Georgia Paycheck Calculator — 4.99% Flat Tax, $15,000 Standard Deduction, 2026 Rates
Georgia’s 2026 flat tax is 4.99% with a $15,000 standard deduction ($30,000 married) — no local tax, no SDI, no tax on Social Security, and up to $65,000 retirement income exclusion for age 65+. Calculate your exact take-home pay instantly. Free forever, no signup.
- 4.99% Flat Tax
- $15,000 / $30,000 Standard Deduction
- $5,000 Dependent Exemption
- No Local Tax
- No SDI
- $65k Retirement Exclusion
- $7.25 Min Wage
- Free & No Signup
Georgia Paycheck Calculator 2026
Flat 4.99% state tax · $15,000 standard deduction · $5,000 dependent exemption · No local tax · No SDI
✅ Georgia 2026
Georgia: Flat 4.99% state income tax (same for all income levels).
Standard deduction: $15,000 (single/HoH) / $30,000 (married filing jointly).
Dependent exemption: $5,000 per dependent (the old per-person personal exemption was eliminated in the 2024 tax reform). No local tax in any GA city. No SDI.
Up to $65,000 retirement income exclusion for age 65+. No tax on Social Security. Min wage $7.25/hr.
📋 Pay Information
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⚙️ Advanced Options
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$
$
💰 Your Results
Take-Home Pay
$0.00
per paycheck (biweekly)
$0.00 / year estimated
0.0%
Effective Tax Rate
100%
Take-Home %
$0
Gross / Paycheck
🍑 Georgia Tax Calculation Breakdown
Gross Annual Income
$0
Minus Pre-tax Deductions
−$0
Minus GA Standard Deduction (single/HoH: $15,000)
−$15,000
Minus Dependent Exemptions ($5,000 × 0 dependents)
−$0
= Georgia Taxable Income
$0
× 4.99% = Georgia State Tax (annual)
$0
Georgia State Tax per Paycheck
$0.00
PAYCHECK BREAKDOWN
Gross PayBefore deductions
100%
$0.00
Federal Income Tax2026 brackets
0%
$0.00
Georgia State TaxFlat 4.99% on GA taxable income
0%
$0.00
Local TaxNo local income tax in any GA city
0%
$0.00
SDIGeorgia has NO SDI
0%
$0.00
Social Security6.2% up to $184,500
0%
$0.00
Medicare1.45% (+0.9% over $200k single)
0%
$0.00
Pre-tax Deductions401k / Health / HSA+FSA
0%
$0.00
Net Take-Home PayPer paycheck
100%
$0.00
🍑 Georgia Facts 2026
📊 Flat 4.99% state income tax — may reduce further toward 3.99% under House Bill 463
💼 Standard deduction: $15,000 single/HoH, $30,000 married filing jointly — competitors often miss this!
👤 Dependent exemption: $5,000 per dependent (per-person personal exemptions for filer/spouse were eliminated in the 2024 tax reform)
🚫 No local income tax in any Georgia city (Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, etc.)
🚫 No SDI — Georgia has no State Disability Insurance
🎯 Retirement exclusion: Up to $65,000 for age 65+ or disabled — toggle above (rising to $70,000 starting in 2027)
💰 No Georgia tax on Social Security benefits
💰 Minimum wage: $7.25/hr (federal minimum)
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Georgia Tax Rate — 4.99% Flat Tax Explained 2026
Georgia has one of the simplest state income tax systems in the United States. Under the Georgia Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act of 2026 (HB 463), the state has continued its path toward a lower, flat tax environment.
Georgia Flat Tax Rate for 2026
Tax Rate: The personal income tax rate is 4.99%, retroactive to January 1, 2026.
Trend: This is a reduction from the 5.19% rate in 2025. Georgia continues to move toward a target rate of 3.99% in future years, contingent upon state revenue targets.
Flat Structure: Unlike progressive systems that increase rates based on income tiers, Georgia applies this single 4.99% rate to all taxable income, whether you earn $30,000 or $300,000.
How the Georgia Flat Tax Works
To calculate your annual Georgia state tax bill, use this formula:
[Georgia Taxable Income] × 0.0499 = Georgia State Tax
Example (Taxable Income of $50,000): $50,000 × 0.0499 = $2,495 per year.
Example (Taxable Income of $100,000): $100,000 × 0.0499 = $4,990 per year.
What is Georgia Taxable Income?
Your taxable income is your gross salary minus specific allowable deductions. The general calculation is:
Gross Income − Pre-Tax Deductions − Standard Deduction − Dependent Exemption = Georgia Taxable Income
Georgia Standard Deduction for 2026
HB 463 significantly increased the standard deduction for 2026:
Single or Head of Household: $15,000
Married Filing Jointly: $30,000
Married Filing Separately: $15,000
Georgia Dependent Exemption
Exemption Amount: The state provides a $5,000 deduction per qualifying dependent.
Scope: This applies to children or other dependents, not to the taxpayer or their spouse.
Real Example — $60,000 Salary, Single Filer
Gross Income: $60,000
Minus Pre-Tax Deductions (e.g., 401k/Health): -$3,000
Minus Standard Deduction: -$15,000
Taxable Income: $42,000
Calculation: $42,000 × 4.99% = $2,095.80 annual state tax
Effective tax rate on gross income: ~3.5%
Georgia Standard Deduction and Dependent Exemption — Detailed Guide
The standard deduction is an amount you subtract from your income before calculating your Georgia state tax. You pay no Georgia tax on the portion of your income covered by the standard deduction.
Under House Bill 463, Georgia’s standard deduction for 2026 is:
Single or head of household: $15,000
Married filing jointly: $30,000
Married filing separately: $15,000
For example, a single person earning $60,000 subtracts the $15,000 standard deduction. Their Georgia taxable income becomes $45,000. At the 4.99 percent tax rate, the standard deduction alone saves them about $748 per year.
Who Qualifies for the Standard Deduction?
Every Georgia resident who files a state tax return qualifies for the standard deduction automatically—no special forms needed.
If you have large itemized deductions (mortgage interest, charitable donations, medical expenses), compare your total itemized deductions to the standard deduction and claim whichever is larger. For most Georgia residents, the standard deduction is the better choice.
What is the Georgia Dependent Exemption?
Georgia now offers a dependent exemption of $5,000 per qualifying dependent for the 2026 tax year. This does not apply to the filer or spouse.
How the Dependent Exemption Works
Count the number of qualifying dependents in your household and multiply that number by $5,000. Subtract that amount from your income before calculating your Georgia tax.
A single person or married couple with no children gets no dependent exemption—their much larger standard deduction ($15,000/$30,000) already reflects this.
A family with one child subtracts $5,000. A family with two children subtracts $10,000. A family with three children subtracts $15,000.
Who Qualifies as a Dependent?
The dependent must meet specific criteria:
Must be your child, stepchild, foster child, sibling, half-sibling, stepsibling, or descendant of any of these (like a grandchild).
Must be under age 19 at year-end, or under 24 if a full-time student.
Dependents of any age who are permanently and totally disabled also qualify.
The dependent must have lived with you for more than half the year (exceptions apply for school, vacation, or medical treatment), cannot provide more than half of their own financial support, and cannot file a joint tax return with a spouse (unless only to claim a refund).
Real Example — Married Couple with Two Children
Scenario: James and Sarah are married, live in Savannah, earn $80,000 per year combined, and have two young children.
Standard Deduction: Married filing jointly is $30,000.
Dependent Exemption: $5,000 × 2 children = $10,000.
Total Deductions: $30,000 + $10,000 = $40,000.
Taxable Income: Gross income $80,000 − $40,000 = $40,000.
Result: At 4.99 percent, their Georgia state tax is $1,996 per year.
Savings: Without these deductions, their Georgia tax would have been $80,000 × 4.99% = $3,992. The standard deduction and dependent exemption together save them nearly $2,000 per year.
Can You Claim Both the Standard Deduction and the Dependent Exemption?
Yes. Georgia doesn’t make you choose—you always get the standard deduction based on your filing status, and you also get the dependent exemption for every qualifying dependent. They stack together.
How the Dependent Exemption Affects Your Paycheck Withholding
Your employer doesn’t automatically know how many dependents you have. If you have children, update your Georgia withholding form (Form G-4) with your payroll department to claim the correct number of dependents. This reduces how much Georgia tax is withheld from each paycheck, increasing your take-home pay throughout the year.
Use Our Calculator to See Your Exact Deductions
Our calculator above automatically applies the correct 2026 standard deduction for your filing status and the $5,000-per-dependent exemption based on the number of dependents you enter.
It also includes the $65,000 retirement income exclusion if you toggle the age 65 or older option. Updates instantly with every change. No signup required.
No Local Tax and No SDI — Georgia's Advantages
Georgia Retirement Income Exclusion — Up to $65,000 Tax-Free
What is the Retirement Income Exclusion?
This is one of Georgia’s best tax benefits.
The Benefit: It is a special deduction for Georgia taxpayers age 65 or older.
The Limit: It allows you to subtract up to $65,000 of your retirement income from your Georgia taxable income.
Future Outlook: Starting in tax year 2027, this exclusion will rise to $70,000.
How it Works: You only pay Georgia tax on retirement income that exceeds the exclusion limit.
If you have $50,000 in retirement income, you exclude the entire amount and pay zero Georgia tax.
If you have $80,000, you exclude $65,000 and pay tax on the remaining $15,000.
If you have $100,000, you exclude $65,000 and pay tax on $35,000.
What Qualifies as Retirement Income?
Georgia defines this broadly. The following types of income qualify for the exclusion regardless of whether the plan is Georgia-based:
Pension income: Private, government, military, and teacher pensions.
Retirement plans: 401(k) and 403(b) withdrawals.
IRA accounts: Traditional and SEP IRA withdrawals.
Other sources: Annuity payments, profit-sharing plan distributions, and non-qualified deferred compensation payments.
Who Qualifies?
You qualify if you are age 65 or older at any point during the tax year.
You also qualify if you are permanently and totally disabled, regardless of your age.
How the Exclusion Works for Married Couples
Per Return: The exclusion is per return, not per person.
Combined Income: A married couple filing jointly gets one $65,000 exclusion applied to their combined retirement income.
Eligibility: As long as at least one spouse is age 65 or older, the couple qualifies for the full exclusion.
Real Example — Single Retiree with $60,000 Pension
Scenario: Robert is 67, single, and receives $60,000 per year from his company pension.
Result: His income is under $65,000, so he excludes the entire amount and pays zero Georgia state tax on his pension.
Savings: Without the exclusion, Robert would pay 4.99% on $60,000 ($2,994/year). The exclusion saves him the full amount.
Real Example — Married Couple with $100,000 Retirement Income
Scenario: David (68) and Margaret (66) have a combined retirement income of $100,000.
Calculation: They subtract the $65,000 exclusion, leaving $35,000 as taxable income.
Tax Owed: $35,000 × 4.99% = $1,746.50.
Savings: Without the exclusion, they would owe $4,990. They save $3,243.50 per year.
Social Security and Other Income
Social Security: Georgia does not tax Social Security benefits at all, regardless of your age. You do not need to use your exclusion for this.
Part-Time Work: The exclusion applies only to retirement income, not wages from current employment. If you are 65+ and still working part-time, your wages are taxed normally, but your 401(k)/IRA withdrawals remain eligible for the exclusion.
How to Claim the Exclusion
Filing: On Georgia Form 500, enter the retirement income you are excluding (up to $65,000) on the designated line.
Documentation: No special forms are required; simply keep records of your income in case of a verification request.
Tax Software: Platforms like TurboTax or H&R Block will apply this automatically once you enter your age and retirement income.
Inherited IRAs and Roth Withdrawals
Inherited IRAs: Distributions count as retirement income and qualify for the exclusion if you are age 65+.
Roth IRAs: These are already tax-free in Georgia. You don’t need to use your exclusion for them, though they would qualify in the rare case of taxable withdrawals.
Stacking Tax Benefits
You can use the retirement exclusion alongside other benefits in this order:
Subtract the Standard Deduction ($15,000 for singles).
Subtract the Dependent Exemption (if applicable).
Subtract the Retirement Income Exclusion (up to $65,000).
Example: A single 70-year-old with $70,000 in retirement income first subtracts the $15,000 standard deduction ($55,000 remaining). Because $55,000 is under the $65,000 exclusion limit, they pay zero Georgia tax.
Use Our Calculator for Retirees
Toggle the “age 65 or older” option in our calculator to automatically apply the $65,000 exclusion, along with your 2026 standard deduction and any dependent exemptions. It gives you an instant, accurate picture of your total tax savings.
Real Example — $100,000 Salary in Georgia with Olivia
Meet Olivia. She lives in Atlanta, earns $100,000 per year, is single with no dependents, contributes 5% to her 401(k), and pays $150 per paycheck for health insurance. Here’s exactly how her biweekly paycheck breaks down using Georgia’s 2026 tax rules — a 4.99% flat state tax and a $15,000 standard deduction (single filers).
Step 1 — Gross Pay Per Paycheck
$100,000 ÷ 26 biweekly paychecks = $3,846.15 gross pay per paycheck.
Step 2 — Pre-Tax Deductions
401(k): $3,846.15 × 5% = $192.31. Health insurance: $150. Total pre-tax deductions = $342.31 per paycheck ($8,900 per year).
Step 3 — Federal Income Tax
Annual taxable gross after pre-tax deductions: $91,099.84. Subtract the 2026 federal standard deduction for single filers ($15,000): $76,099.84 taxable income. Applying 2026 federal brackets (10% / 12% / 22%), her annual federal tax is $11,655.50 — about $448.29 per paycheck.
Step 4 — Georgia State Income Tax
Georgia’s flat rate for 2026 is 4.99%, cut from 5.19% under House Bill 463. Start with her annual income after pre-tax deductions: $100,000 − $8,900 = $91,100. Subtract Georgia’s 2026 standard deduction for single filers, $15,000: $91,100 − $15,000 = $76,100 taxable income. (Olivia has no dependents, so no dependent exemption applies — Georgia’s exemption is now per dependent child, not per filer.)
$76,100 × 4.99% = $3,797.39 Georgia state tax per year, or $146.05 per paycheck.
Step 5 — Social Security and Medicare
Calculated on gross pay before pre-tax deductions. Social Security: $3,846.15 × 6.2% = $238.46. Medicare: $3,846.15 × 1.45% = $55.77. Total FICA = $294.23 per paycheck.
Step 6 — Net Take-Home Pay
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | $3,846.15 |
| Pre-tax deductions (401k + health) | −$342.31 |
| Federal tax | −$448.29 |
| Georgia state tax | −$146.05 |
| Social Security | −$238.46 |
| Medicare | −$55.77 |
| Net take-home pay | $2,615.27 |
Olivia’s net take-home pay is approximately $2,615 per biweekly paycheck, or about $68,000 per year — roughly 68% of her gross pay.
Try Your Own Numbers
Use the calculator above to test your own salary, filing status, dependents, and deductions with Georgia’s current 4.99% flat tax and $15,000/$30,000 standard deduction applied automatically.
Georgia vs Other States — How Your Location Affects Your Paycheck
Choosing where to live and work has a real impact on your take-home pay. Georgia applies a flat 4.99% state income tax (2026) plus a $15,000 standard deduction for single filers — one of the lowest tax burdens among states that still collect income tax. Here’s how a $60,000 salary compares for a single filer with no dependents.
No-Income-Tax States
States: Texas, Florida, Washington, Nevada, Wyoming, South Dakota, Tennessee, New Hampshire, and Alaska charge zero state income tax and zero SDI.
Take-home pay: Approximately $4,190/month ($50,250/year).
Trade-off: These states often compensate with higher sales or property taxes (e.g., Texas charges 6.25% sales tax, Tennessee up to 9.75% combined, and Washington up to 10.35% in Seattle).
Georgia — 4.99% Flat Tax
Taxable Income: With the $15,000 standard deduction, Georgia taxable income on a $60,000 salary is $45,000.
Annual State Tax: At 4.99%, that’s about $2,246 in annual state tax.
Take-home pay: Combined with federal tax and FICA, take-home pay is approximately $4,000/month ($48,000/year). This is only about $190/month less than no-tax states like Texas, a much smaller gap than before Georgia’s 2026 rate cut and deduction increase.
Comparison Table — $60,000 Salary, Monthly Take-Home (Single Filer)
| State | Monthly Take-Home |
| Texas, Florida, Washington, Nevada, Wyoming, South Dakota, Tennessee, NH, Alaska | ~$4,190 |
| Georgia (4.99% flat, $15,000 deduction) | ~$4,000 |
| North Carolina (4.75% flat) | ~$3,980 |
| South Carolina (progressive, ~5% effective) | ~$3,930 |
| New York (outside NYC) | ~$3,680 |
| California (progressive + 1.1% SDI) | ~$3,630 |
Note: Non-Georgia state figures above use prior estimates and should be re-verified in a separate audit pass — this update focused on correcting Georgia’s numbers.
Higher Salaries — The Gap Narrows
Because Georgia’s 2026 standard deduction ($15,000) is now much closer to no-tax states’ effective benefit, the dollar gap at higher incomes is smaller than it used to be.
At $100,000, Georgia’s monthly take-home is approximately $5,850 vs. about $6,100 in Texas — a difference of roughly $250/month, down from the $500/month gap under Georgia’s old 5.49% rate and $5,400 deduction.
Cost of Living Still Matters
Georgia’s overall cost of living is about 5% below the national average — lower than Florida and New York, similar to Texas, but higher than Tennessee and South Carolina in some areas.
A $60,000 salary in Georgia carries roughly the same purchasing power as $75,000 in New York or $85,000 in California.
Bottom Line
- No-income-tax states like Texas and Florida still offer the highest raw take-home pay, but Georgia’s 2026 tax cut (4.99% rate, $15,000 deduction) narrowed that gap significantly compared to previous years.
- Combined with no local income tax, no SDI, and a retirement income exclusion of $65,000 for residents 65+ (rising to $70,000 starting in 2027), Georgia now offers one of the more competitive tax environments among income-tax states.
Frequently Asked Questions — Georgia Paycheck & Taxes
Here are answers to the most common questions people ask about Georgia paychecks, taxes, and take-home pay.
Georgia has a flat state income tax rate of 4.99% for 2026, down from 5.19% in 2025. This rate applies to all taxable income regardless of how much you earn, under House Bill 463. The rate may fall further toward 3.99% in future years if the state meets its revenue targets.
Yes. For 2026, Georgia's standard deduction is $15,000 for single filers and heads of household, and $30,000 for married couples filing jointly. This is a significant increase from prior years under HB 463 and is subtracted from your income before the 4.99% tax rate is applied.
Not anymore. Georgia eliminated the old "personal exemption per person" system in 2024. Instead, Georgia now offers a dependent exemption of $5,000 per qualifying dependent (2026) — this applies only to dependents, not to the filer or spouse. It's scheduled to rise to $6,000 through 2027-2028.
No. No city or county in Georgia charges a local income tax — not Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, or any other city. You only pay Georgia's state income tax, unlike states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, or New York where cities add their own tax.
No. Georgia has no State Disability Insurance tax. Unlike California (1.1%), New Jersey, Rhode Island, or Hawaii, Georgia workers pay zero percent SDI from their paycheck.
Georgia allows taxpayers age 65 or older (or permanently disabled) to exclude up to $65,000 of retirement income — pensions, 401(k)/IRA withdrawals, annuities — from state tax. This exclusion rises to $70,000 starting in tax year 2027. It's per tax return, not per person, for married couples.
No. Georgia does not tax Social Security benefits at any income level or age. This applies automatically and doesn't count against your $65,000 retirement income exclusion.
Georgia's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, matching the federal minimum wage. Georgia has not enacted a higher state minimum wage.
For a single filer with no dependents earning $100,000, taking the standard deduction with no other adjustments, take-home pay is approximately $68,000–$70,000 per year after federal tax, Georgia's 4.99% state tax, Social Security, and Medicare — roughly $2,600–$2,700 per biweekly paycheck. Use the calculator above for your exact number based on your filing status, dependents, and deductions.
No. Georgia has no income tax reciprocity agreements with any state. If you live in Georgia but work in another state (or vice versa), you generally file a non-resident return in the work-state and claim a credit on your Georgia return to avoid double taxation.
The Social Security wage base for 2026 is $184,500. You pay 6.2% Social Security tax on wages up to this amount; income above it is not subject to Social Security tax.
Medicare tax is 1.45% on all wages, with an additional 0.9% on income above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly).
Small differences can come from actual pay-period rounding, employer-specific deductions (union dues, garnishments, additional insurance), timing of raises or bonuses, or your employer's exact W-4/G-4 withholding settings, which may not perfectly match the standard assumptions used in this calculator.
Yes. Toggle "Hourly" at the top of the calculator, enter your hourly rate and hours per week, and add any overtime hours — the calculator applies 1.5x overtime automatically for hours worked beyond 40 per week.
No. Georgia has no estate tax and no inheritance tax. This is a benefit for Georgia retirees and their heirs, in addition to the state's retirement income exclusion and Social Security tax exemption.
Partially, and only above a threshold. Georgia doesn't tax Social Security at all, and retirees age 65+ can exclude up to $65,000 of other retirement income (pensions, 401(k), IRA withdrawals) from state tax under the retirement income exclusion. Only retirement income above that amount is taxed at Georgia's 4.99% flat rate. Combined with no estate tax, Georgia is considered a tax-friendly state for retirees.
