Servers & bartenders · 2026 taxes · Free
What do you really make an hour?
Cash wage plus tips, minus tip-outs, minus taxes — with the new tip deduction factored in. The number your paycheck never shows you.
YOUR TIME HAS A PRICE · KNOW IT
Method & assumptions
How we get to your real hourly
Only the tips you keep count
Tip-outs go to the people who earn them — they're not your income and you shouldn't be taxed on them. We subtract them before anything else.
Taxes use the 2026 rules — including the tip deduction
Federal income tax runs on the 2026 brackets and standard deduction, with the No Tax on Tips deduction (up to $25,000) applied. FICA (7.65%) applies to everything — no deduction touches it.
What we simplify
Single filer, no other income, steady 52-week year, no state income tax, no tax credits. Your real return may differ — this is a planning estimate, not tax advice.
Estimate your refund separately
Want just the tax-back number? The No Tax on Tips calculator does exactly that, with filing-status options.
Frequently asked
Real hourly FAQ
Why is my "real" hourly so different from my cash wage?
Because for most servers the cash wage is the small half. Tips usually carry the number — and tip-outs, Social Security & Medicare, and income tax all pull it back down. This calculator shows each pull separately.
Do I pay tax on tips I tip out to the busser and bar?
No. Tips you pass through a tip-out belong to the person who receives them — you should only report and be taxed on what you keep. We only tax your after-tip-out number here.
Why is my estimated federal income tax so low (or $0)?
The "No Tax on Tips" deduction (2025–2028) lets you deduct up to $25,000 of reported tips from your federal taxable income. For a typical server income, that wipes out most or all federal income tax. Social Security and Medicare still apply. See our No Tax on Tips calculator for the details.
What assumptions does this make?
A steady 52-week year, single filer with the standard deduction, no other income, federal taxes only (no state income tax), and FICA at 7.65%. Real life varies — treat this as a solid estimate, not your tax return.
Is my hourly even legal?
Different question, different tool: run Am I Being Paid Correctly? to check your pay against your state’s tipped minimum wage, top-up, and overtime rules.
Your averages, from your actual shifts
This calculator guesses. Your tip log knows.
TipShield tracks every shift's tips and hours, so your "typical week" is real data — and your deduction records are ready at tax time.
Math looks off? Tell us what you entered and what you expected — corrections get priority.
Report an issueSources
Tax parameters: IRS 2026 inflation adjustments and IRS — No Tax on Tips deduction. FICA rate: 6.2% Social Security + 1.45% Medicare. Wage compliance is a separate check: Am I Being Paid Correctly?