๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States

Colorado Paycheck Calculator 2026

4.4% flat tax plus 0.45% FAMLI. Colorado decouples from the federal overtime deduction. See your real take-home pay.

$
Take-home per paycheck (biweekly)
$2,370.92
Gross pay (annual)$80,000
Deductions (annual)
Federal income taxโˆ’$9,049
CO state tax (4.40%)โˆ’$2,827
FAMLI (0.45%)โˆ’$360
Social Security (6.2%)โˆ’$4,960
Medicare (1.45%)โˆ’$1,160
Summary
Annual take-home$61,644
Effective total tax rate22.9%
Effective CO state rate3.5%
You keep per dollar77 cents
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Colorado Paycheck Calculator 2026 ยท Updated April 2026

How to Use This Calculator

Tab "Take-Home Pay"

Enter your gross annual salary, pay frequency, and filing status. The calculator deducts federal income tax, Colorado's 4.40% flat state tax, FAMLI (0.45%), and FICA (Social Security + Medicare). Under "More options," add 401(k) contributions, health insurance premiums, and overtime pay. Overtime is deductible federally but Colorado taxes it at the state level โ€” the calculator handles this automatically and shows a warning when overtime is entered.

Tab "Tax Breakdown"

A visual pie chart showing exactly where your money goes. You'll see five tax slices: federal income tax, CO state tax, FAMLI, Social Security, and Medicare. The chart highlights that Colorado charges both a 4.40% flat rate and a 0.45% FAMLI premium on top of federal taxes.

Tab "Compare Filing Status"

See how your take-home pay changes across Single vs Married Filing Jointly vs Head of Household. The comparison shows federal tax, CO state tax, FAMLI, and total take-home for each status. Because Colorado conforms to the federal standard deduction, the state tax difference mirrors the federal deduction gap ($15,750 single vs $31,500 MFJ vs $23,500 HoH).

The Formulas

Federal Income Tax (2026 brackets, progressive):
1. Start with gross annual salary
2. Subtract pre-tax deductions (401k, health insurance)
3. Subtract overtime pay (federally deductible under OBBBA)
4. Subtract standard deduction ($15,750 Single / $31,500 MFJ / $23,500 HoH)
5. Apply progressive brackets: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, 37%

Colorado State Tax (flat rate):
CO taxable income = Gross salary - Pre-tax deductions - CO standard deduction ($15,750 Single / $31,500 MFJ / $23,500 HoH)
CO tax = CO taxable income x 4.40%
Note: Colorado does NOT deduct overtime at the state level (decoupled from federal).
No local income taxes apply anywhere in Colorado.

FAMLI (Family & Medical Leave Insurance):
Employee share = Gross wages x 0.45%

FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act):
Social Security = 6.2% x min(Gross wages, $184,500)
Medicare = 1.45% x Gross wages
Additional Medicare = 0.9% x max(0, Gross wages - $200,000)

Take-Home Pay:
Net = Gross salary - Federal tax - CO state tax - FAMLI - Social Security - Medicare - Pre-tax deductions

All figures use 2026 IRS rates: SS wage base $184,500 (SSA), tax brackets from Rev. Proc. 2025-32, TCJA rates made permanent by OBBBA. CO rate per C.R.S. 39-22-104. FAMLI per C.R.S. 8-13.3-507. Colorado conforms to federal tips deduction but decoupled from the overtime deduction effective 2026.

Example

Jake โ€” Software Developer in Denver, Colorado

Filing Single. $80,000/year salary. Paid biweekly (26 paychecks). No pre-tax deductions. No overtime.

Gross salary (annual)$80,000
Federal income tax-$9,049
CO state tax (4.40%)-$2,827
FAMLI (0.45%)-$360
Social Security (6.2%)-$4,960
Medicare (1.45%)-$1,160
Annual take-home$61,644
Per paycheck (biweekly)$2,371

CO taxable income = $80,000 - $15,750 = $64,250. CO tax = $64,250 x 4.40% = $2,827. FAMLI = $80,000 x 0.45% = $360. Jake keeps 77.1% of his gross salary. If he earned $10,000 in overtime, it would be tax-free federally but Colorado would still tax it at 4.40% โ€” adding $440 to his state bill. That's the overtime decoupling in action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Colorado has a flat 4.40% state income tax rate in 2026. Unlike states with progressive brackets (like California or New York), every Colorado resident pays the same percentage regardless of income. Colorado conforms to the federal standard deduction, so you deduct $15,750 (single), $31,500 (MFJ), or $23,500 (HoH) before the 4.40% rate applies. There are no local income taxes anywhere in Colorado.
FAMLI (Family and Medical Leave Insurance) is Colorado's state-run paid leave program that went into effect January 1, 2024. The total premium is 0.9% of wages, split 50/50 between employer and employee โ€” so you pay 0.45% from each paycheck. It funds up to 12 weeks of paid leave (16 weeks for pregnancy/childbirth complications) for bonding with a new child, caring for a seriously ill family member, your own serious health condition, or needs related to a family member's military deployment. Most W-2 employees are automatically enrolled. Self-employed individuals can opt in.
Yes. The federal government made overtime pay tax-free starting in 2025 under OBBBA (One Big Beautiful Bill Act), but Colorado decoupled from this federal provision. This means your overtime earnings are still subject to Colorado's 4.40% flat income tax even though they are deductible on your federal return. Colorado does conform to the federal tips deduction, so tip income remains deductible at both levels. If you earn significant overtime, this decoupling can add a meaningful amount to your Colorado tax bill โ€” for example, $10,000 in overtime would cost $440 in additional CO tax.
Colorado sits in the middle of its region for tax burden. Wyoming has no state income tax at all. Arizona has a flat 2.5% rate. Utah charges a flat 4.55%. New Mexico uses progressive rates up to 5.9%. Nebraska's top marginal rate is 5.84%. Kansas has rates up to 5.7%. On an $80K single salary, you'd pay roughly $2,827 in CO state tax plus $360 FAMLI, compared to $0 in Wyoming, $1,613 in Arizona, $2,930 in Utah, and about $2,880 in New Mexico. The FAMLI premium adds a cost unique to Colorado among its neighbors.
Colorado's tax system starts with federal taxable income, which means your federal itemized deductions (if you itemize federally) flow through to your Colorado return. If you take the federal standard deduction, Colorado uses the same amount. Colorado also offers additional state-specific subtractions, including contributions to CollegeInvest 529 plans (full deduction), some retirement income exclusions for taxpayers 55+, and charitable contribution deductions for non-itemizers. This calculator uses the standard deduction for simplicity.

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