COLORADO PAYCHECK CALCULATOR 2026

Colorado levies a flat 4.4% state income tax on Colorado taxable income in 2026, starting from federal taxable income (gross wages already reduced by the federal standard deduction or itemized deductions). Colorado also requires a FAMLI paid leave deduction of 0.44% of gross wages — reduced from 0.45% under SB 25-144, effective January 1, 2026. There are no local income taxes anywhere in Colorado. Social Security and retirement income receive partial or full exemptions based on age. Use the calculator to estimate your exact Colorado take-home pay.

EVERY DEDUCTION ON A COLORADO PAYCHECK IN 2026

Colorado paychecks have five deduction lines — four universal taxes plus Colorado's mandatory FAMLI paid leave premium. No city or county adds extra income tax on top of these five:

• Federal Income Tax — Progressive 10%–37% brackets applied to federal taxable income (gross wages minus the 2026 federal standard deduction: $16,100 Single / $32,200 MFJ / $24,150 HOH).
• Social Security — 6.2% of gross wages up to the $176,100 annual wage base. Wages above this threshold are Social Security-exempt for the rest of the calendar year.
• Medicare — 1.45% on all wages with no cap. An additional 0.9% Medicare surtax applies to wages above $200,000.
• Colorado State Income Tax — Flat 4.4% on Colorado taxable income, which equals federal taxable income (already reduced by the federal standard deduction). No separate state deduction system.
• Colorado FAMLI — 0.44% of gross wages up to the $176,100 Social Security wage base, capped at $776.44 per year. Provides up to 12 weeks (now 24 weeks for NICU care) of paid family and medical leave. Source: FAMLI official site, effective January 1, 2026.

Example — Single, $70,000 gross wages (2026):
Federal Taxable = $70,000 − $16,100 = $53,900
CO State Tax: $53,900 × 4.4% = $2,371.60
CO FAMLI: $70,000 × 0.44% = $308.00
Combined CO deductions = $2,679.60

HOW COLORADO TAXABLE INCOME WORKS

Colorado's income tax system is notably simple: Colorado taxable income equals the taxpayer's federal taxable income — the same number appearing on the federal return after all federal deductions. For the vast majority of Colorado workers who take the standard deduction federally, this means:

Colorado does not have its own standard deduction, personal exemption system, or state-specific deduction schedule. The state simply takes the number from the taxpayer's federal return — whichever is lower between federal taxable income or Colorado starting income — and applies the flat 4.4% rate. This makes Colorado one of the easiest states for which to calculate income tax liability.

COLORADO FAMLI PAID LEAVE — 2026 DETAILS

Colorado's Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program is a mandatory payroll deduction for virtually all Colorado employees. It funds paid leave benefits equivalent to up to 90% of wages for qualifying leave events:

COLORADO RETIREMENT INCOME EXEMPTIONS

COLORADO TABOR — RATE HISTORY AND SURPLUS REFUNDS

Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) is a constitutional amendment passed in 1992 that limits how much tax revenue the state can retain. When Colorado collects more tax revenue than the TABOR limit allows, the surplus must be refunded to taxpayers — often through a temporary income tax rate reduction. This creates year-to-year rate variability that can confuse taxpayers:

COLORADO VS MOUNTAIN WEST / NEARBY NEIGHBORS — $70,000 TAKE-HOME

Among income-tax states in the Mountain West, Colorado's effective 4.4% sits in the middle. Arizona's 2.5% flat rate offers the biggest break among nearby states. Wyoming and Nevada offer full exemption but are geographically driven choices. Colorado's FAMLI deduction adds ~$308/year to the burden for a $70,000 worker — offset by access to up to 12 weeks of paid leave benefits.

2026 FEDERAL TAX BRACKETS — SINGLE FILERS

COLORADO PAYCHECK CALCULATOR — FAQs

What is Colorado's income tax rate in 2026?
Colorado's flat state income tax rate is 4.4% for 2026. This is the statutory rate under Colorado law. Note that in 2024, the effective rate was temporarily reduced to 4.25% due to Colorado's TABOR surplus refund mechanism — but 4.4% applies for both 2025 and 2026. Colorado taxable income starts from federal taxable income, meaning the federal standard deduction has already been subtracted before the 4.4% applies.

What is the Colorado FAMLI deduction?
FAMLI (Family and Medical Leave Insurance) deducts 0.44% of gross wages from employee paychecks in 2026, down from 0.45% in 2025. The total premium is 0.88% (SB 25-144, effective January 1, 2026). Wages above the $176,100 Social Security wage base are exempt. The maximum employee FAMLI deduction for 2026 is $776.44. FAMLI provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave — now expandable to 24 weeks for NICU care.

Does Colorado have local income taxes?
No. Colorado has no local income taxes anywhere in the state. No city, county, or municipality levies a local income tax. The only state-level income tax deductions from a Colorado paycheck are the 4.4% state rate and the 0.44% FAMLI contribution.

Is Social Security taxable in Colorado?
It depends on age. For taxpayers age 65 and older, Social Security is fully exempt from Colorado state income tax. For taxpayers age 55–64, up to $20,000 of Social Security income is exempt. Under age 55, Social Security income is generally subject to the 4.4% rate. Pension, annuity, and IRA income follow a similar age-graduated exemption schedule — fully exempt at age 65.

How much will I take home on a $70,000 salary in Colorado?
Single filer, age under 55, no retirement income: CO taxable income = $53,900 (after $16,100 std ded). CO state tax = $53,900 × 4.4% = $2,371.60. FAMLI = $70,000 × 0.44% = $308.00. Federal tax ~$6,772. FICA ~$5,355. Estimated annual take-home: ~$55,193 (~$4,599/month).

Run your Colorado estimate again anytime: Colorado Paycheck Calculator 2026