The library
Kenya tax, explained.
30 in-depth articles on PAYE, NSSF, SHIF, the Housing Levy, and legitimate tax deductions in Kenya.
Featured articles
How to Calculate PAYE and Net Salary in Kenya in 2026
Calculate Kenyan PAYE from taxable pay, apply personal relief and reconcile NSSF, SHIF and Housing Levy with a worked salary example.
NSSF Contributions in Kenya: 2026 Rates and Take-Home Impact
See the February 2026 NSSF tiers, KES 6,480 employee cap, employer match and how the change affects net salary.
Legal Ways to Reduce PAYE in Kenya: Deductions and Reliefs
Check legitimate pension, mortgage, insurance and other PAYE deductions without confusing tax savings with extra take-home pay.
The full library
How-to guides
2 articlesHow to Calculate PAYE and Net Salary in Kenya in 2026
Calculate Kenyan PAYE from taxable pay, apply personal relief and reconcile NSSF, SHIF and Housing Levy with a worked salary example.
ReadNet to Gross Salary in Kenya: How to Work Backwards
Work backwards from a Kenyan take-home target using PAYE, NSSF, SHIF and Housing Levy, with clear assumptions and a worked example.
ReadStatutory deductions
3 articlesNSSF Contributions in Kenya: 2026 Rates and Take-Home Impact
See the February 2026 NSSF tiers, KES 6,480 employee cap, employer match and how the change affects net salary.
ReadSHIF Deductions in Kenya: SHA Rates and PAYE Treatment
Understand the 2.75% SHIF contribution, KES 300 minimum, no upper cap, and its treatment when calculating Kenyan PAYE.
ReadHousing Levy in Kenya: Calculation, PAYE and Employer Duties
Calculate the employee and employer Housing Levy, understand the nine-working-day deadline and distinguish it from a tax relief.
ReadTax savings
5 articlesLegal Ways to Reduce PAYE in Kenya: Deductions and Reliefs
Check legitimate pension, mortgage, insurance and other PAYE deductions without confusing tax savings with extra take-home pay.
ReadInsurance Relief in Kenya: The 15% Rule and KES 60,000 Cap
Kenyan insurance relief is 15% of qualifying premiums, capped at KES 60,000 relief annually. See examples and documents to claim.
ReadMortgage Interest Tax Deduction in Kenya: Limits and Eligibility
Check the KES 30,000 monthly mortgage interest deduction, qualifying owner-occupied property and the evidence payroll needs.
ReadPension Contributions and PAYE in Kenya: Tax Savings and Trade-Offs
Understand registered pension deductions, the KES 30,000 monthly ceiling and why a tax saving does not mean higher take-home pay.
ReadIncome Tax Exemption for Persons with Disability in Kenya
Check KRA’s published disability exemption, the certificate requirement and how to reconcile it with payroll and your annual return.
ReadSalary breakdowns
7 articlesGross vs Net Salary in Kenya
Understand gross, basic and net salary in Kenya, see a KES 100,000 example and know what to ask before accepting a salary offer.
ReadHow to Read Your Kenyan Payslip
Read a Kenyan payslip line by line, reconcile earnings and deductions with your bank payment, and spot entries to query with payroll.
ReadTaxable Pay vs Gross Pay in Kenya
See why taxable pay differs from gross salary, which payroll entries affect each figure and how deductions differ from tax relief.
ReadKES 50,000 Salary After Tax in Kenya (2026)
KES 50,000 gross gives an estimated KES 39,029.15 net under standard 2026 assumptions. See PAYE, NSSF, SHIF and Housing Levy.
ReadKES 100,000 Salary After Tax in Kenya (2026)
KES 100,000 gross gives an estimated KES 70,441.65 net under standard 2026 assumptions. See PAYE, NSSF, SHIF and Housing Levy.
ReadKES 150,000 Salary After Tax in Kenya (2026)
KES 150,000 gross gives an estimated KES 103,618.15 net under standard 2026 assumptions. See PAYE, NSSF, SHIF and Housing Levy.
ReadKES 200,000 Salary After Tax in Kenya (2026)
KES 200,000 gross gives an estimated KES 137,130.65 net under standard 2026 assumptions. See PAYE, NSSF, SHIF and Housing Levy.
ReadEmployment situations
7 articlesBonus and 13th-Month Pay Tax in Kenya
Understand why bonuses are taxable, how to compare extra PAYE, and why one-off pay needs separate contribution checks.
ReadFreelancing vs Employment in Kenya: Compare Tax and Real Income
Compare salary with freelance profit, understand withholding tax and turnover-tax exclusions, and budget for business costs.
ReadHELB Salary Deductions: What Employees and Employers Should Check
Check your HELB deduction schedule, employer remittance deadline and loan statement without treating repayment as PAYE relief.
ReadChanging Jobs in Kenya: PAYE, P9s and Overlapping Pay
Keep PAYE records accurate when changing jobs, reconcile both P9s and avoid duplicate relief during overlapping employment.
ReadWrong PAYE Deducted in Kenya? How to Check and Correct It
Reconcile gross pay, taxable income, reliefs and PAYE, then document a payroll correction or overpayment claim with KRA.
ReadTax on Terminal Dues in Kenya: Salary, Leave and Gratuity
Separate final salary, leave, notice and gratuity, and check the Finance Act 2026 gratuity conditions before calculating PAYE.
ReadHow a Second Job Is Taxed in Kenya
Understand annual aggregation of employment income, duplicate personal relief and how to reconcile PAYE from two jobs.
ReadFor employers
3 articlesThe Cost of Hiring an Employee in Kenya: Payroll and Contributions
Budget gross salary plus employer NSSF, Housing Levy and other employment costs without double-counting employee deductions.
ReadFiling PAYE Returns on iTax: Employer Deadline and Checks
File and pay Kenyan employer PAYE by the 9th of the following month, reconcile payroll and keep filing and payment confirmations.
ReadTaxable Benefits in Kind in Kenya: Cars, Housing and Payroll
Separate cash allowances from non-cash benefits and use the correct valuation rules for cars, housing and employer benefits.
ReadNews & updates
2 articlesFinance Act Changes Affecting Kenyan Salaries: 2025–2026
Separate enacted payroll changes from old Finance Bill claims, including supported reliefs, 2026 gratuity rules and 2027 filing.
ReadKenya Tax Deadlines: PAYE and the 2027 Individual Filing Change
Check monthly PAYE and Housing Levy deadlines, and the move to 30 April individual return filing from January 2027.
Read