are partial.
Example: $75,000 salary, single
Federal income tax $7,676, Social Security and Medicare $5,738, California income tax $2,665 and state payroll deductions $975 — about $57,946 a year ($4,829 a month).
Official sources
- Tax News: 2026 Indexing — California FTB
- 2026 Form 540-ES instructions — California FTB
- Rates and withholding — California EDD