How to use this calculator
- Choose your filing status and enter your annual wages plus any other income taxed at ordinary rates, such as interest or self-employment profit.
- Enter pre-tax deductions like traditional 401(k), HSA, or deductible IRA contributions. These are subtracted before your tax is figured.
- Keep the standard deduction, or switch to itemized and enter your total itemized deductions. The larger of the two is used.
- Enter the number of children under 17 for the child tax credit, and optionally the federal tax already withheld from your pay to see a refund or balance-due estimate.
- Open the advanced section if you (or your spouse) are 65 or older or blind, or to add other nonrefundable credits.
How it's calculated
Adjusted gross income (AGI) is your total income minus pre-tax deductions. Taxable income is AGI minus the larger of your standard or itemized deduction, and minus the senior deduction if it applies.
The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers and married filing separately, $24,150 for head of household, and $32,200 for married filing jointly. Each person who is 65 or older or blind adds $2,050 (unmarried) or $1,650 (married). For 2025–2028, each person 65 or older can also deduct up to $6,000, reduced by 6% of AGI above $75,000 ($150,000 if married filing jointly).
Tax is figured bracket by bracket from the 2026 rate schedules: seven rates from 10% to 37%. Each rate applies only to the slice of taxable income inside its bracket, so moving into a higher bracket never raises the tax on income below it. The 37% rate starts at $640,600 for single filers and $768,700 for married couples filing jointly.
The child tax credit is $2,200 per child under 17, reduced by $50 for each $1,000 of income above $200,000 ($400,000 if married filing jointly). The credit first reduces your tax. Any part left over is refundable, up to $1,700 per child and 15% of earned income above $2,500. Other nonrefundable credits you enter are applied next.
Your marginal rate is the rate on your last dollar of taxable income. Your effective rate is income tax after nonrefundable credits divided by total income. A refund or balance due is the tax withheld you entered minus your estimated tax after all credits.
Assumptions
- All income is treated as ordinary income. Qualified dividends and long-term capital gains, which are taxed at lower rates, aren't modeled separately.
- Self-employment tax, the Additional Medicare Tax, the net investment income tax, and the alternative minimum tax aren't included. Your AGI is used in place of modified AGI for the senior deduction and child tax credit.
- The earned income credit, the credit for other dependents, education credits, and other credits aren't calculated automatically. You can add nonrefundable credits in the advanced section.
- Figures use the 2026 IRS tax tables, which reflect the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act. State and local income taxes aren't included.
- This is an estimate for planning only, not tax advice or a substitute for filing software. Check with a qualified tax professional for your situation.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 2026 federal tax brackets?
There are seven rates: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%. For single filers in 2026, the 12% bracket starts at $12,400 of taxable income, the 22% bracket at $50,400, the 24% bracket at $105,700, and the 37% bracket at $640,600. Married couples filing jointly have thresholds twice as high, except the 37% bracket, which starts at $768,700.
What's the difference between a marginal and an effective tax rate?
Your marginal rate is the rate on your next dollar of taxable income — the top bracket your income reaches. Your effective rate is your total tax divided by your total income. It's always lower, because the first part of your income is covered by deductions and taxed at the lower brackets.
Will a raise push me into a higher bracket and lower my take-home pay?
No. Only the income above a bracket's starting point is taxed at the higher rate. A raise that crosses into a new bracket is taxed at the higher rate only on the part above the line, so you always keep more after a raise than before it.
What is the standard deduction for 2026?
It's $16,100 for single filers and married filing separately, $24,150 for head of household, and $32,200 for married couples filing jointly. If you're 65 or older or blind, you get an additional $2,050 if unmarried or $1,650 per qualifying spouse if married.
Should I itemize or take the standard deduction?
Itemize only if your deductible expenses — mortgage interest, state and local taxes (up to the SALT cap), charitable gifts, and medical costs above 7.5% of AGI — add up to more than your standard deduction. Enter your total here and the calculator uses whichever is larger.
How much is the child tax credit for 2026?
Up to $2,200 per qualifying child under 17. It starts to phase out at $200,000 of income ($400,000 for married filing jointly). If the credit is more than your tax, up to $1,700 per child can be refunded as the additional child tax credit, based on your earned income.
What is the new senior deduction?
For tax years 2025 through 2028, taxpayers 65 or older can deduct up to $6,000 each, on top of the standard or itemized deduction. It shrinks by 6% of modified AGI above $75,000 ($150,000 for joint filers). Married couples must file jointly to claim it.
How do pre-tax 401(k) contributions lower my tax?
Traditional 401(k), 403(b), HSA, and similar pre-tax contributions are subtracted from your income before tax is figured, so each dollar you contribute saves tax at your marginal rate. For example, in the 22% bracket, a $1,000 contribution lowers your federal income tax by about $220.
Why is my refund different from this estimate?
Your actual refund depends on everything on your return: capital gains, self-employment income, credits like the earned income credit or education credits, and the exact tax withheld. Use this as a planning estimate and check your final numbers with tax software or a tax professional.
Does this include Social Security, Medicare, or state taxes?
No. It estimates federal income tax only. Use the Paycheck Calculator to see Social Security, Medicare, and state income tax taken from each paycheck.
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Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for educational purposes only and is not financial, tax, or legal advice or an offer of credit. Actual payments depend on your lender, loan terms, taxes, and insurance. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.