Web Smarts: Calculate your take-home pay
WHAT: A website that calculates your take-home pay after taxes, and provides step-by-step hints on filling out a W-4 form.
BEST POINTS: Since Congress ordered employers to reduce federal withholding taxes, your paycheck should be fatter in July than it was in June. Even if you see a bump, its worth double checking your company's math at this website.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: Be sure to bring your paycheck to the computer. Then enter your state, gross pay, and deductions into the on-screen form, and press calculate.
Voilà! The website displays your tax savings and new take-home pay, factoring in the effect of the massive tax-cutting legislation that President Bush signed into law in May.
One example: A single person with a gross income of $48,000 will receive about $5 extra each week, says Joseph Matoney, an accounting professor at the University of Rhode Island.
The website is operated by Symmetry Software, a paycheck-management company.
