Virginia Paycheck Calculator

About the Virginia paycheck calculator

Use this Virginia paycheck calculator to estimate take-home pay after federal withholding, FICA, and Virginia state income tax. It is built for educational estimates so users can compare gross wages with realistic net paycheck outcomes.

Virginia payroll is more involved than in no-tax states because the state uses progressive income tax brackets and a state-specific withholding form, VA-4.

How Virginia paycheck withholding works

A Virginia paycheck starts with gross wages. Payroll then subtracts eligible pre-tax deductions, applies federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare, and Virginia state income tax, and finally subtracts any post-tax deductions.

That means take-home pay can vary meaningfully based on filing setup, benefit deductions, and any extra withholding requested by the employee.

Virginia state tax details

Virginia uses a progressive state income tax system with four brackets. Because the top marginal rate starts at a relatively low income level, many full-time workers quickly reach the top bracket during the year.

That makes pre-tax deductions such as traditional retirement contributions and HSAs especially relevant when users want to understand why net pay changes.

What can change your Virginia take-home pay

The biggest variables are 401(k) and 403(b) contributions, HSA deductions, health insurance premiums, overtime, bonuses, and extra withholding requested on VA-4.

Bonus checks can also look more heavily taxed because federal supplemental withholding, Virginia withholding, and FICA may all apply at once.

Virginia state income tax structure (2026)

Virginia applies a progressive state income tax with four brackets that have remained unchanged for many years: 2% on taxable income up to $3,000, 3% from $3,000 to $5,000, 5% from $5,000 to $17,000, and 5.75% on taxable income above $17,000.

Because the top bracket starts at just $17,000, most full-time Virginia workers reach the 5.75% marginal rate quickly, which makes pre-tax retirement and HSA contributions especially valuable for reducing state tax.

Verify current rates with the Virginia Department of Taxation at tax.virginia.gov.

Virginia withholding notes for employees

Virginia employers withhold state income tax based on Form VA-4, the state's version of the federal W-4. Personal exemptions on the VA-4 reduce the amount of income subject to Virginia withholding each pay period, separate from federal allowances.

If you owe at year-end, you can request additional Virginia withholding on Form VA-4 line 3 — a common fix for two-earner households or workers with significant non-wage income.

Does Virginia have local income tax on wages?

Unlike neighboring Maryland, Virginia does not impose a county or city income tax on wages for most residents and does not require local withholding from your paycheck. Localities raise revenue primarily through real estate, personal property (including vehicle), and sales taxes rather than payroll withholding, so the local-tax override fields above generally remain blank for Virginia employees.

Example Virginia paycheck at $75,000, single, biweekly

A single filer earning $75,000 in Virginia, paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions, has gross pay of about $2,884.62 per period. Federal withholding runs roughly $300–$340, FICA (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) is about $220.67, and Virginia state tax withholding is roughly $145–$160 per period given the 5.75% top bracket.

Estimated take-home pay lands near $2,160–$2,210 biweekly, or about $56,000–$57,500 annually. Adding a 6% 401(k) contribution (~$173 per period) lowers federal and Virginia taxable wages and typically returns about $40–$50 of that contribution as immediate tax savings.

What can change your Virginia take-home pay

The biggest levers are pre-tax 401(k) and 403(b) contributions, HSA contributions for high-deductible plans, Section 125 health and dental premiums, dependent-care FSA contributions, and your filing status and number of dependents on Form VA-4.

Bonuses are typically withheld at the federal supplemental rate (22%) plus Virginia's 5.75% supplemental rate, which can make a single check look heavily taxed even if your annual liability is lower.

Virginia paycheck — official sources

For Virginia rates, withholding tables, and Form VA-4, see the Virginia Department of Taxation (tax.virginia.gov) and Employer Withholding Tax (tax.virginia.gov/withholding-tax). For federal withholding methodology, see IRS Publication 15-T (irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15t.pdf) and the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator (irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator).

Virginia paycheck — methodology and sources

Tax structure: Virginia uses progressive state income tax brackets, so the marginal rate increases with taxable income. State withholding is applied on top of federal withholding and FICA.

FICA: 6.2% Social Security up to the annual wage base, plus 1.45% Medicare on all wages (with an extra 0.9% above $200,000 for single filers). Pre-tax deductions like traditional 401(k), HSA, and most health-insurance premiums lower the wages subject to federal (and usually state) income tax.

Local taxes (city, county, or school district) can apply in some areas and are not always reflected in a single statewide rate. For the most accurate withholding, verify against current guidance from the IRS (Publication 15-T) and the relevant Virginia state tax agency.

Useful references: IRS Publication 15-T (https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15t.pdf), the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator (https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator), and the Federation of Tax Administrators directory of state tax agencies (https://taxadmin.org/state-tax-agencies/).