Income Tax Calculator
Estimate your 2026 US federal income tax from wages, self-employment, investment and other income, with all four filing statuses, the child tax credit, the new senior, tips and overtime deductions, itemizing, state tax and FICA, plus your effective rate, marginal bracket and after-tax income.
How it works
AGI = income − pre-tax deductions − adjustments · Taxable = AGI − max(standard, itemized) − senior/tips/overtime/car-loan deductions − QBI · Tax = 2026 brackets on ordinary income + 0/15/20% on long-term gains − credits + self-employment tax · Effective rate = tax ÷ total income
US federal income tax is progressive: only the income inside each bracket is taxed at that bracket’s rate, so your marginal rate (the rate on your last dollar) is higher than your effective rate (tax ÷ total income). The calculator uses the 2026 figures the IRS published in Rev. Proc. 2025-32. It adds up your wages, self-employment profit, interest and other income, then subtracts pre-tax payroll deductions, half of any self-employment tax and other adjustments to get adjusted gross income (AGI). Next it takes the larger of the standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household, plus $2,050 or $1,650 per person aged 65+) and your itemized deductions, with state and local taxes capped at $40,400. The 2025 tax law (Public Law 119-21) adds deductions you can take either way: $6,000 per person aged 65 or older, up to $25,000 of tips, up to $12,500 ($25,000 joint) of overtime premium and up to $10,000 of new-car loan interest, each phased out at higher incomes, plus up to $1,000 ($2,000 joint) of cash charity for non-itemizers. Self-employed filers also get the 20% qualified business income deduction. Ordinary taxable income goes through the 10%–37% brackets, while long-term gains and qualified dividends stack on top at 0%, 15% or 20%. The child tax credit ($2,200 per child under 17, up to $1,700 refundable) and the $500 credit for other dependents come off the tax, and the earned income credit is added for lower earners. Self-employment tax (15.3% on 92.35% of profit), the 0.9% additional Medicare tax and the 3.8% net investment income tax are added at higher incomes. State tax and FICA are optional extras.
Worked example
A single filer earning $75,000 with no pre-tax deductions has $75,000 − $16,100 = $58,900 taxable. Tax is 10% of the first $12,400 ($1,240) + 12% of the next $38,000 ($4,560) + 22% of the remaining $8,500 ($1,870) = $7,670. That is a 10.2% effective rate in the 22% bracket, leaving $67,330 after federal tax. A married couple filing jointly on $120,000 with two children under 17 has $120,000 − $32,200 = $87,800 taxable and $10,040 of tax before credits; the $4,400 child tax credit brings it to $5,640, a 4.7% effective rate.
Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 — 2026 brackets, standard deduction, credits · IRS — One, Big, Beautiful Bill (Working Families Tax Cuts) provisions for individuals · IRS — 2026 state and local tax deduction limit · SSA — 2026 Social Security wage base ($184,500) · IRS — 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between effective and marginal tax rate?
Your marginal rate is the rate on your last dollar of taxable income, the bracket you top out in. Your effective rate is total tax divided by total income. It is lower because the first dollars are taxed at 10% and 12% and the standard deduction is not taxed at all. A single filer in the 22% bracket often pays an effective rate around 10–13%.
What are the 2026 tax brackets?
For single filers: 10% up to $12,400, 12% to $50,400, 22% to $105,700, 24% to $201,775, 32% to $256,225, 35% to $640,600 and 37% above. Married couples filing jointly: 10% up to $24,800, 12% to $100,800, 22% to $211,400, 24% to $403,550, 32% to $512,450, 35% to $768,700 and 37% above. The “2026 tax by bracket” table shows how much of your income falls in each one.
Does this include the new tips, overtime and senior deductions?
Yes. Enter qualified tips and the overtime premium (the extra half of time-and-a-half) under More options, and turn on the 65-or-older switch. Each deduction is phased out above a modified AGI of $150,000 ($300,000 joint) for tips and overtime, or $75,000 ($150,000 joint) for the senior deduction. They apply for 2025 through 2028 and are not available to married couples filing separately.
Does this include Social Security and Medicare?
Payroll FICA tax is optional. Turn on “Include Social Security and Medicare” to add 6.2% Social Security (up to the $184,500 wage base) and 1.45% Medicare on your wages. Self-employment tax and the 0.9% additional Medicare tax over $200,000 ($250,000 joint) are always included, because they are reported on your income tax return.
How are capital gains taxed?
Long-term gains (assets held more than a year) and qualified dividends sit on top of your other taxable income and are taxed at 0%, 15% or 20%. For 2026 a single filer pays 0% while total taxable income stays under $49,450 and 15% up to $545,500. Short-term gains are taxed like wages, so enter them as other income. High earners may also owe the 3.8% net investment income tax.
How does a 401(k) contribution lower my tax?
Traditional 401(k) and HSA payroll contributions are made before tax, so they reduce your taxable income dollar for dollar. Contributing $10,000 to a traditional 401(k) removes $10,000 from the income the brackets apply to, which saves tax at your marginal rate. The 2026 401(k) limit is $24,500.
Related calculators
Educational estimate using 2026 US federal tax figures — not tax advice. It simplifies some rules (state tax, Social Security benefits, the AMT, the 2026 itemized-deduction limit for the top bracket and credit eligibility tests); consult a tax professional or the IRS for your actual liability.