How much of my paycheck can the IRS take?

An IRS wage levy only leaves you a small protected amount each paycheck. The rest can go to the IRS.

How do you file?

How often are you paid?

Dependents

Take-home pay per paycheck

What lands in your account, after taxes and other deductions.

Under a levy, you could keep about

per paycheck. The IRS could take about $0, or $0 a year.

How this is figured

The protected amount comes from the IRS's own 2026 table (Publication 1494): your standard deduction plus an amount for each dependent, spread over your paychecks. Anything above it can be taken.

Estimate only. People 65 or older or blind get a bit more protected. Some income, such as child support you pay under a court order, may also be protected. The exact amount is on the levy your employer receives.