Colorado income tax brackets for 2026
Colorado taxes wages at a flat 4.4%. The rates apply to taxable income: your wages after pre-tax deductions and the deductions and exemptions shown below.
| All filing statuses: taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| Over $0 | 4.4% |
Deductions, exemptions and credits
| Standard deduction | $16,100 single · $32,200 married · $24,150 head of household |
|---|
- Colorado taxes income at a flat 4.4%, starting from federal taxable income, so the federal standard deduction ($16,100 single in 2026) carries over.
- Since 2023 most workers pay a FAMLI premium for paid family and medical leave: 0.44% of wages in 2026.
- In years with a large state surplus, Colorado's TABOR rules can lower the rate temporarily or send refunds, so the final 2026 rate can differ slightly.
Colorado payroll deductions
Besides income tax, Colorado requires these contributions from employees in 2026. The calculator includes them automatically.
| Program | Employee rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado FAMLI paid leave premium (employee share) | 0.44% | First $184,500 of wages |
- CO FAMLI: The 2026 premium is 0.88% of wages up to the Social Security wage base; employers can deduct up to half, 0.44%, from employees.
Local income taxes in Colorado
A few Denver-area cities charge a flat monthly occupational privilege tax on people who work there: Denver $5.75 a month (on pay of $500 or more a month), Glendale $5, Greenwood Village $2, and Sheridan $3. Enter it as a small percentage if it applies.
Local taxes are not added automatically because they depend on your address and where you work. Enter your rate in the Local income tax field to include it.
Example: $60,000 salary in Colorado
A single filer earning $60,000 a year, paid every two weeks, with a standard 2026 W-4 and no 401(k) or health deductions:
| Every two weeks | Per paycheck | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,307.69 | $60,000.00 |
| Federal income tax | -$193.08 | -$5,020.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$143.08 | -$3,720.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$33.46 | -$870.00 |
| Colorado income tax | -$74.29 | -$1,931.60 |
| CO FAMLI | -$10.15 | -$264.00 |
| Take-home pay | $1,853.63 | $48,194.40 |
Colorado income tax is about $1,931.60 a year here, 3.22% of gross pay. All taxes together take 19.7% of pay. Federal withholding is the 2026 single schedule: $60,000 less the $8,600 allowance gives $51,400, taxed at $1,240 plus 12% above $19,900, or $5,020 a year.
Take-home pay in Colorado at different salaries
Yearly take-home pay for a single filer in Colorado, paid every two weeks, with no pre-tax deductions or local tax. For a married couple filing jointly on $120,000, take-home pay is about $96,389 a year (19.7% in taxes).
| Salary | Colorado tax | Take-home per year | Per paycheck |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $744 | $25,541 | $982.36 |
| $45,000 | $1,470 | $36,868 | $1,418.00 |
| $60,000 | $2,196 | $48,194 | $1,853.63 |
| $80,000 | $3,164 | $61,946 | $2,382.55 |
| $100,000 | $4,132 | $75,048 | $2,886.48 |
| $150,000 | $6,552 | $107,239 | $4,124.59 |
| $250,000 | $11,103 | $172,079 | $6,618.41 |
The Colorado tax column includes state payroll contributions as well as income tax.
How the Colorado paycheck estimate works
Federal income tax follows IRS Publication 15-T for 2026: your paycheck is annualized, an allowance for the standard deduction is taken off, the 2026 withholding schedule for your filing status is applied, and W-4 credits and extra withholding are added back per paycheck. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 and Medicare 1.45%, plus 0.9% on wages over $200,000.
Colorado tax is estimated for the whole year: wages after pre-tax deductions, less the standard deduction, run through the brackets above, then divided by the number of paychecks.
Colorado tax = Brackets(Wages − pre-tax deductions − standard deduction)