What is Illinois state income tax rate in 2026?

Illinois taxes wage income at a flat 4.95% rate — the same rate applied to every dollar of taxable income regardless of how much you earn. Illinois is constitutionally prohibited from using a graduated income tax, so there are no brackets, no phase-outs, and no rate changes as your income rises.

What is the Illinois personal exemption for 2026?

Illinois provides a personal exemption of $2,425 per taxpayer and each dependent in 2026. For a single filer with no dependents, this reduces taxable income by $2,425. For a married couple filing jointly, the exemption doubles to $4,850. This is lower than many other states but still reduces your tax slightly.

Does Illinois have a standard deduction like the federal government?

No. Illinois does not offer a standard deduction equivalent to the federal one. Instead, it uses a personal exemption allowance of $2,425 per taxpayer and dependent. This means nearly all of your gross income minus the small exemption is subject to the 4.95% flat tax.

Are there local income taxes in Illinois cities?

Illinois does not have a general local income tax on wages imposed by cities or counties. Chicago does have certain business and payroll taxes that apply to employers, but individual employees in Illinois do not typically see additional local income tax line items on their pay stubs.

How much does Illinois take from each paycheck in state taxes?

For most Illinois workers, 4.95% of taxable income (gross pay minus the personal exemption annualized) is withheld for state income tax each pay period. For a worker earning $60,000 annually, that is roughly $2,847 per year or about $109 per biweekly paycheck in state tax alone.

Does Illinois tax Social Security benefits or retirement income?

Illinois is one of the most retirement-friendly states — it fully exempts Social Security benefits, pension income, 401(k) distributions, and IRA withdrawals from state income tax. For working employees with wage income, the full 4.95% flat rate applies, but this changes favorably in retirement.

What FICA taxes are deducted from an Illinois paycheck?

Illinois workers pay the same federal FICA as all Americans: 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $176,100 and 1.45% Medicare on all wages. These are federal obligations not affected by Illinois law. The combined employee FICA contribution is 7.65% of gross pay for most workers.

Why does Illinois have a flat income tax instead of progressive brackets?

Illinois' flat tax is a constitutional requirement. The Illinois Constitution mandates that the state income tax be applied at a uniform rate to all taxpayers. A 2020 ballot measure to amend the constitution to allow graduated rates was rejected by Illinois voters, so the flat 4.95% rate remains in place.

Illinois Paycheck Calculator 2026

Take-home pay in Illinois for 2026 — the flat 4.95% state tax after the personal exemption, plus federal tax and FICA.

100% Private — Runs entirely in browserInstant calculation & resultFree, no sign-up

Annual salary (gross)

State

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Pay frequency

Pre-tax deductions per year (401k, HSA…)

California SDI is withheld at 1.3% of all wages in 2026 (no cap). Rates above $1M include the 1% mental-health surtax (top rate 13.3%).

Estimates for the 2026 tax year using the standard deduction. Actual withholding depends on your W-4, benefits, credits, and local taxes. Not tax advice.

How to calculate your Illinois take-home pay for 2026

Illinois taxes wage income at a flat 4.95% rate, making it one of the simpler states to calculate paycheck deductions for. Unlike progressive-bracket states where your marginal rate changes as income climbs, every Illinois worker — from entry-level employees to six-figure earners — pays the same flat percentage on their taxable income. When you add in the federal income tax and FICA obligations that apply nationwide, this calculator gives you an accurate picture of your net pay instantly.

If you live or work in Chicago, Springfield, Naperville, or anywhere else in Illinois, this tool handles all the state and federal math for you. Just enter your gross pay, select your pay schedule and filing status, and get a full breakdown of deductions and take-home pay.

Illinois State Income Tax: Flat 4.95% on taxable income after a personal exemption of $2,425 per taxpayer and dependent — no brackets, no phase-outs.
Federal Income Tax: 10%–37% progressive brackets based on your filing status and 2026 IRS withholding tables.
Social Security & Medicare (FICA): 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $176,100 plus 1.45% Medicare on all wages — a total of 7.65% per paycheck.
Illinois Personal Exemption: $2,425 per taxpayer and dependent reduces your Illinois taxable income, lowering the amount subject to the 4.95% rate slightly.

Illinois 2026 tax rates explained

The Illinois flat income tax of 4.95% was established in 2017 as an increase from the prior 3.75% rate and has remained steady since. The Illinois Constitution's uniformity clause prevents the state from adopting a graduated rate structure, which means all wage earners pay the same marginal rate. While some view this as regressive for lower-income workers, others appreciate the predictability and simplicity it brings to payroll planning.

Illinois' personal exemption of $2,425 is modest compared to the federal standard deduction of $15,000, meaning a significantly larger share of gross income is subject to Illinois tax than federal tax for lower-to-middle income earners. For example, a single filer earning $40,000 has a federal taxable income of $25,000 (after the $15,000 standard deduction) but an Illinois taxable income of $37,575 (after only the $2,425 exemption). That asymmetry means Illinois tax often exceeds expected levels for workers who haven't accounted for it.

Illinois does not have a statewide SDI or paid family leave tax deducted from employee paychecks. There is also no general local income tax on wages in Illinois cities. This keeps the state-level deduction calculation clean: just 4.95% on nearly all of your gross income.

How ToolJiffy calculates Illinois paycheck deductions

Our Illinois paycheck calculator annualizes your gross pay, subtracts the $2,425 personal exemption (adjusted for dependents if applicable), and applies the 4.95% flat rate to compute annual Illinois income tax. This is divided by your number of annual pay periods to get per-paycheck withholding. Federal income tax uses 2026 IRS Publication 15-T tables. FICA is applied at 6.2% (Social Security) and 1.45% (Medicare) at statutory rates. Everything runs locally in your browser with no data stored or transmitted.

Step-by-step guide to using the Illinois paycheck calculator

Enter salary: Input your annual, monthly, biweekly, or weekly gross pay and select the pay frequency that matches your employer's pay schedule.
Select filing status: Choose single, married filing jointly, or head of household to apply the correct federal withholding table and Illinois exemption amount.
View breakdown: See your Illinois flat-rate state tax at 4.95%, federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and your net take-home pay per pay period.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Illinois state income tax rate in 2026?
Compare other states on the paycheck calculators hub.
Illinois taxes wage income at a flat 4.95% rate — the same rate applied to every dollar of taxable income regardless of how much you earn. Illinois is constitutionally prohibited from using a graduated income tax, so there are no brackets, no phase-outs, and no rate changes as your income rises.
What is the Illinois personal exemption for 2026?
Compare other states on the paycheck calculators hub.
Illinois provides a personal exemption of $2,425 per taxpayer and each dependent in 2026. For a single filer with no dependents, this reduces taxable income by $2,425. For a married couple filing jointly, the exemption doubles to $4,850. This is lower than many other states but still reduces your tax slightly.
Does Illinois have a standard deduction like the federal government?
Compare other states on the paycheck calculators hub.
No. Illinois does not offer a standard deduction equivalent to the federal one. Instead, it uses a personal exemption allowance of $2,425 per taxpayer and dependent. This means nearly all of your gross income minus the small exemption is subject to the 4.95% flat tax.
Are there local income taxes in Illinois cities?
Compare other states on the paycheck calculators hub.
Illinois does not have a general local income tax on wages imposed by cities or counties. Chicago does have certain business and payroll taxes that apply to employers, but individual employees in Illinois do not typically see additional local income tax line items on their pay stubs.
How much does Illinois take from each paycheck in state taxes?
Compare other states on the paycheck calculators hub.
For most Illinois workers, 4.95% of taxable income (gross pay minus the personal exemption annualized) is withheld for state income tax each pay period. For a worker earning $60,000 annually, that is roughly $2,847 per year or about $109 per biweekly paycheck in state tax alone.
Does Illinois tax Social Security benefits or retirement income?
Compare other states on the paycheck calculators hub.
Illinois is one of the most retirement-friendly states — it fully exempts Social Security benefits, pension income, 401(k) distributions, and IRA withdrawals from state income tax. For working employees with wage income, the full 4.95% flat rate applies, but this changes favorably in retirement.
What FICA taxes are deducted from an Illinois paycheck?
Compare other states on the paycheck calculators hub.
Illinois workers pay the same federal FICA as all Americans: 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $176,100 and 1.45% Medicare on all wages. These are federal obligations not affected by Illinois law. The combined employee FICA contribution is 7.65% of gross pay for most workers.
Why does Illinois have a flat income tax instead of progressive brackets?
Compare other states on the paycheck calculators hub.
Illinois' flat tax is a constitutional requirement. The Illinois Constitution mandates that the state income tax be applied at a uniform rate to all taxpayers. A 2020 ballot measure to amend the constitution to allow graduated rates was rejected by Illinois voters, so the flat 4.95% rate remains in place.