Federal Tax Estimator
Estimate your 2026 federal income tax, effective rate, and see a bracket-by-bracket breakdown.
Last reviewed: June 2026Tax Bracket Breakdown
| Bracket | Rate | Taxable Amount | Tax |
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Quick Answer
This tool estimates your federal income tax using the 2026 tax brackets, which are progressive — each portion of your income is taxed at its own bracket's rate, not one flat rate. It subtracts the standard deduction, then applies the brackets to your taxable income. Enter your income and filing status above for an estimate of tax owed and your effective rate.
About the Federal Tax Estimator
This calculator estimates regular U.S. federal income tax for tax year 2026. Enter gross annual income, choose a filing status, and choose the standard deduction or an itemized deduction amount. The script subtracts the selected deduction from gross income, applies the 2026 ordinary-income rate schedule by bracket, and reports estimated federal income tax, taxable income, marginal rate, effective rate, and after-tax income.
The 2026 defaults use IRS-published standard deductions and rate thresholds. As reviewed in June 2026, the standard deductions used here are $16,100 for single and married filing separately, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for head of household. The ordinary-income brackets are the same progressive 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37% layers described by the IRS for 2026. The effective rate shown by the calculator is total estimated regular federal tax divided by gross income, while the marginal rate is the rate on the last dollar of taxable income.
How to Use the Calculator
- Select your filing status.
- Enter gross annual income before deductions.
- Use the standard deduction unless you already know your itemized deduction amount is higher.
- Review the bracket table to see how much taxable income lands in each rate layer.
- Export the bracket table if you want to compare scenarios outside the browser.
What the Estimate Does Not Include
This is a narrow federal income tax estimate, not a tax return. It does not include payroll tax, self-employment tax, capital gains and qualified dividends, alternative minimum tax, net investment income tax, state or local tax, itemized deduction phaseouts, credits, additional standard deductions for age or blindness, new tip or overtime deductions, senior deductions, dependent-related rules, or penalties. It also does not know how much tax has already been withheld from paychecks or paid through estimated tax vouchers.
For a refund estimate, compare this calculator's regular federal income tax estimate with withholding and estimated payments. If your situation includes dependents, business income, marketplace health coverage, equity compensation, rental property, large investment income, or multi-state income, use IRS tools or professional tax software that asks for those inputs.
Example: 2026 Single Filer
With the default $75,000 gross income and single filing status, the calculator uses the $16,100 standard deduction and estimates $58,900 of taxable income. The first $12,400 is taxed at 10%, the next $38,000 is taxed at 12%, and the remaining $8,500 is taxed at 22%. That produces an estimated regular federal income tax of $7,670, a 22% marginal rate, and a 10.2% effective rate on gross income.
Use the Bracket Table for Planning
The bracket table is useful when comparing a raise, bonus, Roth conversion, side income, or extra deduction. Because only the next layer of income is taxed at the marginal rate, a higher bracket usually changes the tax on additional income rather than the tax on all income. For example, if your taxable income is already in the 22% bracket, another $1,000 of ordinary taxable income usually adds about $220 of regular federal income tax before credits and special rules.
Sources and Review Notes
The calculator was reviewed against IRS 2026 guidance in June 2026. Use the official sources below for the latest federal tax rules and for situations that require more inputs than this page collects.