Louisiana Paycheck
Calculator
Estimate your Louisiana take-home pay. See federal tax, Louisiana state tax, Social Security and Medicare withheld from your paycheck.
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Estimate Your Louisiana Paycheck
Enter your pay details below. This is an estimate for informational purposes only.
Any overtime?
Estimated Results (per pay period)
This calculator provides estimates only and is not tax, legal or accounting advice. Federal tax uses the 2026 IRS withholding formula (Publication 15-T, Worksheet 1A) assuming a standard Form W-4 with no additional adjustments. Louisiana state tax uses the official 2025 withholding formula from Louisiana DOR — R-1306 Withholding Tables and Formulas, assuming standard withholding with no additional allowances or credits. It also uses the 2026 Social Security wage base. It supports Single/MFS, Married Filing Jointly/Qualifying Surviving Spouse, Head of Household and Nonresident Alien federal filing statuses (Nonresident Alien withholding follows the IRS Notice 1392 wage-addback procedure), and calculates overtime pay at 1.5x the hourly rate. It does not account for local taxes or additional allowances/credits. Actual withholding depends on your W-4, employer payroll system and individual circumstances. Consult a tax professional or payroll provider for exact figures.
Sources: IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Louisiana DOR — R-1306 Withholding Tables and Formulas, Social Security Administration. Last verified: August 14, 2026.
Use the Louisiana Paycheck Calculator to estimate take-home pay after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Louisiana state income tax withholding. Louisiana now has a flat individual income tax rate, but its payroll withholding tables use a slightly higher withholding percentage to reduce the chance of an underpayment at filing time.
For tax years beginning in 2025 and after, Louisiana's individual income tax rate is a flat 3%. The Louisiana Department of Revenue explains that its withholding tables use 3.09% instead of 3% as a withholding cushion. Employers also use the employee's Louisiana Form L-4 when determining the state amount to withhold.
Source: Louisiana Individual Income Tax Rates
Source: Why Louisiana Withholding Tables Use 3.09%
How to Use the Louisiana Paycheck Calculator
To estimate a Louisiana paycheck, enter gross wages for the pay period and the payroll information that affects federal and state withholding. The result is an estimated net pay amount rather than an official payroll record.
- Gross pay for the pay period
- Hourly rate or salary
- Pay frequency
- Federal Form W-4 information
- Louisiana Form L-4 information
- Pre-tax deductions
- Post-tax deductions
- Overtime, commissions or bonuses
- Year-to-date wages when relevant
What Federal Taxes Come Out of a Louisiana Paycheck?
A Louisiana paycheck can include federal income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare in addition to state income tax. Federal withholding is calculated separately from the state calculation.
Federal Income Tax Withholding
Federal income tax withholding depends on taxable wages, payroll frequency and the information on the employee's Form W-4. Employers use the IRS 2026 withholding methods rather than one flat federal percentage.
Source: IRS Publication 15-T (2026)
Social Security and Medicare
Social Security and Medicare are federal payroll taxes that generally apply in addition to federal and state income tax withholding.
| Payroll Tax | Employee Rate | 2026 Wage Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security | 6.2% | Applies to covered wages up to $184,500 |
| Medicare | 1.45% | Applies to covered wages with no annual wage limit |
| Additional Medicare Tax | 0.9% | Employer withholding begins after wages paid exceed $200,000 |
The employer generally matches the regular Social Security and Medicare employee portions. The Additional Medicare Tax is not matched by the employer.
Source: SSA 2026 Contribution and Benefit Base
Source: IRS Publication 15 (2026)
How Louisiana State Income Tax Withholding Works in 2026
Louisiana state withholding is based on the state's current withholding tables and the employee information supplied on Form L-4. The 3% individual income tax rate should not be substituted directly for the official payroll withholding method.
Louisiana adopted a flat 3% individual income tax rate for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025. For payroll withholding, the Department of Revenue uses tables built around a 3.09% rate. The Department says the extra 0.09 percentage point acts as a cushion that can reduce the chance that a taxpayer has a balance due with the return.
Source: Louisiana 2026 Withholding Tables
Source: Louisiana 3.09% Withholding Explanation
Why Does Louisiana Use 3.09% for Withholding if the Tax Rate Is 3%?
Louisiana uses 3.09% in its withholding tables to create a small withholding cushion. The underlying individual income tax rate is 3%, so these two percentages serve different purposes.
The 3% rate applies to Louisiana individual income tax liability. The 3.09% figure is part of the payroll withholding system and does not mean the state's individual tax rate is 3.09%. Any excess withholding is generally reconciled when the taxpayer files a Louisiana income tax return.
What Is Louisiana Form L-4?
Form L-4 is Louisiana's Employee Withholding Certificate. Employees use it to provide information that employers need when calculating Louisiana income tax withholding from wages.
The Louisiana Department of Revenue currently lists the L-4 certificate as Form R-1300 for use from January 1, 2025 onward. Employees should keep their withholding information current when their circumstances change.
Source: Louisiana Employee Withholding Certificate (L-4)
How to Estimate a Louisiana Paycheck
A practical Louisiana paycheck estimate starts with gross wages, applies federal payroll taxes, applies the official Louisiana withholding method then subtracts any other payroll deductions.
- Determine gross taxable wages for the pay period.
- Identify the employee's payroll frequency.
- Use current Form W-4 information for federal withholding.
- Use current Form L-4 information for Louisiana withholding.
- Apply Social Security and Medicare where applicable.
- Subtract eligible pre-tax and post-tax payroll deductions.
- Subtract total withholding and deductions from gross pay to estimate net pay.
Louisiana Hourly Paycheck Calculator
A Louisiana hourly paycheck estimate begins with the employee's hourly rate and the number of hours worked during the pay period.
Hourly Rate × Regular Hours = Regular Gross Pay
Add taxable overtime, commissions, bonuses or other compensation that belongs in the pay period before calculating applicable withholding and payroll deductions.
Louisiana Salary Paycheck Calculator
For salaried employees, gross pay per paycheck is generally calculated by dividing annual salary by the number of payroll periods in the year.
- Weekly: annual salary ÷ 52
- Biweekly: annual salary ÷ 26
- Semimonthly: annual salary ÷ 24
- Monthly: annual salary ÷ 12
Gross salary is not the same as take-home pay. Federal taxes, state withholding and other payroll deductions are applied after gross wages for the period are determined.
Gross Pay vs. Net Pay in Louisiana
Gross pay is compensation before payroll taxes and deductions. Net pay is the amount remaining after applicable withholding and other payroll deductions.
Gross Pay - Taxes - Payroll Deductions = Estimated Net Pay
The difference between gross and net pay in Louisiana can be affected by federal withholding, state income tax, pre-tax benefits, retirement contributions, insurance deductions and other payroll elections.
Why Your Louisiana Paycheck May Be Different
An actual Louisiana paycheck can differ from a calculator estimate because payroll withholding depends on employee-specific information and the details of each pay period.
- Changes to Form W-4
- Changes to Louisiana Form L-4
- Bonuses or commissions
- Overtime
- Pre-tax benefit deductions
- Retirement contributions
- Additional withholding requests
- Payroll corrections
- Year-to-date Social Security wages
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Louisiana Income Tax Rate for 2026?
Louisiana has a flat 3% individual income tax rate for tax years beginning in 2025 and after.
Why Do Louisiana Withholding Tables Use 3.09%?
The Louisiana Department of Revenue says the withholding tables use 3.09% to provide a small cushion that reduces the chance of a balance due when the taxpayer files a return.
What Form Controls Louisiana Withholding?
Employees use Louisiana Form L-4, Employee Withholding Certificate, to provide information used by the employer for state withholding.
Does Louisiana Have Local Income Tax Withholding?
Louisiana state payroll withholding is administered at the state level. A standard Louisiana paycheck calculation should still account for any other payroll obligations that apply to the employee or employer's specific situation.
Is a Louisiana Paycheck Calculator Exact?
No. It provides an estimate based on the information entered. Actual payroll can differ because of withholding elections, supplemental wages, benefits and payroll adjustments.