Colorado Paycheck Calculator 2026
Estimate take-home pay from an hourly wage or annual salary after federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare, Colorado tax, FAMLI, applicable Denver occupational tax and payroll deductions.
Quick Answer: How Colorado Take-Home Pay Works
Start with gross wages, subtract eligible pre-tax benefits, estimate federal income tax and FICA, calculate Colorado withholding with the 2026 DR 1098 method, add the employee FAMLI premium and any valid local payroll tax, then subtract post-tax deductions.
Colorado Paycheck Calculator With Taxes and Deductions
Use the fields that match the employee’s actual payroll setup. Results update automatically and remain estimates.
Colorado Tax Impact: With vs Without State Withholding
This comparison isolates the estimated Colorado withholding line. Federal tax, FICA, FAMLI and other deductions remain in both scenarios.
| Scenario | Estimated paycheck | Estimated monthly take-home | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| With Colorado withholding | $0 | $0 | Uses DR 1098, the selected annual allowance and Colorado wage allocation. |
| Without Colorado withholding | $0 | $0 | Useful for a comparison only; another state’s tax may still apply. |
| Estimated Colorado difference | $0 | $0 | This is estimated withholding impact, not final annual tax liability. |
Monthly Colorado Budget From Your Paycheck
Convert the payroll estimate into a monthly planning number before comparing rent, debt and savings.
Colorado Job Offer and Housing Affordability Calculator
Test whether a salary offer covers the monthly costs that matter to you after estimated taxes and FAMLI.
Common Colorado Paycheck Searches Explained
Each search below represents a different payroll decision and is handled by a matching calculator input or guidance section.
How This Colorado Paycheck Estimate Works
| Paycheck component | Calculation approach | Why a paystub may differ |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | Uses 2026 federal brackets, standard deductions, entered credits and an optional federal-only deduction. | Employers use Publication 15-T, exact W-4 entries, payroll methods and rounding. |
| Social Security | 6.2% of estimated Social Security wages up to $184,500. | Year-to-date wages and benefit treatment determine when the cap is reached. |
| Medicare | 1.45%, plus an estimated 0.9% withholding above $200,000. | Employer withholding threshold can differ from final joint-return liability. |
| Colorado withholding | Annualizes Colorado-taxable wages, subtracts the default or custom allowance and applies 4.40%. | Exact DR 0004 entries, taxable wage codes and payroll rounding matter. |
| Colorado FAMLI | Uses the entered employee rate, up to 0.44%, and covered-wage percentage up to the annual wage base. | Employer contribution choices, private plans and covered wages can change the deduction. |
| Local tax | Uses $5.75 per entered Denver taxable month or a verified manual monthly amount. | Monthly thresholds, physical work location and multi-employer rules matter. |
Colorado Form DR 0004 and the 2026 Withholding Allowance
| Payroll setup | 2026 annual allowance | Practical effect |
|---|---|---|
| No DR 0004; married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse | $11,000 | DR 1098 subtracts this before applying 4.40%. |
| No DR 0004; single, head of household, married filing separately or other status | $5,500 | This is the default used by the employer worksheet. |
| DR 0004 Line 2 completed | Employee-entered amount | Replaces the default allowance, including an entered amount of zero. |
| DR 0004 Line 3 completed | Additional amount per check | Added after the worksheet’s regular per-period withholding. |
| No W-4 or DR 0004 | Single default | Employer completes the worksheet as though W-4 status were single. |
Colorado FAMLI Premium in 2026
Employee deduction
The total 2026 premium is 0.88% of covered wages. The maximum employee share is generally half, or 0.44%. An employer may pay more of the premium, lowering the employee deduction.
Total: 0.88%Employee: up to 0.44%Annual wage limit
Premiums generally apply only to covered wages up to the Social Security wage base. For 2026, that federal wage base is $184,500. Approved private plans or coverage details can change the paystub line.
2026 cap: $184,500Separate from income taxDenver Occupational Tax and the Aurora 2026 Correction
Denver
The employee Occupational Privilege Tax is $5.75 for a taxable month. It generally applies when the employee performs sufficient Denver services to receive at least $500 of compensation for that month. Residence in Denver is not required.
Employee: $5.75/monthThreshold: $500 Denver servicesAurora
Aurora repealed its Occupational Privilege Tax effective January 1, 2025. A normal 2026 paycheck should not contain a current Aurora $2 OPT deduction. Old records or amended returns can still refer to prior periods.
2026 employee OPT: $0Repealed Jan. 1, 2025Colorado Hourly Pay, Overtime, Bonus and Commission
Hourly and overtime pay
Colorado’s 2026 statewide minimum wage is $15.16 per hour and the tipped minimum wage is $12.14, although higher local rates can apply. Covered employees can qualify for 1.5× overtime after more than 40 hours in a workweek, more than 12 hours in a workday or more than 12 consecutive hours.
Enter all qualifying overtime hours in the calculator. Job-specific exemptions and detailed rules can change eligibility.
Bonus and other taxable pay
Colorado taxable compensation generally includes salary, overtime, bonus, commission, vacation pay and taxable fringe benefits. Adding a large payment can increase federal and state withholding for the check.
Higher withholding on a bonus or overtime check is not necessarily the final tax rate on that income.
2026 Colorado and Federal Numbers Used Here
| 2026 item | Amount or rule | How it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado worksheet rate | 4.40% | Applied after the Colorado annual withholding allowance. |
| Colorado default allowance | $11,000 married joint/surviving spouse; $5,500 otherwise | Used when DR 0004 Line 2 is blank or no DR 0004 is submitted. |
| Colorado FAMLI | 0.88% total; employee up to 0.44% | Applied to entered covered wages up to the wage cap. |
| Denver employee OPT | $5.75 per taxable month | Applied only for entered qualifying Denver months. |
| Federal standard deduction | $16,100 single; $32,200 married joint; $24,150 head of household | Reduces the annual federal taxable-income estimate. |
| Social Security | 6.2% up to $184,500 | Applied to estimated Social Security wages. |
| Medicare | 1.45%; additional 0.9% withholding above $200,000 | Applied to estimated Medicare wages. |
Biweekly vs Semimonthly Colorado Pay
Biweekly: 26 checks
Biweekly means every two weeks. Most years have 26 checks, and two calendar months commonly contain three paydays. Annual salary divided by 26 gives gross biweekly pay.
Semimonthly: 24 checks
Semimonthly usually means two checks each month. Annual salary divided by 24 produces a larger gross check than dividing by 26, even though annual salary is unchanged.
Colorado Salary After Tax Examples People Search
These standardized examples use single federal status, the $5,500 Colorado default allowance, no benefits, no local tax and the maximum 0.44% employee FAMLI rate. They are starting points, not promises.
| Common salary search | Estimated biweekly take-home | Estimated monthly take-home | What to check next |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 salary after taxes in Colorado | $0 | $0 | Benefits, rent, transport and FAMLI coverage. |
| $50,000 salary after taxes in Colorado | $0 | $0 | DR 0004 allowance and retirement contribution. |
| $75,000 salary after taxes in Colorado | $0 | $0 | Denver tax, benefits and savings goal. |
| $100,000 salary after taxes in Colorado | $0 | $0 | Federal credits and extra withholding. |
| $150,000 salary after taxes in Colorado | $0 | $0 | Social Security cap, bonus pay and retirement limits. |
Colorado Resident, Nonresident and Remote-Work Notes
| Work situation | Planning treatment | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado resident | Colorado withholding generally applies to wages, including situations involving work outside the state. | Other-state withholding and any resident credit on the annual return. |
| Nonresident working in Colorado | Colorado-source wages are generally included in Colorado withholding. | Physical workdays and the Colorado wage allocation. |
| Nonresident splitting work locations | Use the allocation field for the portion of wages attributable to Colorado services. | Employer records, travel days and work-location policy. |
| Remote employee outside Colorado | Employer headquarters alone does not always determine wage sourcing. | Residence, physical work location and payroll registration. |
| Denver hybrid employee | Denver OPT can apply for a month when qualifying Denver services produce at least $500. | Actual Denver work, monthly compensation and employer withholding. |
Why Your Real Colorado Paycheck May Not Match
How to Match the Estimate With Your Real Paystub
Official Source Notes
The calculation and guidance were checked against official 2026 federal and Colorado materials. Rules can change, and employer-specific tax treatment still matters.
Colorado Paycheck Calculator FAQs
How accurate is this Colorado paycheck calculator for 2026?
It is a planning estimate based on 2026 federal brackets, FICA limits, Colorado’s DR 1098 withholding worksheet, the entered DR 0004 allowance, FAMLI settings and selected local deductions. Employer payroll can differ because it uses exact taxable wage codes, year-to-date wages, pay dates and rounding.
What Colorado income-tax rate does the calculator use?
The calculator uses the 4.40% rate in Colorado’s 2026 employer withholding worksheet. It first annualizes Colorado-taxable wages, subtracts the applicable annual withholding allowance and then applies 4.40%.
Is Colorado Form DR 0004 required?
No. DR 0004 is optional. Without it, employers generally use the default amount tied to the employee’s federal W-4 status: $11,000 for married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse and $5,500 for other statuses.
How does a custom DR 0004 amount change the paycheck?
A custom annual withholding allowance replaces the default Colorado amount. A larger allowance usually lowers estimated Colorado withholding, while a smaller allowance or extra withholding increases the deduction.
How much is Colorado FAMLI in 2026?
The total 2026 premium is 0.88% of covered wages. The maximum employee share is generally 0.44%, although an employer may pay some or all of the employee portion.
Does Colorado FAMLI stop at an annual wage limit?
Yes. FAMLI premiums are generally limited to covered wages up to the annual Social Security wage base, which is $184,500 for 2026.
Does Denver have a paycheck tax?
Denver has an employee Occupational Privilege Tax of $5.75 for a taxable month when compensation for services performed in Denver reaches at least $500. The calculator estimates it using the number of taxable Denver months entered.
Does Aurora still deduct a $2 occupational tax in 2026?
No. Aurora repealed its Occupational Privilege Tax effective January 1, 2025. The calculator does not deduct Aurora OPT for a 2026 paycheck.
How is Colorado overtime calculated?
Enter qualifying overtime hours and the correct multiplier. Colorado overtime rules can apply after more than 40 hours in a workweek, more than 12 hours in a workday or more than 12 consecutive hours, subject to exemptions and detailed rules.
Is overtime taxed at a special Colorado rate?
No permanent special Colorado rate applies to overtime. Overtime increases taxable wages, so a larger paycheck can have more federal, Colorado, FICA and FAMLI deductions.
What is the difference between biweekly and semimonthly pay?
Biweekly pay normally means 26 checks per year, while semimonthly pay normally means 24. Selecting the wrong frequency changes gross pay per check and withholding estimates.
Can a nonresident use this Colorado paycheck calculator?
Yes. Use the Colorado wage-allocation percentage for work physically performed in Colorado. Nonresident and remote-work treatment can be fact-specific, so verify the setup with payroll or a qualified tax professional.
Do traditional 401(k) contributions reduce Colorado withholding?
Traditional retirement contributions commonly reduce federal and Colorado income-tax wages, but generally do not reduce Social Security or Medicare wages. Exact treatment depends on the plan and payroll code.
Why does my ADP or employer paycheck differ from this result?
Employer payroll uses exact W-4 and DR 0004 records, taxable benefit codes, year-to-date wage caps, actual Denver taxable months, FAMLI coverage, pay dates and payroll rounding. Those details can produce a different result.
Is this an official Colorado tax calculator?
No. It is an independent planning tool and is not an official paycheck, tax return, legal opinion or payroll system. Verify important decisions with official Colorado, IRS and employer payroll information.
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Estimate Colorado Take-Home Pay Before Payday
Use the calculator to compare hourly and salary pay, test overtime, review DR 0004 choices, include FAMLI and applicable Denver tax, and plan a monthly budget from estimated net pay.
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