Salary LeftExpense tracking & budgeting guides
Practical, plain-English help for keeping track of your money and making your salary last, with free tools you can use right away.
Salary & Taxes
Hourly Pay After Taxes: What $15 to $50 an Hour Really Leaves You
A $20 an hour job pays $41,600 a year before tax, about $17.12 an hour after tax in Texas and less in California. See real take-home pay for $15 to $50 an hour.
What Is Tax Withholding? How Your W-4 Decides What's Taken Out
Withholding is your employer's running estimate of your tax bill, set by your W-4. See how the five steps work and why it can leave you owing or refunded.
How Much Is a $50,000 Salary After Tax in 2026?
A $50,000 salary takes home about $42,355 in a no-tax state and $40,656 in California. See the 2026 breakdown by pay period, state and filing status.
How Much Is a $80,000 Salary After Tax in 2026?
A $80,000 salary takes home about $65,110 in a no-tax state and $60,860 in California. See the 2026 breakdown by pay period, state and filing status.
What Is FICA? Social Security and Medicare Tax Explained
FICA is 7.65% of your pay for Social Security and Medicare, matched by your employer. See the exact rates, the Social Security wage cap, and a real worked example.
Salary to Hourly Calculator: How to Convert Pay Either Way
Convert salary to hourly rate, or hourly rate to salary. The formula, a conversion table for common amounts, and the gotchas like unpaid time off and overtime.
Self-Employment Tax Explained: How Much 1099 Workers Owe in 2026
Self-employment tax is 15.3% of 92.35% of your net profit, on top of income tax. See the 2026 math, a 14-state comparison, and the quarterly payment deadlines.
How Much Is a $150,000 Salary After Tax in 2026?
A $150,000 salary takes home about $113,791 in a no-tax state and $102,121 in California. See the 2026 breakdown by pay period, state and filing status.
How Much Is a $75,000 Salary After Tax in 2026?
A $75,000 salary takes home about $61,593 in a no-tax state and $57,830 in California. See the 2026 breakdown by pay period, state and filing status.
How Much Is a $60,000 Salary After Tax in 2026?
A $60,000 salary takes home about $50,390 in a no-tax state and $47,961 in California. See the 2026 breakdown by pay period, state and filing status.
How Much Is a $100,000 Salary After Tax in 2026?
A $100,000 salary takes home about $79,180 in a no-tax state and $72,810 in California. See the 2026 breakdown by pay period, state and filing status.
Take-Home Pay by State in 2026: What a $75,000 Salary Really Leaves You
See what a $75,000 salary takes home in all 50 states and DC for 2026, ranked, and why the gap between states is smaller than most people expect.
Budgeting & Tracking
How to Budget on a Biweekly or Weekly Paycheck
Biweekly pay means 26 paychecks a year, not 24, so two months get a 3rd paycheck. Weekly pay means four months get a 5th. See how to budget around it.
How to Track Subscriptions (So You Stop Paying for Ones You Forgot)
A one-time audit of your statements, then tracking each subscription as a recurring expense, so none of them quietly disappear into your spending again.
Free Monthly Budget Template for 2026 (8 Categories, Any Income)
A free monthly budget template with 8 categories, suggested percentages and a worked $4,000 example. See how it compares to the 50/30/20 rule and real US spending.
How to Track Expenses in Excel or Google Sheets (Free Template)
Build your own expense tracker in Excel or Google Sheets step by step: columns, dropdown categories, SUMIF totals, budgets and a chart. Free template included.
Best Expense Tracker Apps: How to Choose (Free and Paid Compared)
Compare the best expense tracker apps by type: bank-sync, envelope, manual and spreadsheet. See prices, trade-offs and how to pick the right one for you.
How to Track Expenses: 7 Simple Methods That Work (+ Free Template)
Learn how to track expenses step by step. Compare 7 methods (app, spreadsheet, bank statements, cash envelopes), see a worked example and get a free template.
Savings
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