What Are Post-Tax Deductions?
Post-tax deductions (also called after-tax deductions) are amounts subtracted from your paycheck after federal, state, and FICA taxes have been calculated and withheld. Because they come out after taxes, they do not reduce your taxable income for the current year.
This is the key difference from pre-tax deductions like traditional 401(k) contributions or health insurance premiums, which are subtracted before taxes and therefore lower your tax bill.
Common Post-Tax Deductions
- Roth 401(k) and Roth 403(b) contributions — you pay taxes on contributions now, but withdrawals in retirement are completely tax-free. The 2025 contribution limit is $23,500 ($31,000 if age 50+).
- Life insurance premiums — employer-sponsored group life insurance over $50,000 in coverage is a taxable benefit, and the premium for the excess coverage is a post-tax deduction.
- Disability insurance — if you pay for disability insurance with after-tax dollars, any benefits you receive are tax-free. This is a deliberate trade-off many financial advisors recommend.
- Union dues — membership fees for labor unions are deducted post-tax. Since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, union dues are no longer deductible on your federal tax return.
- Wage garnishments — court-ordered deductions for child support, alimony, unpaid taxes, or defaulted student loans are taken post-tax.
- Charitable contributions — payroll-deducted donations to qualified charities (like United Way) are post-tax but may be deductible on your annual tax return if you itemize.
- Commuter benefits (after-tax) — transit or parking expenses above the pre-tax limit ($325/month in 2025) are deducted post-tax.
Pre-Tax vs. Post-Tax: Which Is Better?
It depends on your situation. Pre-tax deductions provide an immediate tax benefit by lowering your current taxable income. Post-tax deductions like Roth contributions provide no immediate tax break but offer tax-free growth and withdrawals in the future.
The general rule: if you expect to be in a higher tax bracket in retirement, Roth (post-tax) contributions are usually better. If you expect to be in a lower bracket, traditional (pre-tax) contributions save you more overall.
How Post-Tax Deductions Affect Your Paycheck
Since post-tax deductions come out after taxes, they reduce your take-home pay dollar-for-dollar. A $200 post-tax deduction reduces your take-home by exactly $200. In contrast, a $200 pre-tax deduction might only reduce your take-home by $130–$150, because the remaining $50–$70 comes from tax savings.