How this calculator works
Like our other paycheck calculators, this estimates federal tax and FICA the same way regardless of state. On top of that, it applies Missouri’s own state income tax: Missouri’s standard deduction (which follows the federal amount for your filing status), then an 8-row bracket schedule running from 0% up to 4.7% for 2026. Missouri has no state disability insurance tax and no paid-family-leave payroll tax, so Missouri income tax is the only state-level line on the breakdown below. It also does not include the local earnings tax that Kansas City and St. Louis residents (and in-city workers) separately owe; see the FAQ below.
The formula
(federal tax, FICA, and net-pay assembly are identical to the Texas calculator)
moWages = grossWages − pretaxHealth − 401(k) contribution
standardDeduction = $16,100 (single) or $32,200 (joint) -- follows the federal amount
moTaxable = max(0, moWages − standardDeduction)
moIncomeTax = 2026 MO bracket schedule applied to moTaxable
(0% to $1,348, 2% to $2,696, 2.5% to $4,044, 3% to $5,392,
3.5% to $6,740, 4% to $8,088, 4.5% to $9,436, 4.7% above $9,436 --
the SAME dollar thresholds for every filing status)
stateTax = moIncomeTax
Worked example
A single filer earning $35,000/year, paid biweekly, with no 401(k) or extra deductions, matching the Missouri Department of Revenue’s own worked example in its 2026 withholding formula:
- FICA: $2,677.50/year (6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare)
- Federal tax: $35,000 − $16,100 standard deduction = $18,900 taxable → $2,020.00/year
- Missouri standard deduction: $16,100.00
- Missouri taxable income: $35,000 − $16,100 = $18,900.00
- Missouri income tax: $707.67/year, working through all 8 brackets (0% on the first $1,348, up to 4.7% on the amount over $9,436)
- Net pay: $35,000 − $2,677.50 − $2,020.00 − $707.67 = $29,594.83/year, or $1,138.26 per biweekly paycheck
The Missouri Department of Revenue’s own printed worksheet for this exact scenario shows $707.81 of annual withholding rather than $707.67. The $0.14 difference comes from the worksheet rounding each of its eight intermediate rows to the nearest whole dollar before adding them up, a shortcut meant for calculating withholding by hand. This calculator instead keeps cent-level precision through every bracket, the same approach used on our other state paycheck calculators.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why don't Missouri's tax brackets double for married filing jointly the way federal brackets do?
Missouri's bracket dollar thresholds (from $0 to $9,436 for 2026) are the same for every filing status. Only Missouri's standard deduction changes by filing status: $16,100 for a single filer, $32,200 for a married couple filing jointly. This is different from federal, California, Kansas, and several other states, whose bracket thresholds double for a joint return.
What is Missouri's 2026 standard deduction?
Missouri's standard deduction follows the federal amount for your filing status: $16,100 for single or married filing separately, $32,200 for married filing jointly, $24,150 for head of household. This calculator supports single and joint filing.
Do I owe extra tax if I live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis?
Likely yes, and this calculator does not include it. Both cities levy a mandatory 1% earnings tax on wages, collected by the city itself rather than the state, and residents of either city (plus people who work there) generally owe it. That means about 1% more comes out of a Kansas City or St. Louis paycheck than this calculator shows.
Is Missouri's top income tax rate going to keep falling?
It has been falling most years since 2023 under a 2022 law that cuts the top rate by up to 0.1 percentage point a year when state revenue grows enough, but that trigger was not met for 2026, so the top rate stays at 4.7%. A separate plan to phase out the income tax entirely failed at the ballot box in August 2026.
Does Missouri have a state disability insurance or paid family leave payroll tax?
No. Missouri has no mandatory State Disability Insurance or Paid Family Leave payroll tax, unlike California, New Jersey, or New York. Missouri unemployment insurance is funded entirely by employer contributions, so Missouri state income tax is the only state-level tax line this calculator applies.
Are tips and overtime tax-free on my Missouri return?
Not automatically. The federal 2025-2028 "no tax on tips" and "no tax on overtime" deductions apply after federal adjusted gross income is calculated, and Missouri's own tax starts from that same federal adjusted gross income. Missouri has not enacted a matching state-level deduction, so tips and overtime generally remain part of your Missouri taxable income.