Illinois Paycheck Calculator
Calculate your Illinois take-home pay — IL has a flat 4.95% state income tax plus the Chicago local income tax surcharge for city residents.
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How to use this calculator
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Enter your gross pay and filing status — Illinois uses a flat 4.95% state income tax on all income above the personal exemption.
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Illinois personal exemption is $2,425 per person ($4,850 for MFJ) — much smaller than the federal standard deduction.
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Illinois does not allow a standard deduction or itemized deductions — only the flat personal exemption applies.
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Pre-tax deductions reduce federal taxable income but do NOT reduce Illinois taxable income (IL taxes 401k contributions).
Frequently asked questions
What is Illinois's income tax rate?
Illinois has a flat 4.95% income tax rate for all filers (individual and corporate) — regardless of income level. Illinois is one of about a dozen states with a flat rate rather than progressive brackets. The rate was raised from 3.75% to 4.95% in 2017. There have been proposals to switch to a graduated rate (rejected by voters in 2020). Each filer also gets a $2,425 personal exemption.
Does Illinois tax retirement income?
Illinois generally does not tax most retirement income — including Social Security, government pensions (state and local), military pensions, and distributions from 401k/IRA/403b if the taxpayer is 59½+. This makes Illinois surprisingly retirement-friendly despite its 4.95% rate. Investment income and wages are fully taxable.
What does Illinois tax that federal doesn't?
Illinois taxes 401k and 403b contributions (unlike federal pre-tax treatment). Illinois taxes some income that federal excludes. Illinois does not recognize federal deductions — no mortgage interest deduction, no charitable deduction, no student loan interest deduction for state purposes. Only the flat $2,425 personal exemption applies.
Is Chicago's local income tax significant?
Chicago employees pay an employers' expense tax and a personal property replacement tax applies to businesses, but there is no Chicago city income tax on wages withheld from employees' paychecks in 2024. This contrasts with NYC (3.876% local tax) and Yonkers (16.75% surcharge). Illinois's flat rate already applies statewide.
Illinois Paycheck Calculator 2024 — Flat 4.95% state income tax
How to use the illinois paycheck
Use this illinois paycheck to estimate your take-home pay after federal taxes, FICA, and Illinois Paycheck state taxes. Calculate your Illinois take-home pay — IL has a flat 4.
Illinois Paycheck paycheck deductions breakdown
Enter your gross pay and pay frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly). Select your federal filing status and state filing status. Add any pre-tax deductions like 401(k) contributions or health insurance — these reduce your taxable income. The calculator shows federal tax, state tax, Social Security, Medicare, and net take-home pay.
Maximise your Illinois Paycheck take-home pay
Your Illinois Paycheck paycheck depends on several factors: gross salary, pay frequency, filing status, allowances, and pre-tax benefits. Understanding your withholdings helps you plan for tax season. If your employer withholds too much, you get a refund in April. Too little, and you owe money. Use the IRS Withholding Estimator alongside this tool for precise W-4 planning.
Illinois vs neighboring states take-home pay
At $80,000 salary: Illinois take-home ~$54,000, Indiana (flat 3.23% + county ~1%) ~$55,500, Wisconsin (graduated 3.54–7.65%) ~$53,000–54,000, Michigan (flat 4.25%) ~$55,000. Illinois is middle of the pack regionally. The 2.5% difference between Indiana (~4.25% combined) and Illinois (~4.95%) costs an $80K earner about $560/year.
Illinois's fiscal challenges and tax outlook
Illinois has significant pension funding gaps and was the last state to pass a budget multiple years running. Tax increases are politically discussed but the 2020 graduated rate referendum failed 45–55%. The flat 4.95% rate is likely to remain through the near term, though marginal increases are possible. Illinois also has high local property taxes (avg ~2.3% effective rate — second highest in the US after New Jersey).
Learn more from an authoritative source:
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Calculate your New Jersey take-home pay — NJ state income tax (1.4–10.75%), SDI, FLI, and SUI employee deductions included.
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Calculate your Washington state take-home pay — WA has no state income tax, but does have Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) and cares fund deductions.
Pennsylvania Paycheck Calculator
Calculate your Pennsylvania take-home pay — PA flat 3.07% state income tax plus local earned income tax (EIT) by municipality.
Georgia Paycheck Calculator
Calculate your Georgia take-home pay — GA transitioned to a flat 5.49% income tax rate in 2024, phasing down to 4.99% by 2029.
Ohio Paycheck Calculator
Calculate your Ohio take-home pay — OH state income tax (2.765–3.99%) plus local income tax by municipality.
Massachusetts Paycheck Calculator
Calculate your Massachusetts take-home pay — MA flat 5% income tax (9% on capital gains) plus PFML and HIRD contributions.
Results are estimates for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional financial, medical, legal, or technical advice. Read full disclaimer →