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🦅 California Income Tax Calculator
California has the highest state income tax in the US at 13.3%, plus SDI — but also the largest economy and highest wages.
Uses 2025 tax-year brackets
California State Tax Facts (2025 tax year)
Highest state income tax in the US: up to 13.3%
SDI (State Disability Insurance): 1.1% with no wage cap
Standard deduction: $5,202 single / $10,404 married
13.3%
Top state rate
On top of federal income tax, California residents pay up to 13.3% in state income tax. Use the calculator above to see your combined effective rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the income tax rate in California?+
How do I calculate my take-home pay in California?+
Filing Taxes in California: What the Rate Table Doesn't Tell You
How filing works here
California runs its own fully separate income tax system — you file Form 540 with the Franchise Tax Board in addition to your federal return, and the two calculations share very little. The state has nine brackets from 1% to 12.3%, plus a 1% Mental Health Services Act surcharge on income above $1 million, which is where the headline 13.3% top rate comes from. California does not conform to many federal provisions: for example, it taxes HSA contributions as ordinary income and disallows the federal SALT workaround, so a return that looks simple federally can still surprise you at the state level.
The local quirk to know
On top of income tax, most California paychecks carry State Disability Insurance (SDI) — 1.1% of wages with no annual cap, unlike Social Security which stops at the federal wage base. High earners feel this more than in any other state. California also has no state-level standard deduction conformity with the federal amount; the state figures ($5,202 single / $10,404 married for the 2025 tax year) are far lower, which pushes many Californians who take the federal standard deduction into itemizing for the state — or vice versa.
Planning note
Two credits are worth checking before you assume you owe the full sticker rate. The California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) supplements the federal EITC for low-income working families, and the Young Child Tax Credit adds more for filers with children under six. At the other end, anyone considering a move should model the total picture: California's income tax is the highest in the nation, but the state has no inheritance or estate tax, and Proposition 13 caps annual property-tax assessment growth at 2% for long-held homes.
Written by Alex Chen. Tax rules change — confirm current-year figures with the IRS before filing.
Go Beyond Tax — Plan Your Full Financial Picture
Your California take-home pay is the starting point. Map every dollar in a monthly budget and see how your savings compound over time.
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