Income Tax Calculator
Income tax calculator: your 2026 federal tax, with brackets, standard deduction, FICA, and refund or amount owed. Free, no sign-up, and it runs in your browser.
Dedicated page: /en/income-tax-calculator
Tax Year 2026. Estimate only, not tax advice and not a tax return. Federal figures use the 2026 brackets and standard deduction (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32). Check the current IRS figures here. State tax is a flat-rate estimate only.
Pre-tax items such as 401(k) and HSA contributions. 2026 401(k) limit $24,500.
Credits cut the tax dollar for dollar, unlike deductions.
From your pay stubs or W-2. Used for the refund or amount owed.
Leave 0 for federal only. Nine states have no state income tax. Check your state rate here.
Estimate only, not tax advice. This covers federal income tax and FICA only. It does not include the Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% for high earners above $200,000 single or $250,000 joint, the Net Investment Income Tax, self-employment tax, AMT, or credits such as the Child Tax Credit. Long-term capital gains use their own rates.
Quick answer
An income tax calculator estimates your federal income tax for Tax Year 2026. Enter your income, filing status, deductions and credits, and it shows the federal tax, the effective and marginal rates, the FICA tax, the after-tax income and whether you get a refund or owe money.
About this Income Tax Calculator
Income tax calculator: your 2026 federal tax, with brackets, standard deduction, FICA, and refund or amount owed. It is one of the Money and Finance on ToolUstad, and like every tool here it runs entirely in your browser: nothing you type, paste or open is uploaded to a server, and there is no sign-up or usage limit.
What is an income tax calculator?
An income tax calculator estimates your federal income tax before you file, so the refund or the bill is not a surprise. $75,000 of income as a single filer in 2026: the $16,100 standard deduction leaves $58,900 taxable, and the federal tax is $7,670, an effective rate of 10.2% and a marginal rate of 22%. FICA adds $5,737.50, so the total tax is $13,407.50 and the after-tax income is $61,592.50. With $8,000 withheld, the refund is about $330.
How the 2026 brackets work
Federal income tax is progressive: the income is taxed in slices, and each slice has its own rate. For a single filer in 2026, the first $12,400 of taxable income is 10%, the next slice to $50,400 is 12%, then 22% to $105,700, 24% to $201,775, 32% to $256,225, 35% to $640,600, and 37% above that. Married filing jointly doubles the first thresholds. On $75,000 as a single filer, the marginal rate is 22% but the effective rate is 10.2%, because most of the income sits in the 10% and 12% slices.
Standard deduction, extra amounts and credits
The standard deduction is subtracted before the brackets apply: $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $16,100 married filing separately, and $24,150 head of household for 2026. Age 65 or over adds $2,050 for a single filer and $1,650 per spouse. Itemized deductions replace the standard deduction only when they are higher, Tax credits are different from deductions: a credit cuts the tax dollar for dollar, so a $1,000 credit saves $1,000 of tax, while a $1,000 deduction saves only $220 at a 22% marginal rate.
Best practices
- Check your withholding in October, not April: a $330 refund is fine, but an $11,300 bill is not, and the calculator shows it early enough to fix.
- Count credits before deductions: a $1,000 credit is worth more than a $1,000 deduction at any rate below 100%.
- Remember FICA is separate: $5,737.50 on $75,000 is real money, and it is not part of the federal income tax figure.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting the standard deduction, which takes $16,100 off a single filer income before any bracket applies.
Who is the income tax calculator for?
Employees checking a paycheck, freelancers setting aside money for tax, and anyone planning a raise, a bonus or a move. It is a federal estimate for Tax Year 2026 only: state tax is a flat-rate estimate you enter yourself, and the real return has credits, phase-outs and other income the calculator does not model.
Learn: how to use the Income Tax Calculator
- Enter your gross income for the year.
- Pick your filing status: single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, or head of household.
- Tick age 65 or over for the extra standard deduction, and add deductions and credits.
- Enter the tax already withheld from your paychecks.
- Add a state flat rate if you want a state estimate, and read the federal tax, rates and refund or amount owed.
Features
- 2026 federal brackets from Rev. Proc. 2025-32, for all four filing statuses
- Standard deduction: $16,100 single, $32,200 joint, $16,100 separate, $24,150 head of household
- Extra standard deduction for age 65 or over: $2,050 single, $1,650 per spouse
- Additional deductions and itemized deductions, with the standard deduction as the floor
- Tax credits, which cut the tax dollar for dollar
- FICA: Social Security 6.2% to the $184,500 wage base, Medicare 1.45%
- Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% over $200,000 single or $250,000 joint
- Effective rate and marginal rate, with a bracket-by-bracket table
- Refund or amount owed, from the tax withheld
- 2025 comparison: the same income under the 2025 brackets and deductions
Worked example
$75,000 of income as a single filer in 2026: the $16,100 standard deduction leaves $58,900 taxable, and the federal tax is $7,670, an effective rate of 10.2% and a marginal rate of 22%. FICA adds $5,737.50, so the total tax is $13,407.50 and the after-tax income is $61,592.50. With $8,000 withheld, the refund is about $330. A married couple with $180,000 of income and $12,000 of additional deductions pays $19,300 federal, an effective rate of 10.7%, and owes about $11,300 after $8,000 withheld.
Frequently asked questions
How much federal income tax will I pay in 2026?
It depends on the income and the filing status. $75,000 as a single filer is $7,670 of federal tax, an effective rate of 10.2%, after the $16,100 standard deduction. $180,000 as a married couple with $12,000 of additional deductions is $19,300, an effective rate of 10.7%.
What are the 2026 federal tax brackets?
Single: 10% to $12,400, 12% to $50,400, 22% to $105,700, 24% to $201,775, 32% to $256,225, 35% to $640,600, then 37%. Married filing jointly doubles the first thresholds.
What is the standard deduction for 2026?
$16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $16,100 married filing separately, and $24,150 head of household. Age 65 or over adds $2,050 for a single filer and $1,650 per spouse. Itemized deductions replace the standard deduction only when they are higher.
What is the difference between the marginal rate and the effective rate?
The marginal rate is the rate on the next dollar, and the effective rate is the total tax divided by the total income. On $75,000 as a single filer, the marginal rate is 22% but the effective rate is 10.2%, because most of the income is taxed at 10% and 12%.
Why is my refund different from the calculator?
The calculator is an estimate for federal income tax only, using the standard deduction and the brackets.
What is the $6,000 senior deduction?
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act added a $6,000 deduction for taxpayers 65 or over, for tax years 2025 to 2028, phasing out above $75,000 of income single or $150,000 joint.
How do I lower my federal income tax?
Contribute to a 401(k) up to $24,500 in 2026, or an IRA up to $7,500, which lowers taxable income. Claim credits you qualify for, such as the child tax credit. Harvest capital losses against gains. The calculator shows the tax before and after additional deductions, so you can test each one.
When are 2026 taxes due?
15 April 2027 for most individual filers, which is also the deadline for 2026 IRA contributions. Quarterly estimated tax is due 15 April, 15 June, 15 September and 15 January. File an extension and you have until 15 October 2027 to file, but the tax is still due on 15 April.
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