Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Writers and Authors actually take home in Massachusetts?
5.0% flat rate — 25.1% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Writers and Authors earning $85,260 in Massachusetts (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $85,260 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$10,598 | 12.4% |
| Massachusetts State Income Tax | -$4,263 | 5.0% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$5,286 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,236 | 1.4% |
| Total Taxes | -$21,383 | 25.1% |
| Take-Home Pay | $63,876 | 74.9% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Writers and Authors in Massachusetts.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $58,910 | -$12,537 | $46,372 | 21.3% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $67,770 | -$15,323 | $52,446 | 22.6% |
| Median (P50) | $85,260 | -$21,383 | $63,876 | 25.1% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $108,030 | -$29,273 | $78,756 | 27.1% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $138,950 | -$40,463 | $98,486 | 29.1% |
After federal income tax ($10,598), state tax ($4,263), and FICA ($6,522), a Writers and Authors in Massachusetts takes home $63,876 per year — or $5,323 per month. The effective tax rate of 25.1% is moderate compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 25.1%, a Writers and Authors in Massachusetts keeps $63,876 of $85,260 gross — roughly typical for U.S. middle-income earners once federal, FICA and state taxes are combined.
Massachusetts applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Writers and Authors salary that contributes $4,263 to the 5.0% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Writers and Authors salary is $10,598 (50%), but combined state ($4,263, 20%) + FICA ($6,522, 31%) make up the other 50% of the bill.
Moving this same Writers and Authors salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $68,139 net — a gain of $4,263 (6.7%) per year versus Massachusetts.
For Writers and Authors after-tax pay, Massachusetts ranks #8 of 43 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $63,876 net/year works out to $5,323/month or $2,457/bi-weekly for this Writers and Authors in Massachusetts — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Writers and Authors keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Massachusetts ranks #8 out of 43 states for Writers and Authors after-tax take-home pay.
A Writers and Authors in Massachusetts earning a median salary of $85,260 will take home approximately $63,876 per year after federal income tax ($10,598), state income tax ($4,263), and FICA ($6,522). That is $5,323 per month or $2,456 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Writers and Authors in Massachusetts is 25.1%, broken down as: federal income tax 12.4%, Massachusetts state tax 5.0%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Massachusetts has a 5.0% flat rate. On a Writers and Authors's median salary of $85,260, the state income tax amounts to $4,263 per year, which is an effective state rate of 5.0%.
After all taxes, a Writers and Authors in Massachusetts takes home approximately $5,323 per month, or about $30.71 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $85,260 for Writers and Authors in Massachusetts, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), Massachusetts state income tax (5.0% flat rate), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $63,876/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR