How to use the tax bracket calculator
- 1 Choose your filing status.
- 2 Enter your gross income for the year.
- 3 Leave deductions at 0 to use the standard deduction, or enter your itemized deductions.
- 4 Read your bracket, the tax in each bracket, your effective rate and the room left in your bracket.
Worked example
A single filer with $85,000 of income using the standard deduction. Taxable income is $85,000 − $16,100 = $68,900. Tax: 10% of $12,400 = $1,240, 12% of $38,000 = $4,560 and 22% of $18,500 = $4,070, a total of $9,870. The bracket is 22%, the effective rate 11.6% of gross income, and $36,800 more fits in the 22% bracket.
Using your bracket to plan
- Look at the room left in your bracket before taking extra income.
- Cut taxable income with 401(k), IRA and HSA contributions.
- Fill a low bracket with a Roth conversion in a low-income year.
- Remember the effective rate is what you really pay.
Add credits with the Federal Income Tax Calculator, compare deductions with the Standard vs Itemized Deduction Calculator, and plan a conversion with the Roth Conversion Calculator.
Features
2026 brackets
10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37%, with the 2026 thresholds for each filing status.
Bracket by bracket
Shows how much of your income falls in each bracket and the tax on it.
Room to the next bracket
Tells you how much more income stays in your current bracket.
When to use it
Understanding a raise
A raise never cuts your take-home pay: only the extra is taxed at the higher rate. See your new pay with the Pay Raise Calculator.
Planning a Roth conversion
Fill the rest of your bracket with a conversion. Model it with the Roth Conversion Calculator.
Choosing deductions
Compare the standard deduction with itemizing in the Standard vs Itemized Deduction Calculator.
Full tax estimate
Add credits and other taxes with the Federal Income Tax Calculator.
Related Tax tasks
Frequently asked questions
What tax bracket am I in for 2026?
It depends on your taxable income, which is your income minus the standard deduction or your itemized deductions. A single filer with $85,000 of income has $68,900 of taxable income and is in the 22% bracket.
What are the 2026 federal tax brackets?
For single filers: 10% up to $12,400, 12% up to $50,400, 22% up to $105,700, 24% up to $201,775, 32% up to $256,225, 35% up to $640,600 and 37% above. Joint filers' thresholds are about double.
Is all my income taxed at my bracket rate?
No. The US system is progressive: each rate applies only to the income within its band. That is why your effective rate, the share of your income paid in tax, is lower than your bracket.
What is the difference between marginal and effective tax rate?
The marginal rate is the rate on your next dollar of income, your bracket. The effective rate is your total tax divided by your income. In the example, the marginal rate is 22% but the effective rate is 11.6% of gross income.
Will a raise push me into a higher bracket and lower my pay?
A raise can move part of your income into a higher bracket, but only that part is taxed at the higher rate. You always keep more money after a raise.
What is the 2026 standard deduction?
$16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married couples filing jointly and $24,150 for heads of household. People 65 or older or blind get an extra amount.
Do capital gains use the same brackets?
No. Long-term capital gains and qualified dividends have their own 0%, 15% and 20% rates. Short-term gains are taxed as ordinary income at these brackets.
How can I lower my tax bracket?
Contributions to a traditional 401(k), IRA or HSA reduce taxable income. Itemizing, if your deductions are larger than the standard deduction, also helps.
Are state taxes included?
No. This is federal income tax only. Most states have their own brackets, and some have a flat rate or no income tax.
Why do brackets change each year?
The IRS adjusts the thresholds and the standard deduction for inflation every year so that inflation alone does not push people into higher brackets.
Results are estimates based on the official rates linked above. Confirm important figures with the issuing authority or a qualified adviser before you act on them.
Built and reviewed by Hamza Farooq, founder and lead developer
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