Overview of Illinois Taxes
Illinois has a flat income tax of 4.95%, which means everyone’s income in Illinois is taxed at the same rate by the state. No Illinois cities charge a local income tax on top of the state income tax, though.
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Illinois Paycheck Calculator
Illinois Paycheck Quick Facts
- Illinois income tax rate: 4.95%
- Median household income in Illinois: $80,306 (U.S. Census Bureau)
- Number of cities that have local income taxes: 0
How Your Illinois Paycheck Works
For each pay period, your employer will withhold 6.2% of your earnings for Social Security taxes and 1.45% of your earnings for Medicare taxes. Together these are called FICA taxes, and your employer will pony up a matching contribution.
If you file your taxes as single, any earnings you make in excess of $200,000 will be subject to an additional 0.9% Medicare tax, which is not matched by your employer. Joint filers making over $250,000, and married individuals with more than $125,000 filing separately, also pay the Medicare surtax.
Your employer will also withhold money from each of your paychecks to put toward your federal income taxes. The percentage that’s withheld will depend on things such as your income, your filing status (single, married filing jointly, etc.) and any tax credits you indicate on your W-4 form.
In recent years, updates have been made to Form W-4. This new version no longer asks you to list total allowances, as it instead uses a five-step process that lets you enter personal information, claim dependents and indicate any additional income or jobs. In the absence of allowances, filers are required to enter annual dollar amounts for things like income tax credits, non-wage income, itemized and other deductions and total annual taxable wages.
Some employees in Illinois might have more money taken from each paycheck. For example, if you pay a share of premiums for health insurance, life insurance or disability insurance through your company, that money will be deducted from your earnings. You might also have money subtracted from your paycheck if you contribute to a 401(k), a flexible spending account (FSA) or a health savings account (HSA).
If you’re paid more frequently, each of your paychecks will be smaller. That’s why pay frequency is a common question on paycheck calculators. A bigger paycheck may seem enticing, but smaller, more frequent paychecks can make it easier to budget without coming up short by the end of the month.
On the state level, you can claim allowances for Illinois state income taxes on Form IL-W-4. Your employer will withhold money from each of your paychecks to go toward your Illinois state income taxes. Illinois doesn’t have any local income taxes.
If you have more than one job, you’ll need to split your allowances between your jobs. Let's say you have two jobs. You can’t claim the same allowances with more than one employer in a single tax year. An alternative is to divide your allowances between the two jobs on the Form IL-W-4 you give to each employer, or you could claim all your allowances with one job and none with the other. If you double-claim allowances while holding more than one job, you’ll owe more money at tax time.
A financial advisor can help you understand how taxes fit into your overall financial goals. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
If you are thinking of taking a new job and moving to Illinois, check out our Illinois mortgage guide for the ins and outs of getting a mortgage in the Prairie State.
How You Can Affect Your Illinois Paycheck
If you want more money in your Illinois paycheck, aside from asking for a raise, you can also work overtime if your job allows it. Other forms of supplemental wages you can seek include bonuses, commission, stock options and prizes. Supplemental wages are taxed at the same rate as regular income in Illinois.
Sometimes, getting a smaller paycheck pays off. Some accounts, like a 401(k), FSA or HSA, allow you to make pre-tax contributions. That means the money comes out of your paycheck before income taxes do. So while making those contributions will decrease your take-home pay, stashing cash in one of these tax-advantaged accounts means the money will grow tax-free. In the case of the FSA and HSA, your money is there for you to spend on medical expenses.
If you have a lot of income that comes from non-work sources, like investments, the amount your employer withholds from your paychecks might not be enough to avoid ending up with a big tax bill. In this scenario, you may wish to fill out a new W-4 form and request that your employer withhold an additional amount from each of your paychecks. You can also pay estimated taxes every quarter to cover your bases with the IRS.
