Built on one idea:
show the real number

Most financial calculators show gross figures. CalcClarity was built to show what you actually keep — after every tax, deduction, and real-world factor that changes the number that lands in your bank account.

Why CalcClarity exists

The idea started with a simple frustration: salary comparison tools that ignored state income tax, freelance calculators that forgot about self-employment tax, and cost of living tools that compared price indexes without accounting for the tax difference between states.

A $90,000 offer in Oregon and a $90,000 offer in Texas are not the same offer. A 1099 rate of $75/hr and a W2 rate of $75/hr are not the same rate. CalcClarity exists to make that difference visible and calculable in seconds — without requiring a spreadsheet, a CPA, or a finance degree.

Our methodology

Every CalcClarity calculator applies the same standard:

Federal tax brackets

2026 IRS brackets applied using the effective rate method — total tax divided by gross income, not just the marginal rate.

All 50 state tax rates

State income tax rates for all 50 states and Washington D.C., updated annually. Progressive bracket states use midpoint effective rates.

FICA — both components

Social Security at 6.2% up to the annual wage cap ($184,500 for 2026) and Medicare at 1.45% with no cap.

Self-employment tax

1099 and freelance calculators apply the full 14.13% SE tax, including the 50% deductibility adjustment on federal taxable income.

Annual update commitment

Tax calculators go stale every January. CalcClarity updates all income, tax, and freelance calculators in the first week of each new year. Here’s what gets updated:

What	Source	When
Federal tax brackets	IRS Revenue Procedure	January
Social Security wage cap	SSA.gov announcement	January
401(k) contribution limit	IRS Notice	January
State income tax rates	Tax Foundation / state revenue depts	January
Health insurance default	KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey	January
Cost of living indexes	C2ER (Council for Community & Economic Research)	January

What CalcClarity is not

CalcClarity is a planning tool, not a tax preparation service. Our calculators produce reliable estimates for comparing options and making informed decisions — they are not a substitute for a CPA, tax software, or financial advisor when it comes to filing your actual taxes or making major financial commitments.

Every calculator page includes a plain-language explanation of what it does and doesn’t account for, so you always know the limitations of the estimate you’re looking at.

Get in touch

Found an error in a calculator? Have a suggestion for a tool we should build? We’d genuinely like to hear from you. Reach us at hello@calcclarity.com.

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