Federal Income Tax Calculator

How to use this calculator

1. Enter your yearly income. Use your salary, or your hourly pay × hours × 52. If you get a W-2, use your gross pay before any deductions.
2. Choose your filing status. Most unmarried people use Single. Married couples usually save money with Married filing jointly. Single parents who pay most of the household costs may qualify for Head of household.
3. Add pre-tax deductions. Money you put into a traditional 401(k), traditional IRA or HSA lowers your taxable income.
4. Keep the standard deduction unless your mortgage interest, state taxes, and donations add up to more.
5. Read your results. You will see your tax, your bracket, and a table of how each part of your income is taxed.

Want to know what lands in your bank account each payday? Use the paycheck calculator. It adds state tax and payroll deductions.

How federal income tax is calculated

The US uses a progressive tax system. Your income is split into layers, and each layer is taxed at its own rate. Moving into a higher bracket does not raise the tax on all your income, only on the dollars inside the higher bracket.

The formula is:

1. Gross income − pre-tax deductions = adjusted gross income (simplified)
2. Adjusted gross income − standard deduction = taxable income
3. Apply each bracket rate to the part of taxable income inside that bracket
4. Add the layers together = federal income tax (before credits)
5. Subtract credits (for example, the child tax credit) = final tax

Social Security and Medicare (FICA) are separate. They are charged on your wages from the first dollar, with no standard deduction.

2026 federal tax brackets

2026 standard deduction: Single $16,100 · Married filing jointly $32,200 · Head of household $24,150.

Head of household brackets are different from the single brackets. The calculator uses the correct table for each status.

Worked example: $75,000 salary, single, 2026

Step 1 — Taxable income $75,000 − $16,100 standard deduction = $58,900

Step 2 — Tax by bracket

Step 3 — Rates

• Marginal rate (your top bracket): 22%
• Effective rate: $7,670 ÷ $75,000 = 10.2%

Step 4 — Add FICA

• Social Security: $75,000 × 6.2% = $4,650.00
• Medicare: $75,000 × 1.45% = $1,087.50
• Total federal taxes: $13,407.50 (about $1,117 a month)

This person keeps $61,592.50 after federal taxes, before any state tax. If they live in a state with income tax, use the paycheck calculator for the full picture.

Social Security and Medicare in 2026

Self-employed people pay both halves (15.3%) as self-employment tax, but can deduct half of it. (Schedule SE: the tax applies to 92.35% of net self-employment earnings)

New deductions from the 2025 tax law

For tax years 2025 to 2028, workers may be able to deduct:

• Qualified overtime premium: the extra "half" of time-and-a-half pay, up to $12,500 ($25,000 joint). See our overtime tax calculator.
• Qualified tips: up to $25,000.
• Seniors 65+: an extra $6,000 deduction per person (tax years 2025–2028), on top of the regular extra standard deduction for age 65+. It phases out at 6% of MAGI above $75,000 ($150,000 joint).

These deductions lower your income tax but not Social Security or Medicare tax. Income limits apply.

Ways to lower your federal income tax

• Increase traditional 401(k) contributions (2026 limit: $24,500, plus $8,000 catch-up at age 50+).
• Use an HSA if you have a high-deductible health plan.
• Claim every credit you qualify for (child tax credit, earned income credit, education credits).
• Check the overtime and tips deductions if you earn them.
• Update your W-4 so your withholding matches your real tax and you don't over- or underpay.

Frequently asked questions

How much federal income tax will I pay on $50,000? For a single filer in 2026, taxable income is $50,000 − $16,100 = $33,900. The tax is $1,240 + 12% of $21,500 ($2,580) = $3,820, an effective rate of about 7.6%.

What is the difference between marginal and effective tax rate? Your marginal rate is the rate on your last dollar of income (your top bracket). Your effective rate is your total tax divided by your total income. The effective rate is always lower.

Does a raise push all my income into a higher bracket? No. Only the dollars above the bracket line are taxed at the higher rate. A raise always leaves you with more money after tax.

Is this the same as the tax taken from my paycheck? Not exactly. Your employer withholds tax using your W-4 and IRS withholding tables. If too much is withheld, you get a refund. If too little, you owe. Use the tax refund calculator to compare.

Do I pay federal income tax on Social Security and Medicare? They are separate taxes. Federal income tax comes from your taxable income. Social Security and Medicare are payroll taxes on your wages. This calculator shows both.

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.

Should I itemize? Only if your itemized deductions (mortgage interest, state and local taxes up to the limit, charity, large medical bills) are more than your standard deduction. Most people take the standard deduction.

Is this calculator accurate? It uses official 2026 IRS figures and gives a close estimate for most W-2 workers. It does not cover every credit or special situation. For your final return, use tax software or a tax professional. See our methodology.

Sources

• IRS — Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments)
• IRS — Publication 15-T (Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods)
• Social Security Administration — 2026 contribution and benefit base
• IRS — guidance on "One Big Beautiful Bill" deductions (overtime, tips, seniors)

This calculator gives estimates for information only and is not tax advice.