This Illinois payroll calculator estimates 2026 take-home pay using Illinois’s flat 4.95% state income tax, the $2,925-per-allowance personal exemption, the 2026 federal brackets, and the 7.65% FICA tax. Unlike graduated states, every Illinois worker pays the same 4.95% marginal rate, which makes the math simple and predictable. Enter a salary or hourly rate and the number of withholding allowances to see your net pay.
Illinois uses a single flat income-tax rate of 4.95% in 2026 — there are no brackets. The state gives a personal exemption of $2,925 per allowance (up from $2,850 in 2025), claimed on Form IL-W-4. The calculator subtracts allowances × $2,925 from your wages, applies 4.95%, and adds the separate federal tax and FICA. Illinois does not tax retirement income such as Social Security or qualified pension distributions, but wages from a job are fully taxed.
| Item | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| IL flat income tax rate | 4.95% |
| Personal exemption (per allowance) | $2,925 |
| Additional exemption (age 65+ / blind) | +$1,000 each |
| Social Security wage base | $184,500 (6.2%) |
| Medicare | 1.45% (no cap) |
A single Illinois worker on $70,000 claiming one allowance pays 4.95% on $67,075 (after the $2,925 exemption) = $3,320 in state tax, plus about $6,570 federal tax and $5,355 FICA, netting roughly $54,755 a year. Because Illinois is flat, doubling your salary roughly doubles your state tax — there is no rising bracket to push you into.
A flat tax means high earners and middle earners pay the same 4.95% marginal rate. That benefits higher-income workers compared with graduated states like California or New York, but gives less relief to lower earners than a progressive system would. Illinois’s relatively high property taxes are the bigger overall burden for many households, though they do not appear on your paycheck.
Illinois has a flat 4.95% individual income tax rate for 2026, with no brackets. Every worker pays the same marginal rate on taxable wages after the personal exemption.
The personal exemption is $2,925 per allowance for 2026, up from $2,850 in 2025. Workers age 65+ or legally blind get an additional $1,000 exemption each. Allowances are claimed on Form IL-W-4.
About $54,755 a year for a single filer claiming one allowance in 2026, after roughly $3,320 IL tax, $6,570 federal tax, and $5,355 FICA.
No. Illinois does not tax Social Security benefits or most qualified retirement and pension distributions. However, wages from employment are fully subject to the 4.95% flat tax.
No Illinois municipality levies a local income tax on wages. Your Illinois paycheck deductions are the flat 4.95% state tax, federal income tax, and FICA.