Free D-XIRE tax tool · Tax year 2026 (filed in 2027)

Desire’s Tax Withholding Estimator

Use your latest paystub to check whether your current federal withholding may leave you with a balance due, and estimate an additional amount per remaining paycheck.

This D-XIRE tool uses IRS-style paystub inputs but is a simplified federal estimate, not the official IRS Tax Withholding Estimator or a tax return. It covers W-2 pay and ordinary 1099/Schedule C income using 2026 rules. Your actual result can differ.

Your filing and pay details

Use your latest paystub for current-year amounts. The short notes under each field tell you where to look and which numbers to leave out.

Expected filing status

W-2 wages 1099 / self-employment income

Year-to-date gross pay

On your latest paystub, look under Earnings for “YTD Gross” or “YTD Total Earnings.” Use the total before deductions.

Federal income tax taken out so far this year

On your paystub, find YTD “Federal Income Tax” or “FIT” under Taxes. Do not include Social Security, Medicare, or state tax. W-2 Box 2 shows federal tax withheld for a completed year, not this year’s current total.

Gross pay on one regular paycheck

Use the current check’s gross earnings before taxes and deductions. This is not your take-home pay.

Federal income tax taken out of one paycheck

On the current paystub, find “Federal Income Tax” or “FIT” under Taxes or Deductions. Leave out Social Security, Medicare, and state tax.

Traditional 401(k) contributions so far this year

On your paystub, look under Deductions for the YTD total for a traditional, pre-tax 401(k). Enter $0 if you do not have one.

Traditional 401(k) contribution on one paycheck

Use the deduction from your latest regular paystub. Do not include Roth 401(k) contributions.

Pre-tax health insurance taken out so far this year

On your paystub, look under Deductions for the YTD employee premium marked pre-tax. Do not use the W-2 Box 12 code DD amount; that reports coverage cost, not this deduction.

Pre-tax health insurance on one paycheck

Use the employee premium shown under Deductions on your latest paystub. Enter only the amount taken out before federal income tax.

Use gross pay before deductions. Enter only traditional pre-tax 401(k) contributions and health insurance premiums deducted pre-tax from pay. Do not include Roth contributions, after-tax insurance premiums, Social Security or Medicare taxes, or state/local withholding. Your current-year W-2 will arrive after the year ends. W-2 Box 1 is taxable wages for that completed year; it is not current-year gross pay. For this estimate, use current-year paystub amounts.

How many regular paychecks are left this year?

Count the checks you expect from this job through December 31. This tells the estimator how to spread any extra withholding amount.

Optional: include estimated family credits

Number of children you expect to qualify for the Child Tax Credit

Use the number of children you expect to claim who meet the IRS age, relationship, residency, and other rules. If you are unsure, leave this at 0.

Include an Earned Income Tax Credit estimate because I expect to meet the IRS eligibility rules.Number of qualifying children for the Earned Income Tax Credit

Enter children who meet the EITC relationship, age, residency, and identification rules. Use 0 if you do not expect to qualify.

How this estimate works

We project year-end gross W-2 pay and eligible pre-tax payroll deductions from year-to-date totals plus the remaining regular checks, then estimate federal taxable wages by subtracting those deductions from gross pay. If you enter federal taxable wages directly, leave the related deduction fields at $0. Federal withholding is projected separately. If you include 1099 income, the estimate subtracts entered business expenses from receipts and includes regular self-employment tax plus the half-SE-tax adjustment. It applies the 2026 standard deduction, federal tax brackets, and the optional child and earned income credit inputs. If an estimated balance remains and you have W-2 paychecks left, the suggested additional withholding divides that amount evenly across those checks. You can submit a new Form W-4 to your employer to request additional withholding.

IRS sources: 2026 tax rates and standard deductions · EITC eligibility · Child Tax Credit eligibility.

Want the IRS version? Open the official IRS Tax Withholding Estimator ↗

Your Tax Bestie

Want personal support with your tax situation?

Join the 2027 waitlist for virtual individual tax preparation across all 50 states.

Join the 2027 Tax Season Waitlist