About PayClear

What we do

PayClear builds simple, focused calculators for common US payroll and tax questions: what will I actually take home, how does my hourly rate translate to an annual salary, how much will my bonus be taxed, and what should a freelancer set aside for self-employment tax.

Every calculator runs entirely in your browser — your numbers are never sent to a server, logged, or stored. There's no sign-up, no account, and no tracking of the financial figures you enter.

How our estimates work

Our calculators use current-year IRS federal tax brackets, the standard deduction, Social Security and Medicare rates, and published state income tax rates where applicable. We update these figures annually as the IRS and individual states release new numbers.

These are estimates for general informational purposes — they don't account for every possible deduction, credit, or unique tax situation. For decisions that matter, we always recommend confirming with a licensed CPA or tax professional.

Questions or feedback?

If you spot something that looks off, or have a calculator you'd like to see, reach out through our Contact page.

Why we built this

Most existing paycheck and salary calculators online are either buried inside larger financial-advice sites, cluttered with ads that push the actual tool below the fold, or simplified to the point of being inaccurate. We wanted something different: a focused tool that loads instantly, shows its work clearly, and treats every number with the seriousness it deserves — because a wrong estimate about your paycheck can lead to real budgeting mistakes.

We built PayClear as a lightweight, fast-loading site with no required sign-up and no account to manage. Every calculation happens instantly in your browser, and every page explains not just the result but the reasoning behind it — what's included, what isn't, and why.

Who's behind PayClear

PayClear is an independent project focused exclusively on US payroll and tax calculators. We're not affiliated with the IRS, any state tax agency, or any payroll software company — our goal is simply to provide clear, accurate estimates and explain the reasoning behind them. For your specific tax situation, especially anything involving credits, itemized deductions, or unusual income sources, we always recommend speaking with a licensed CPA or tax professional.

Our approach to accuracy over time

Tax law changes every year — sometimes through routine inflation adjustments, sometimes through major legislation. We treat keeping our figures current as an ongoing commitment, not a one-time setup task. Each calculator page notes the tax year it's built for, and we review federal and state figures at least annually, with updates made as soon as new official numbers are published. If you ever notice an outdated figure, the fastest way to get it corrected is through our Contact page.

What "free" means here

Every calculator on this site is free to use, with no usage limits, no premium tier, and no paywall. The site is supported by advertising, which helps cover hosting and ongoing development without requiring a subscription or sign-up from visitors. We aim to keep ad placements unobtrusive so they never get in the way of the calculator itself.

Our commitment to clarity

Every calculator page on this site follows the same structure: a working tool above the fold, a plain-language explanation of how the math works, a worked example with real numbers, and an FAQ section addressing the most common related questions. We'd rather a page feel thorough than feel rushed — if you're trying to understand your paycheck or plan around a tax decision, a quick number without context isn't always enough to make a confident decision.

A note on independence

We don't accept payment from payroll software, tax software, or financial product companies in exchange for favorable treatment in our content or calculations. Any links to third-party tools are included because they're genuinely relevant to the topic, not because of a financial arrangement that could bias our explanations.

Looking ahead

We're continuing to expand coverage — more state-specific pages, additional calculator types for less common scenarios, and ongoing refinements to existing tools based on visitor feedback. If a calculator you need doesn't exist yet, our Contact page is the fastest way to let us know it's worth prioritizing.