Wisconsin Income Tax Calculator (2024‑2025)

How the Wisconsin income tax calculator works

This tool estimates your Wisconsin state income tax using the latest available brackets and a simplified version of the state’s standard deduction and credits. It is designed to give you a clear picture of:

• How much Wisconsin income tax you owe
• Your marginal and effective Wisconsin tax rates
• How Wisconsin tax affects your overall take‑home pay

1. Start with your gross income

Enter your annual gross income from wages, salary, and other taxable sources before any deductions. If you’re paid hourly, multiply your hourly rate by hours per week and weeks per year.

2. Subtract pre‑tax deductions

Many common benefits reduce both federal and Wisconsin taxable income, such as:

• Traditional 401(k), 403(b), or 457 contributions
• Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions
• Pre‑tax health, dental, and vision premiums

The calculator subtracts these from your gross income to estimate your federal adjusted gross income (AGI).

3. Estimate Wisconsin taxable income

Wisconsin starts from federal AGI, then applies state‑specific adjustments and a Wisconsin standard deduction that phases out at higher incomes.

For clarity, this calculator:

• Applies an approximate Wisconsin standard deduction based on filing status and income
• Lets you add Wisconsin‑only adjustments (e.g., certain college savings contributions, pensions)
• Ensures taxable income never goes below zero

4. Apply Wisconsin tax brackets

Wisconsin uses a progressive tax system: income is split into ranges (brackets), and each range is taxed at a different rate. Only the income in each bracket is taxed at that bracket’s rate.

The calculator:

• Splits your Wisconsin taxable income across each bracket
• Computes the tax owed in each bracket
• Sums them to get your total Wisconsin income tax

5. Estimate credits and net tax

Wisconsin offers several credits (e.g., dependent, homestead, school property tax). This calculator includes:

• An estimated dependent credit based on the number of qualifying dependents
• An input for other Wisconsin credits so you can plug in your own numbers

Credits reduce your tax dollar for dollar:

6. Federal tax and take‑home pay (optional)

If you choose “Include federal withholding estimate”, the calculator also:

• Applies a simplified federal tax model using current brackets and the standard deduction
• Estimates your federal income tax
• Shows your combined federal + Wisconsin tax and net take‑home pay

Key definitions

Marginal vs. effective Wisconsin tax rate

• Marginal rate – the rate that applies to your last dollar of Wisconsin taxable income. This is the rate most relevant when you get a raise or bonus.
• Effective rate – your total Wisconsin tax divided by your gross income:

  Effective WI rate = (Net WI tax ÷ Gross income) × 100%

Standard deduction vs. itemized deductions

At the federal level, you can choose between the standard deduction and itemizing. Wisconsin has its own standard deduction formula and does not use your federal itemized deductions directly. This calculator uses an approximate Wisconsin standard deduction to keep things simple.

Limitations and disclaimer

This Wisconsin income tax calculator is for educational and planning purposes only. It does not account for every possible adjustment, credit, or special situation, including but not limited to:

• Business income, farm income, or complex investment income
• Multi‑state income allocation or part‑year residency
• All available Wisconsin credits and exemptions
• Alternative minimum tax or special federal provisions

For official guidance, forms, and detailed instructions, refer to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue or consult a qualified tax professional.