See your marginal tax bracket, effective rate, and total federal income tax.
Last updated April 2026
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How Tax Brackets Work
The U.S. uses a progressive (or marginal) tax system, meaning different portions of your income are taxed at different rates. Your "tax bracket" refers to the highest rate applied to your last dollar of income, not the rate applied to all your income. For example, a single filer earning $100,000 in 2026 does not pay 22% on the entire amount. The first $11,925 is taxed at 10%, $11,926-$48,475 at 12%, $48,476-$103,350 at 22%, and so on. Your effective (overall average) rate is lower than your marginal rate.
How to Use This Calculator
Enter your taxable income (after deductions) and filing status (single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, or head of household). The calculator shows which bracket you fall into, your marginal rate, your total federal tax, and your effective rate. It also shows a visual breakdown of how your income is taxed at each bracket level.
2026 Federal Tax Brackets
For single filers in 2026: 10% on income up to $11,925; 12% on $11,926-$48,475; 22% on $48,476-$103,350; 24% on $103,351-$197,300; 32% on $197,301-$250,525; 35% on $250,526-$626,350; 37% on income above $626,350. The standard deduction for 2026 is $15,000 for single filers and $30,000 for married filing jointly. These thresholds are adjusted annually for inflation.
Tax Bracket FAQ
Does earning more ever mean I take home less?
No. Because the system is marginal, only the income above each bracket threshold is taxed at the higher rate. A raise never results in lower take-home pay. The common belief that "moving up a tax bracket" costs you money is a myth. Your effective rate always increases smoothly, never in a way that makes earning more counterproductive.
What is the difference between marginal and effective tax rate?
Your marginal rate is the rate on your last dollar of income (the bracket you are in). Your effective rate is your total tax divided by total income, essentially your average rate across all brackets. For a single filer earning $80,000 in 2026, the marginal rate is 22% but the effective rate is approximately 14.5%. The Paycheck Calculator shows how this affects your actual take-home pay.
How do I lower my taxable income?
The most common strategies are: contribute to a pre-tax 401(k) (up to $24,500 in 2026), contribute to a traditional IRA ($7,000 limit), use a Health Savings Account if eligible ($4,300 single, $8,550 family in 2026), itemize deductions if they exceed the standard deduction, and time income and deductions strategically around year-end.
How Tax Brackets Actually Work
A common misconception is that moving into a higher tax bracket means all your income is taxed at the higher rate. In reality, the U.S. uses a marginal (progressive) system: only the income within each bracket is taxed at that bracket's rate. For a single filer earning $100,000 in 2025: the first $11,925 is taxed at 10% ($1,193), income from $11,926 to $48,475 at 12% ($4,386), income from $48,476 to $103,350 at 22% ($11,335). Your marginal rate is 22% but your effective rate is approximately 16.9%, meaning you keep 83 cents of each dollar earned on average.
Understanding marginal vs. effective rates has practical implications. A $5,000 raise that pushes you from the 22% bracket into the 24% bracket does not cost you money overall; only the portion above the bracket threshold ($103,350 for single filers in 2025) is taxed at 24%. Pre-tax deductions like 401k contributions, HSA contributions, and traditional IRA contributions reduce your taxable income, potentially keeping you in a lower bracket. The Capital Gains Tax Calculator handles investment income, which is taxed separately from ordinary income.
Source: 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deduction amounts from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). 401(k) contribution limits from IRS Notice 2025-67.
How Tax Brackets Actually Work
The most common tax misconception: "If I earn more, I'll move into a higher bracket and take home less." That's not how it works. Tax brackets are marginal, meaning only the income within each bracket is taxed at that rate. If you're single and earn $50,000 in 2026, you pay 10% on the first $11,925, 12% on $11,926-$48,475, and 22% only on the remaining $1,525. Your effective rate is about 12.5%, not 22%.
This calculator shows you both numbers: your marginal rate (the bracket your last dollar falls into) and your effective rate (what you actually pay as a percentage of total income). The effective rate is almost always significantly lower than the marginal rate, and understanding the difference can change how you think about raises, bonuses, and tax planning.
The 2026 federal brackets are 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%. The standard deduction is $15,000 for single filers and $30,000 for married filing jointly. For state-level calculations, use any of our 51 state paycheck calculators, which apply your state's specific brackets on top of federal taxes.