Quick Answer
You keep most, but not all, of a raise — typically 65–80%. Only the raise is taxed at your marginal rate (your federal bracket + 7.65% FICA + any state tax), not your whole salary. A $5,000 raise for someone in the 22% bracket adds about $3,518 a year (~$293/month) in take-home pay. And no: moving into a higher bracket never lowers your pay — you always keep more after a raise. Use our salary increase calculator for your exact number.
You negotiated a raise — congratulations. But the number on the offer and the number that hits your bank account are two different things. Taxes take a bite, and how big that bite is depends entirely on one thing most people misunderstand: your marginal tax rate.
Here's exactly how much a raise really adds to your take-home pay, why crossing into a higher tax bracket won't cost you money, and how to figure your own number in seconds.
How much of a raise do you actually keep?
A raise isn't taxed at your average rate — it's taxed at your marginal rate, the rate on your highest dollars. That marginal rate is the sum of three things:
- Your federal tax bracket — 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, and up.
- FICA — 6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare = 7.65%.
- State income tax — 0% in Texas, Florida, and seven other states; up to ~13% in California.
Your keep rate is simply 1 minus that marginal rate. In the 22% federal bracket with no state tax, you keep about 70% of every raise dollar. In the 12% bracket, about 80%.
What a raise really adds (2026)
Single filer, federal income tax and FICA only. State income tax, where it applies, reduces the "you keep" column further.
| Salary → new salary | Raise | You keep / yr | Keep rate | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 → $52,500 | $2,500 | $2,009 | 80% | $167 |
| $60,000 → $66,000 | $6,000 | $4,679 | 78% | $390 |
| $75,000 → $80,000 | $5,000 | $3,518 | 70% | $293 |
| $90,000 → $99,000 | $9,000 | $6,332 | 70% | $528 |
| $100,000 → $110,000 | $10,000 | $7,035 | 70% | $586 |
2026 IRS data (Revenue Procedure 2025-32), single filer, standard deduction. Calculate your exact raise →
Will a raise push me into a higher tax bracket?
A raise can never lower your take-home pay. A higher bracket only applies to the dollars above the bracket threshold — not your whole income. You always end up with more money after a raise.
This is the single biggest myth about raises. Say a $5,000 raise pushes part of your income from the 12% bracket into the 22% bracket. Only the portion that lands above the threshold is taxed at 22% — everything below it keeps being taxed at 12% and 10%, exactly as before.
The only thing that changes is that the new dollars are taxed a little higher. You keep a smaller share of the raise, never a smaller paycheck overall. Turning down a raise to "avoid a bracket" would leave money on the table every time.
Why your paycheck barely moved
A raise that looks big annually feels small per paycheck. Three things are happening:
- Taxes take 25–35% of the raise off the top.
- It's spread across every check. A $3,000 annual raise is only about $115 per bi-weekly paycheck before tax.
- Percentage deductions grow too. If your 401(k) is a percent of pay, a higher salary means a bigger contribution — good for you, but less in your check.
Smart move: a raise is the easiest time to increase your 401(k) rate. You won't miss money that never showed up in your take-home pay — and you lower your taxable income at the same time.
Calculate your raise after taxes
The quick formula:
where marginal rate = federal bracket + 7.65% FICA + state rate
For an exact figure that accounts for your state, filing status, and where the raise crosses each bracket, skip the math and use the salary increase calculator. To see your full take-home before and after, try the salary calculator or check a single paycheck with the paycheck calculator.