Federal Income Tax Calculator
Your 2026 federal income tax, effective rate and bracket, with the standard deduction, senior deduction and credits.
https://calculators.nirajiitr.com/finance/federal-income-tax-calculator
How it works
Pre-tax 401(k) and HSA contributions come off first, giving adjusted gross income. The standard deduction, or your itemized total, comes off that, plus the senior deduction if you are 65 or older. What is left is taxed in slices: 10% on the first slice, 12% on the next and so on up to 37%. Moving into a higher bracket taxes only the income above the threshold at the higher rate. Credits then reduce the tax dollar for dollar.
tax = brackets(income − pre-tax contributions − deduction) − credits- Standard deduction
- $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household
- Age 65+
- $2,050 more ($1,650 each if married), plus the $6,000 senior deduction for 2025–2028
- Effective rate
- Tax ÷ total income
- Marginal rate
- The bracket your last dollar falls in
Worked example
A single filer earning $85,000 in 2026 who takes the standard deduction.
- 1Taxable income: 85,000 − 16,100 = $68,900
- 210% of the first $12,400 = $1,240
- 312% of the next $38,000 = $4,560
- 422% of the remaining $18,500 = $4,070
Federal income tax is $9,870, an effective rate of 11.6%, in the 22% bracket.
Frequently asked questions
Will a raise push me into a higher bracket and cut my take-home pay?
No. Only the dollars above the bracket threshold are taxed at the higher rate. A raise that crosses from 12% to 22% costs 22 cents of each extra dollar, not 22% of your whole income, so more pay always means more take-home pay from federal income tax alone.
What changed for 2026?
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made the 2017 rates permanent and raised the standard deduction. For 2026 the brackets are indexed for inflation. The law also added a $6,000 deduction for each filer aged 65 or over, from 2025 to 2028, and raised the state and local tax cap to $40,400 for 2026.
Should I itemize?
Only if your itemized deductions add up to more than the standard deduction. Those are mostly mortgage interest, state and local taxes up to the cap, and charitable gifts. Pick Itemize and the calculator will tell you if the standard deduction would have been larger.
Why is my paycheck withholding different?
Withholding estimates the year's tax from each paycheck using your W-4, so it can run high or low. Bonuses are withheld at a flat 22%. The difference shows up as a refund or a balance due when you file.
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