Colorado Paycheck Calculator 2026 — Flat 4.4% State Rate (Federal + FICA + State)

How much do I take home in Colorado? — short answer first

Colorado runs one of the cleanest flat-tax structures in the US — a 4.40% rate (2024+) applied uniformly to all filing statuses, with federal taxable income as the starting point (no separate state standard deduction or personal exemption). The rate was reduced from 4.55% under Proposition 116 (2020) and may temporarily drop further when TABOR (Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, Art X §20) refunds trigger excess-revenue rebates. Colorado has no local income tax — Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, and Fort Collins all fund services through property tax (~0.48% effective, among lowest in US) and 7.7% combined sales tax. The TABOR constitutional cap on state revenue growth makes Colorado uniquely transparent about tax dynamics.

How Colorado taxes payroll in 2026

Colorado levies a flat 4.40% individual income tax under C.R.S. §39-22-104. The rate has been at 4.40% since 2024, reduced from 4.55% under Proposition 116 (2020 ballot, voter-approved). Colorado uses federal taxable income as its starting point — there is no separate state standard deduction or personal exemption. A filer who claims the federal $14,600 standard deduction (2024) gets that same $14,600 reduction in Colorado taxable income automatically. This conformity dramatically simplifies Colorado filing: most filers do not need to perform any state-specific deduction math. The TABOR amendment (Article X §20 of the Colorado Constitution, 1992) caps state revenue growth at inflation + population growth. When state revenue exceeds the cap, the excess must be refunded to taxpayers — often through temporary income tax rate reductions or one-time refundable credits. Recent TABOR refunds have pushed the effective rate as low as 4.25% in specific years (2023, for example). The 4.40% statutory rate is the baseline; the effective rate any given year may be slightly lower. Colorado has no local income tax at any city or county level. Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Fort Collins, and Pueblo all fund local services through property tax (effective rate ~0.48% statewide, among the lowest in the US) and 7.7% combined sales tax average (2.9% state + ~4.8% local). The lack of local income tax + low property tax + moderate flat state rate makes Colorado one of the most predictable tax destinations for both wage earners and retirees.

Colorado state income tax brackets (single filer, 2026)

Standard deduction (single): $0 · top marginal rate 4.40%. Married filing jointly + head of household brackets follow the same shape with adjusted thresholds.

Colorado city callouts

• Denver — Property tax ~0.55% effective; no local income tax; combined sales tax 8.81% (highest in CO due to RTD + cultural tax); tech sector hiring strong.
• Boulder — Property tax ~0.55% effective; no local income tax; combined sales tax 8.85%; CU Boulder + research industries drive professional density.
• Colorado Springs — Property tax ~0.43% effective (lowest of major CO metros); combined sales tax 8.20%; large military-affiliated population (NORAD, USAFA).

How to use this calculator

1. Enter your annual gross salary. Pre-tax, what your employer pays before any deductions.
2. Pick filing status. Single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, or head of household. Drives both federal and Colorado brackets.
3. Add 401(k) and HSA contributions (optional). Both lower your federal taxable income; HSA also lowers FICA wages.
4. Read the verdict. Annual + monthly + bi-weekly take-home, federal + state + local breakdown, and effective tax rate.

Common mistakes

• Confusing gross with adjusted gross. The calculator wants your gross salary — what your employer pays before any pre-tax deductions or contributions. If you enter your W-2 Box 1 (already net of 401k), the math will under-count your tax.
• Forgetting that 401(k) is still subject to FICA. Traditional 401(k) reduces federal income tax but NOT Social Security + Medicare. Only HSA (through payroll) reduces both.
• Using the wrong filing status for state tax. Colorado uses the same filing status categories as the IRS, but bracket thresholds differ from federal. Pick the status that matches your actual tax filing — not just what gives the best number.
• Ignoring multi-state implications. If you work in Colorado but live elsewhere (or vice versa), you may owe taxes in both states with a credit between them. This calculator assumes you both live and work in Colorado.

Methodology & Sources

Federal income tax + FICA: IRS Pub 15-T 2026 projected brackets + Social Security Administration 2026 wage base ($181,000) + Medicare 1.45% (no cap) + Additional Medicare 0.9% above $200K/$250K thresholds. Colorado state income tax: Colorado Department of Revenue — flat 4.40% individual income tax — last verified 2026-05-13. Brackets refresh annually — most state DORs publish updates in Q4 preceding the tax year. Federal 2026 figures are projected from 2025 (Rev. Proc. 2024-40) with ~2.5% inflation adjustment; refresh against IRS October release.

Frequently asked questions

Want to compare Colorado take-home pay against another state? Use the national take-home pay calculator with a flat-rate state input. To see what you'd save by changing your 401(k) contribution, drop the gross salary into the salary-to-hourly calculator. For cost-of-living adjustments when comparing jobs across states, the cost of living calculator adjusts for housing + groceries + tax differences between metros.