How Arkansas paycheck taxes work
- Arkansas income tax: rates from 0% up to a top rate of 3.7% for 2026.
- Before tax, Arkansas subtracts a standard deduction of $2,470 single and $4,940 married filing jointly and a personal credit of $29 ($58 for a married couple) taken off the tax.
- Arkansas cut its top rate from 3.9% to 3.7% for 2026 (H.B. 1001), retroactive to January 1. We use the Department of Finance and Administration's revised 2026 formula: a $2,470 standard deduction ($4,940 for a married couple) and a $29 personal credit per person.
Arkansas income tax rates for 2026
| Rate | Taxable income (all filers) |
|---|---|
| 0% | $0 – $5,599 |
| 2% | $5,600 – $11,199 |
| 3% | $11,200 – $15,999 |
| 3.4% | $16,000 – $26,399 |
| 3.7% | $26,400 and up |
Arkansas works these as "rate × income − bracket adjustment". Between $94,701 and $97,600 the adjustment shrinks in $100 steps, and from $97,601 up nearly all income is taxed at 3.7%.
How your take-home pay is calculated
Take-home = Gross pay − 401(k) − health − HSA − federal income tax − Social Security − Medicare − Arkansas income tax − local tax
Federal income tax uses the 2026 brackets and standard deduction. Social Security is 6.2% of pay up to $184,500 a year; Medicare is 1.45% of all pay plus 0.9% above $200,000. Pre-tax health and HSA payroll deductions lower all of these; 401(k) lowers income tax only.
Arkansas take-home pay examples
Single filer, paid every two weeks, no 401(k) or other pre-tax deductions, no local tax:
| Salary | Federal tax | Social Security + Medicare | State income tax | Take-home a year | Per biweekly check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $3,820.00 | $3,825.00 | $1,362.45 | $40,992.55 | $1,576.64 |
| $75,000 | $7,670.00 | $5,737.50 | $2,287.45 | $59,305.05 | $2,280.96 |
| $100,000 | $13,170.00 | $7,650.00 | $3,489.71 | $75,690.29 | $2,911.17 |
Worked example, $75,000 salary:
- Federal: $75,000 − $16,100 standard deduction = $58,900 taxable. Tax = $1,240 + $4,560 + 22% × $8,500 = $7,670.00.
- Social Security 6.2% = $4,650.00. Medicare 1.45% = $1,087.50.
- Arkansas taxable income $72,530.00, Arkansas income tax $2,287.45.
- Take-home: $59,305.05 a year, or $2,280.96 every two weeks. That's 20.9% of pay in taxes.
What this calculator simplifies
- Tax is worked out for the whole year and spread evenly over your paychecks. Employers use withholding tables, so a real check can differ by a few dollars; you settle the difference when you file.
- Federal tax uses the 2026 standard deduction only. Dependents, itemized deductions and the new tips, overtime and senior deductions aren't included (W-4 Step 3 credits can be entered under More options).
- State tax covers a typical W-2 employee who lives and works in the state. State credits for dependents, renters, earned income and similar aren't included.
- Head of household and married filing separately use Arkansas's single amounts.
Compare states on the paycheck calculator by state, or see federal tax bracket by bracket in the income tax calculator.
Sources
- Arkansas DFA: 2026 withholding tax formula (revised May 29, 2026)
- Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026
- IRS IR-2025-103: 2026 tax inflation adjustments
- SSA contribution and benefit base ($184,500 for 2026)
- IRS Topic 560, Additional Medicare Tax
State figures: 2026. Last reviewed October 2026.