Kentucky Paycheck Tax Calculator
Estimate take-home pay and employee taxes for Kentucky. Enter your pay details to get a line-by-line breakdown.
Kentucky Paycheck
Calculate this paycheck
Take Home
$1,620.85
Take home
Employee taxes
Employer taxes
Earnings
$2,000.00
Taxes
−$379.15
Federal Income Tax
−$156.15
Social Security
−$124.00
Medicare
−$29.00
KY State Income Tax
−$70.00
Take Home
$1,620.85
Employer cost breakdown
Gross pay
$2,000.00
Employer Social Security
+$124.00
Employer Medicare
+$29.00
FUTA
+$120.00
KY UI Tax
+$0.00
Total employer cost
$2,273.00
| Line | Who pays | Rate | Wage base |
|---|---|---|---|
|
KY Occupational Tax
Lexington-Fayette occupational license fee is 2.25% of compensation earned in the locality. Louisville Metro occupational tax is 2.20% for residents who both live and work in Louisville Metro and 1.45% for nonresidents who work there.
|
Employee | Bracket or formula based | No cap |
|
KY State Income Tax
Flat 3.50% Kentucky state withholding for tax year 2026.
|
Employee | 3.5% | No cap |
|
KY UI Tax
Kentucky unemployment insurance is employer-paid. The exact contribution depends on the employer's assigned state unemployment rate notice and the current taxable wage base for the selected tax year, so this line remains calculator-only until employer-specific rate input is captured.
|
Employer | User supplied | No cap |
Some state or local tax rules for this jurisdiction are still partial and may require user-entered rates or manual review.
Some employer-side state taxes depend on employer size, assigned unemployment rates, or program elections. Review the line notes before relying on those totals.
Some state-specific lines need additional answers before the calculator can resolve all applicable rates: resident locality, work locality.
This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Rates and rules change frequently — confirm with official sources before making payroll decisions.