Free Tax Tool

Federal Income Tax Calculator

Estimate your 2026 federal income tax, effective tax rate, marginal bracket, and refund or balance due, with a breakdown of how much income falls in each tax bracket.

$

W-2 box 1 style wages, or gross pay before pre-tax deductions

$

Interest, 1099 income, unemployment, etc.

$

401(k), HSA, and deductible traditional IRA contributions

$2,200.00 child tax credit each

$500.00 credit each

$

Optional. From your pay stubs or W-2 box 2.

Estimated 2026 federal income tax

Federal income tax

$4,440.00

Gross income
$120,000.00
Adjusted gross income (AGI)
$110,000.00
Standard deduction
$32,200.00
Taxable income
$77,800.00
Tax before credits
$8,840.00
Child and dependent credits
-$4,400.00
Effective tax rate
3.70%
Marginal tax bracket
12%
Federal tax withheld
$6,000.00
Estimated refund
$1,560.00

Estimate only. Uses 2026 brackets and standard deductions. Treats all income as ordinary income (no qualified dividend or capital gains rates). Child and dependent credits phase out by $50 per $1,000 of AGI over $200,000 ($400,000 married filing jointly) and are capped at your tax here; the refundable additional child tax credit is not modeled. Does not include Schedule 1-A deductions, state tax, or FICA.

BracketIncome taxedTax
10% ($0.00 to $24,800.00)$24,800.00$2,480.00
12% ($24,800.00 to $100,800.00)$53,000.00$6,360.00
Total before credits$77,800.00$8,840.00

How federal income tax is calculated

  1. Add up your gross income, then subtract pre-tax contributions like 401(k), HSA, and deductible IRA contributions to get adjusted gross income (AGI).
  2. Subtract the standard deduction or your itemized deductions to get taxable income.
  3. Apply each bracket rate only to the income inside that bracket and add the results.
  4. Subtract credits such as the child tax credit. Compare the result with what was withheld to see your refund or balance due.

Example: a married couple filing jointly earns $120,000 in wages, puts $10,000 into 401(k)s, and has two children under 17. AGI is $110,000. After the $32,200 standard deduction, taxable income is $77,800. The first $24,800 is taxed at 10% ($2,480) and the remaining $53,000 at 12% ($6,360), for $8,840 before credits. Two $2,200 child tax credits bring that down to $4,440, an effective rate of 3.70% of gross income even though their marginal bracket is 12%. With $6,000 withheld, they can expect a refund of about $1,560.

This calculator does not include the new Schedule 1-A deductions for 2025 through 2028, which can lower taxable income further. Estimate them separately with the no tax on overtime calculator, no tax on tips calculator, senior deduction calculator, and car loan interest deduction calculator.

2026 federal tax brackets

These ranges apply to taxable income, after the standard or itemized deduction.

RateSingleMarried filing jointlyMarried filing separatelyHead of household
10%$0 to $12,400$0 to $24,800$0 to $12,400$0 to $17,700
12%$12,401 to $50,400$24,801 to $100,800$12,401 to $50,400$17,701 to $67,450
22%$50,401 to $105,700$100,801 to $211,400$50,401 to $105,700$67,451 to $105,700
24%$105,701 to $201,775$211,401 to $403,550$105,701 to $201,775$105,701 to $201,750
32%$201,776 to $256,225$403,551 to $512,450$201,776 to $256,225$201,751 to $256,200
35%$256,226 to $640,600$512,451 to $768,700$256,226 to $384,350$256,201 to $640,600
37%Over $640,600Over $768,700Over $384,350Over $640,600
Standard deduction$16,100$32,200$16,100$24,150

Frequently asked questions

What are the 2026 federal tax brackets?

For 2026 there are seven federal income tax rates: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%. For a single filer, the 10% bracket covers the first $12,400 of taxable income and the 37% rate starts above $640,600. Joint filers get roughly double the single ranges in the lower brackets. The full table for every filing status is above.

What is the difference between marginal and effective tax rate?

Your marginal rate is the bracket your last dollar of taxable income falls in, which is the rate you would pay on a raise. Your effective rate is your total federal income tax divided by your gross income. Because lower brackets, deductions, and credits all apply first, your effective rate is almost always much lower than your marginal rate.

Does moving into a higher bracket tax all my income at that rate?

No. The U.S. uses progressive brackets, so only the income inside each bracket is taxed at that bracket’s rate. If a raise pushes you into the 24% bracket, only the dollars above the 24% threshold are taxed at 24%. The rest of your income is taxed exactly as before. A raise never lowers your take-home pay because of federal brackets alone.

What is the 2026 standard deduction?

The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers and married filing separately, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for head of household. You can itemize instead if your mortgage interest, state and local taxes, charitable gifts, and other itemized deductions add up to more.

How is the child tax credit handled?

The calculator gives $2,200 for each qualifying child under 17 and $500 for each other dependent. The total is reduced by $50 for each $1,000 (or part of $1,000) of AGI over $200,000, or $400,000 if married filing jointly. Credits are capped at your tax here, so this is an estimate: if your credits exceed your tax, part of the child tax credit may be refundable as the additional child tax credit.

Will I get a tax refund?

Enter the federal income tax withheld from your paychecks (W-2 box 2, or year-to-date on your last pay stub). If more was withheld than your estimated tax, the difference is your estimated refund. If less, it is roughly what you will owe when you file.

Does this include state income tax, Social Security, or Medicare?

No. This is a federal income tax calculator only. Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%) payroll taxes are separate, as is any state or local income tax. It also does not apply the lower rates for qualified dividends and long-term capital gains.

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