how much is taken out of my paycheck for federal income tax?
The calculation for these deductions is pretty straightforward. The amount of FICA tax is 15.3% of the employee's gross pay. Half of the total (7.65%) is withheld from the employee's paycheck, and half is paid by the employer. For the employee above, with $1500 in weekly pay, the calculation is $1500 x 7.65% (.