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West Virginia Paycheck Calculator (2026)

Estimate your West Virginia take-home pay after federal tax, FICA, and West Virginia state income tax.

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 West Virginia’s own five-bracket state income tax to wages reduced by a flat $2,000-per-exemption amount, since West Virginia has no standard deduction. West Virginia has no state disability insurance tax and no material local income tax, so state income tax is the only state-level line on the breakdown below.

The formula

(federal tax, FICA, and net-pay assembly are identical to the Kentucky calculator)

exemptions = 1 (single) or 2 (married filing jointly)
           [this calculator's default assumption: yourself, plus your spouse if joint]

wvExemptionDeduction = exemptions x $2,000
                     [West Virginia has NO standard deduction]

wvTaxable   = max(0, wagesAfterPretax − wvExemptionDeduction)
wvIncomeTax = 2026 WV bracket schedule applied to wvTaxable
            (2.11% to $10,000 / 2.81% to $25,000 / 3.16% to $40,000 /
             4.22% to $60,000 / 4.58% above $60,000,
             same brackets for single and joint filers)

stateTax    = wvIncomeTax

Worked example

A single filer earning $60,000/year, paid biweekly, with no 401(k) or extra deductions:

  • FICA: $4,590.00/year (same as any state)
  • Federal tax: $5,020.00/year (same as any state)
  • West Virginia exemption deduction: 1 exemption × $2,000 = $2,000.00
  • West Virginia taxable income: $60,000 − $2,000 = $58,000.00
  • West Virginia income tax: $1,106.50 (cumulative through $40,000) + 4.22% × $18,000 = $1,866.10/year
  • Net pay: $60,000 − $4,590 − $5,020 − $1,866.10 = $48,523.90/year, or $1,866.30 per biweekly paycheck

We verified West Virginia’s 2026 bracket rates and the $1,106.50/$1,950.50 cumulative bracket constants directly against the West Virginia Tax Division’s own official withholding table (Form WV/IT-100.2A, revised March 2026), which prints those exact figures. That table also confirmed the rates dropped again for 2026, from the 2.22%-4.82% schedule that applied in 2024 and 2025 to the current 2.11%-4.58% schedule, the result of West Virginia’s annual revenue-growth-triggered rate cut firing for another year.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What are West Virginia's 2026 state income tax brackets?

Five brackets: 2.11% up to $10,000, 2.81% from $10,000 to $25,000, 3.16% from $25,000 to $40,000, 4.22% from $40,000 to $60,000, and 4.58% above $60,000. These are the verified current 2026 rates, one full round of cuts below the 2.22%-4.82% schedule some older calculators still show.

Why did West Virginia's tax rates keep going down every year?

A 2023 law cut every bracket by about 21.25% and added an annual trigger: whenever the state's general revenue grows fast enough, rates get cut further. That trigger fired again for 2026, lowering the schedule from 2.22%-4.82% to 2.11%-4.58%. Future cuts depend on revenue growth, not a fixed schedule.

Does West Virginia have a standard deduction?

No. West Virginia's own tax guidance says it allows neither a standard deduction nor itemized deductions. The only subtraction before applying the brackets is a flat $2,000 for each exemption you claim (yourself, your spouse if filing jointly, and any dependents), not a percentage or income-based amount.

Does West Virginia have a state disability insurance or paid family leave tax on my paycheck?

No. West Virginia has no mandatory State Disability Insurance or Paid Family Leave payroll tax, unlike California, New Jersey, New York, and a few other states. State income tax is the only West Virginia-specific line on your paycheck.

Does my city add its own income tax in West Virginia?

No West Virginia city has a percentage-based local income tax. Four cities (Charleston, Huntington, Parkersburg, and Weirton) charge a small flat weekly fee, a few dollars, on people working within city limits, but it's a flat amount rather than a percentage of wages, so this calculator doesn't include it.

Do West Virginia's tax brackets double for married couples filing jointly?

No. West Virginia uses the exact same bracket thresholds for single and joint filers. The only difference for a joint return is one extra $2,000 exemption (assuming one earner with a non-earning or combined-income spouse), not wider brackets the way some other states handle joint returns.

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