Kentucky Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your Kentucky take-home pay after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Kentucky's flat 4.0% state income tax for 2024.
Updated 2026-06-14 · Free · No sign-up · Runs privately in your browser
Show the formula & steps
Estimate for 2024 — federal/state rules change yearly. This does not include local/city taxes, pre-tax 401(k)/health deductions, credits, or other withholdings. For an exact figure, consult a tax professional or your payroll provider.
How Kentucky Paycheck Taxes Work
Your Kentucky paycheck is reduced by four taxes: federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and Kentucky state income tax. Kentucky keeps the state portion simple with a flat 4.0% rate (2024) that applies to every income level. Note that many Kentucky cities and counties also charge local occupational taxes, which this calculator does not include.
Enter your annual gross salary, pay frequency, and filing status, and the calculator applies the 2024 federal and Kentucky rules to show your net take-home pay per pay period and per year, plus an effective tax rate.
Federal Taxes
Federal income tax is progressive. Your gross salary is first reduced by the 2024 federal standard deduction ($14,600 single, $29,200 married filing jointly), and the remaining taxable income is taxed in brackets from 10% to 37%.
FICA taxes are flat:
- Social Security — 6.2% of wages up to the 2024 wage base of $168,600.
- Medicare — 1.45% of all wages, plus an extra 0.9% on wages above $200,000 (single; the threshold is $250,000 for married filing jointly).
Kentucky State Income Tax
Kentucky applies a flat 4.0% income tax for 2024. The state grants a standard deduction of $3,160 per return for 2024 (the same amount whether you file single or jointly), and the flat rate applies after that:
Kentucky state tax = 4.0% × (gross salary − $3,160 standard deduction)
This calculator uses the flat rate and standard deduction as a reasonable simplification; it does not model the family-size tax credit, local occupational taxes, or other Kentucky credits.
Worked Example
Take a $65,000 salary, filing single, paid biweekly:
- Federal income tax (2024 brackets) ≈ $6,141
- Social Security = 6.2% × 65,000 = $4,030
- Medicare = 1.45% × 65,000 = $943
- Kentucky state tax = 4.0% × (65,000 − 3,160) = 4.0% × 61,840 ≈ $2,474
- Total tax ≈ $13,587 → net annual ≈ $51,413
- Per biweekly paycheck: gross $2,500, net ≈ $1,977 (before local tax)
- Effective tax rate ≈ 20.9%
Kentucky Take-Home Pay by Salary
Annual net pay for a single filer, 2024 rules, state tax only (no local occupational tax):
| Gross salary | Federal tax | Kentucky tax (4.0%) | Net take-home | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $2,816 | $1,474 | $32,650 | 18.4% |
| $50,000 | $4,016 | $1,874 | $40,285 | 19.4% |
| $65,000 | $6,141 | $2,474 | $51,413 | 20.9% |
| $75,000 | $8,341 | $2,874 | $58,048 | 22.6% |
| $100,000 | $13,841 | $3,874 | $74,635 | 25.4% |
| $120,000 | $18,339 | $4,674 | $87,808 | 26.8% |
Married filing jointly lowers federal tax — a $65,000 MFJ salary nets roughly $53,722 a year before any local tax.
Estimate for 2024 — federal/state rules change yearly. This does not include local/city taxes, pre-tax 401(k)/health deductions, credits, or other withholdings. For an exact figure, consult a tax professional or your payroll provider.
Frequently asked questions
Does Kentucky have a state income tax?+
Yes. Kentucky charges a flat 4.0% state income tax for 2024, the same rate for every income level. The rate has been falling in steps and applies after a state standard deduction of $3,160 per return for 2024.
What is the Kentucky income tax rate for 2024?+
Kentucky uses a flat 4.0% rate in 2024, down from 4.5% in 2023. It applies to your Kentucky taxable income, which is your gross pay minus the 2024 standard deduction of $3,160.
Does Kentucky have local income taxes too?+
Yes. Many Kentucky cities and counties charge their own local occupational or payroll taxes on top of the 4.0% state rate. This calculator shows only the state tax, so your real withholding may be slightly higher depending on where you work.
How much is take-home pay on $65,000 in Kentucky?+
On a $65,000 salary filing single, expect about $6,141 federal income tax, $4,973 in Social Security and Medicare, and roughly $2,474 Kentucky state tax. That leaves about $51,413 net per year, or around $1,977 per biweekly paycheck before any local tax.
Is this Kentucky paycheck estimate exact?+
It is a close 2024 estimate using the flat 4.0% rate and the $3,160 standard deduction. It excludes local occupational taxes, pre-tax 401(k) or health deductions, credits, and other withholdings. For an exact figure, check your pay stub or payroll provider.