Tax Calculator

Tax brackets use a progressive system where different portions of your income are taxed at different rates. Only the income within each bracket is taxed at that bracket's rate. For example, if you're in the 22% bracket, only the income above the 12% bracket threshold is taxed at 22%.

Marginal tax rate is the rate on your last dollar of income, while effective tax rate is your total tax divided by your total income, giving you the average rate you pay. Your effective rate is always lower than your marginal rate due to the progressive tax system.

Use whichever method gives you the larger deduction. The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 for single or married filing separately, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for head of household. Age 65 or blindness adds $2,050 for each qualification if you are single or head of household, or $1,650 for each qualification of each spouse on a joint return. Itemized deductions are the mortgage interest, state and local taxes, charitable contributions, medical expenses above 7.5% of the income you enter, and other deductions you type in. The tax credit field is separate from those deductions.

Tax brackets are typically adjusted annually for inflation. The IRS announces new brackets each year, usually in November for the following tax year. This ensures that inflation doesn't push taxpayers into higher brackets simply due to cost-of-living increases.

Itemized fields are mortgage interest, state and local taxes, charitable contributions, medical expenses, and other deductions. State and local taxes use the 2026 cap of $40,400 ($20,200 if married filing separately). That cap phases down above $505,000 ($252,500 if married filing separately) and does not go below $10,000 ($5,000 if married filing separately). Medical expenses count only above 7.5% of the income you enter. The tax credit field is an amount you enter. It reduces federal income tax after the brackets and not below zero. This page does not calculate the Child Tax Credit or the EITC. It also leaves out the separate senior deduction, qualified tips, qualified overtime, Social Security tax, Medicare tax, and a state income tax calculation.

This calculator estimates federal income tax only. It does not calculate state income tax, Social Security tax, or Medicare tax. State and local taxes you have paid can be entered as an itemized deduction, subject to the 2026 cap. A state income tax return is separate.

Filing status determines your standard deduction amount and tax bracket thresholds. Single filers have lower brackets, while married filing jointly typically has higher brackets but allows couples to combine income. Head of household status provides more favorable brackets than single filing for qualifying taxpayers.

Brackets and standard deductions, including the extra amount for age 65 or blindness, follow IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 for tax year 2026. The state and local tax deduction cap follows the 2026 IRS limit. As of 14 October 2026, the IRS had not published tax year 2027 inflation adjustments for brackets or the standard deduction, so this page stays on 2026. This is a federal income tax estimate. It does not include Social Security or Medicare tax.