About ExactTakeHome
ExactTakeHome is a team-built paycheck calculator for transparent US take-home pay estimates.
Who built it
The ExactTakeHome Team built ExactTakeHome with a simple mission: make U.S. paycheck and tax calculations simple, accurate, and transparent for every worker.
Why it exists
IRS Pub 15-T withholding order matters. Architectural decision D-124 documents a core accuracy difference: traditional 401(k) contributions are subtracted before federal taxable wages are computed, while FICA remains based on gross wages. ExactTakeHome follows that order. Some widely-used calculators, including PaycheckCity in the reviewed comparison, do not subtract 401(k) before computing federal taxable wages, which can over-estimate federal withholding.
Data sources
All federal tax data is sourced directly from IRS publications. All state tax data is sourced from each state's Department of Revenue. Every value in the engine carries a source URL and effective date.
Privacy
ExactTakeHome does not collect, store, log, or transmit any input you enter. All calculations run entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. No server ever receives your salary, filing status, or deduction amounts.
Trust & Reviews
ExactTakeHome is listed on Trustpilot under the Tax Preparation category.
Ads disclosure
This site uses Google AdSense to display ads. AdSense is a premium ad network operated by Google. ExactTakeHome does not use pop-ups, redirects, or deceptive ad formats.