Taxes
Federal Income Tax Calculator
Estimate your 2026 federal income tax in seconds. Enter your gross income, filing status, and pre-tax contributions to see your total tax, your marginal and effective rates, and exactly how much of your income lands in each bracket — using the official IRS inflation-adjusted figures.
Formula shown below · Checked against published figures for 2026How we verify
401(k), traditional IRA, HSA — amounts that reduce taxable income.
Leave at 0 to use the standard deduction — we apply whichever is larger.
Federal income tax (2026): $9,870
Federal income tax (2026)
$9,870
- Taxable income
- $68,900
- Standard deduction applied
- $16,100
- Marginal tax bracket
- 22%
- Effective rate (on gross)
- 11.61%
- Income after federal tax
- $75,130
Your total federal tax divided by gross income.
Tax by bracket
| Bracket | Income taxed at this rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $38,000 | $4,560 |
| 22% | $18,500 | $4,070 |
Compare scenariosTry three values of one input
| Gross annual income | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax (2026) | $8,110 | $9,870+$1,760 | $11,850+$3,740 |
| Taxable income | $60,900 | $68,900+$8,000 | $77,900+$17,000 |
| Effective rate (on gross) | 10.53% | 11.61%+1.08% | 12.61%+2.07% |
| Income after federal tax | $68,890 | $75,130+$6,240 | $82,150+$13,260 |
Every other input stays at the value you set above — currently $85,000 for gross annual income. Differences are measured against the first column.
Saved scenariosSave this calculation
Saved in this browser only — no account, and nothing is sent to us. Clearing your browser data deletes them.
How this calculator works
Brackets, rates, and standard deductions are the official 2026 figures from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (published October 2025, verified July 2026). Taxable income = gross income − pre-tax contributions − the larger of your standard or itemized deduction.
Tax is computed bracket by bracket in exact cents, then rounded once at the total. The estimate excludes credits (child tax credit, EITC), capital-gains rates, AMT, and other situations — for anything beyond a straightforward W-2 picture, consult a tax professional.
Formula
T = max(0, I − D)
Tax = Σᵢ (min(T, uᵢ) − uᵢ₋₁) × rᵢ
Marginal rate = rᵢ of the highest bracket reached
Effective rate = Tax ÷ I- I
- Total income before deductions
- D
- Standard deduction for your filing status
- T
- Taxable income
- uᵢ
- Upper bound of bracket i (the last one has none)
- rᵢ
- Marginal rate of bracket i
Income is sliced across the brackets rather than assigned to one, which is why the effective rate is always well below the marginal rate. A raise into a higher bracket therefore never reduces take-home pay.
What this assumes
- The standard deduction for your filing status. Itemizing changes the result and is worth it only above that threshold.
- Ordinary income only — long-term capital gains and qualified dividends are taxed on a separate schedule.
- Credits are not applied. A credit reduces tax dollar for dollar and is worth far more than a deduction of the same size.
What changes this number
- Filing status
- Changes both the standard deduction and every bracket threshold, so it moves the result before anything else does.
- Pre-tax contributions
- Reduce taxable income directly, and can pull you under thresholds that restore credits.
- The marginal-versus-effective gap
- Income is sliced across bands, so the effective rate is always well below the bracket rate.
A worked example
Take the single, $60k salary scenario. These figures are produced by the calculator above, not written alongside it, so they always match what the tool returns.
What you enter
- Gross annual income
- $60,000
- Filing status
- Single
What it returns
- Federal income tax (2026)
- $5,020
- Taxable income
- $43,900
- Standard deduction applied
- $16,100
- Marginal tax bracket
- 12%
- Effective rate (on gross)
- 8.37%
Sources
- IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026 inflation adjustments)
Published October 2025 · Figures last verified July 2, 2026
- SSA 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment Fact Sheet (wage base)
Published October 24, 2025 · Figures last verified July 2, 2026
Calculator last reviewed August 8, 2026. How we verify
Try an example
Frequently asked questions
What are the 2026 federal tax brackets?
For 2026 there are seven rates — 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%. For single filers the 22% bracket covers taxable income from $50,401 to $105,700, and the top 37% rate starts above $640,600 ($768,700 for married couples filing jointly), per IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.
What's the difference between marginal and effective tax rate?
Your marginal rate is the tax on your last dollar of income — the bracket you're 'in.' Your effective rate is total tax divided by income, which is always lower because earlier dollars were taxed in lower brackets. Being 'in the 22% bracket' does not mean you pay 22% on everything.
What is the standard deduction for 2026?
$16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for heads of household. You subtract the larger of the standard deduction or your itemized deductions from income before the brackets apply — this calculator does that automatically.
Does this include state taxes or FICA?
No — this tool isolates federal income tax. Social Security and Medicare (FICA) are separate payroll taxes, and most states add their own income tax. Use our Take-Home Pay Calculator to see the complete picture on one paycheck.
How do 401(k) contributions lower my tax?
Traditional 401(k) and IRA contributions come out of income before federal tax is computed. If you're in the 22% bracket, contributing $10,000 saves roughly $2,200 of federal tax this year. Enter your contributions in the pre-tax field to see your exact savings.
How much federal tax do I pay on $100,000?
A single filer taking the 2026 standard deduction of $16,100 has $83,900 of taxable income and owes about $13,170. That is a 13.17% effective rate while sitting in the 22% marginal bracket — the gap between those two numbers is what most people get wrong.
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Disclaimer: DayCents provides this calculator for educational purposes only. Results are estimates based on your inputs and the stated assumptions — they are not financial advice, a quote, or an offer of credit. Consult a qualified financial professional before making major money decisions.