Missouri paycheck calculator 2026
Missouri still uses a graduated bracket schedule for 2026, topping out at 4.70% over $9,436 of annual taxable income, with a 0% bracket on the first $1,348.
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Federal tax on a bonus paid on its own check is a flat 22% (37% above $1M of bonuses in the year). Your W-4 doesn't change it.
Per paycheck. Calculating from gross pay → other amounts
No state income tax on wages here.
More W-4, deductions and employer settings
- Standard deduction $16,100 single, $32,200 married jointly, $24,150 head of household
- Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500 · Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% over $200,000)
- FUTA 0.6% on the first $7,000 · bonus withholding 22%
- 401(k) limit $24,500 ($32,500 at 50+, $35,750 at 60–63)
Paycheck breakdown
Employer taxes (on top of gross pay)
Where the employer's money goes
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Missouri payroll taxes and rules for 2026
Missouri still uses a graduated bracket schedule for 2026, topping out at 4.70% over $9,436 of annual taxable income, with a 0% bracket on the first $1,348. Form MO W-4 no longer collects allowances; it collects only filing status, an optional flat extra withholding amount, and an exempt box. Kansas City and St. Louis each add their own 1% earnings tax on top of state withholding.
- Income tax
- 0% to 4.70% across 8 brackets · Employee form: Form MO W-4
- Top rate is 4.70% on annual taxable income over $9,436; the first $1,348 is taxed at 0%.
- Form MO W-4 removed allowances; only filing status (Single / Married-spouse-works / Married-separate / Married-spouse-doesn't-work / Head of Household) sets the standard deduction.
- Standard deductions for 2026: $16,100 (Single, Married-spouse-works, Married-separate), $32,200 (Married-spouse-doesn't-work), $24,150 (Head of Household).
- Missouri's own formula says to use the federal Publication 15 definition of gross taxable income, so traditional 401(k) and §125 cafeteria-plan deductions reduce Missouri wages the same way they reduce federal wages.
- Employee deductions
- Kansas City earnings tax: 1% of wages Applies to Kansas City residents on all earnings and to non-residents on wages earned for work performed within the city. Renewed by voters April 7, 2026 for another five years.
- St. Louis earnings tax: 1% of wages Applies to St. Louis residents on all earnings (regardless of work location) and to non-residents on wages earned for work performed within the city. Renewed via Proposition E, April 7, 2026, for another five years. St. Louis non-residents may file a city return to claim a refund for days worked outside the city.
- Employer taxes
- State Unemployment Insurance (SUI): 2.376% new-employer rate (1.00% for new nonprofit employers) on a $9,000 wage base Experience rates for established employers range 0%–6%, excluding the maximum-rate surcharge/contribution-rate adjustment. The new-employer rate has been unchanged since 2024.
- St. Louis payroll expense tax: 0.5% of wages earned within the city An employer-paid tax (not employee withholding) on wages earned by anyone working within St. Louis city limits, filed alongside the St. Louis earnings tax.
- Local taxes
- Kansas City and St. Louis are the only two Missouri cities with a local earnings tax: 1% withheld from wages, reaching both residents (on all earnings) and non-residents (on wages earned working in the city). St. Louis also charges employers (not employees) a separate 0.5% payroll expense tax.
- Bonuses
- Supplemental wages paid separately from regular wages may be withheld at a flat 4.70% (Missouri's top bracket rate), or added to regular wages for that period and run through the regular formula, with tax already withheld on the regular wages subtracted out.
- Minimum wage 2026
- $15.00/hour Tipped employees must be paid at least $7.50/hour in direct wages, with tips making up the difference to reach $15.00/hour.
- Pay frequency
- At least semimonthly for manufacturing, mining, and public utility employers with more than 7 employees; most other employers may use a monthly or other regular schedule as long as it's consistent.
- Final paycheck
- Discharged employees: wages are due immediately, or no later than the next business day. Employees who quit: due on the next regular payday.
- New-hire reporting
- Within 20 days of the hire date.
- Reciprocity
- None. Missouri has no income tax reciprocity agreements with neighboring states (Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kentucky). Nonresidents working in Missouri are subject to Missouri withholding on Missouri-source wages regardless of home-state agreements.
Checked against official sources on October 5, 2026:
Take-home pay in Missouri by salary
| Salary | Federal tax | FICA | Missouri taxes | Take-home / year | Per paycheck | Employer cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $2,620 | $3,060 | $943 | $33,377 | $1,284 | $43,316 |
| $60,000 | $5,020 | $4,590 | $1,883 | $48,507 | $1,866 | $64,846 |
| $80,000 | $8,770 | $6,120 | $2,823 | $62,287 | $2,396 | $86,376 |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $7,650 | $3,763 | $75,417 | $2,901 | $107,906 |
| $150,000 | $24,734 | $11,475 | $6,113 | $107,678 | $4,141 | $161,731 |
Single filer, paid every two weeks, 2026 W-4 with no adjustments, default Missouri withholding settings, no 401(k) or benefits, new-employer unemployment rate. Missouri taxes include state income tax and employee-paid state programs; local taxes are not included unless the default setting includes them.
How the federal part works, step by step: the 2026 paycheck guide · Mississippi · Montana
Missouri paycheck questions
Does Missouri still use W-4 allowances?
No. Form MO W-4 dropped allowances; it now only collects filing status, an optional flat additional withholding amount, and an exempt box. Filing status alone determines the standard deduction used in the formula.
Do we withhold the Kansas City or St. Louis earnings tax for every Missouri employee?
No, only for employees who live in, or physically work in, Kansas City or St. Louis specifically. It doesn't apply statewide.
Is the St. Louis payroll expense tax something we deduct from employee pay?
No. The 0.5% payroll expense tax is an employer-paid cost on wages earned within St. Louis, separate from the 1% earnings tax withheld from the employee.
Are the KC and St. Louis earnings taxes permanent?
They're renewed by city voters roughly every five years. Both were renewed on April 7, 2026 (Kansas City by about 75%, St. Louis via Proposition E), each for another five years.
How much is $60,000 a year after taxes in Missouri?
About $48,507 a year, or $1,866 every two weeks, for a single filer with no other W-4 adjustments in 2026. Federal income tax is $5,020, Social Security and Medicare $4,590, and Missouri taxes and payroll deductions $1,883.
What does a $60,000 employee cost an employer in Missouri?
$64,846 a year before benefits: the salary plus the 7.65% FICA match, federal unemployment (FUTA) and Missouri unemployment insurance at the new-employer rate of 2.376% on the first $9,000.
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