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Federal income tax is calculated by first subtracting the standard deduction for your filing status from your gross income to get taxable income, then applying the 2026 IRS tax brackets progressively: each slice of income is taxed at its own rate — 10%, 12%, 22%, and up — so only the portion within each bracket is taxed at that bracket's rate. The figures come from the IRS inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Revenue Procedure 2025-32).

Income Tax Calculator

Based on $75,000 of income filing as single.

Federal income tax$7,670.00
Taxable income
$58,900.00
Effective tax rate
10.23%
Marginal tax rate
22%

How it's calculated

  1. Tax on the income in this brackettax=r×amount in bracket\text{tax} = r \times \text{amount in bracket}
    r
    = 0.1
    amount
    = 12,400
    1,240
  2. Tax on the income in this brackettax=r×amount in bracket\text{tax} = r \times \text{amount in bracket}
    r
    = 0.12
    amount
    = 38,000
    4,560
  3. Tax on the income in this brackettax=r×amount in bracket\text{tax} = r \times \text{amount in bracket}
    r
    = 0.22
    amount
    = 8,500
    1,870
Federal income tax$7,670.00

How it works

Taxable income is gross income minus the standard deduction for your filing status (or your itemized deductions, if larger) and any pre-tax contributions. The tax is then the sum, across brackets, of each bracket's rate times the amount of your taxable income that falls within it. Your marginal rate is the rate of the highest bracket you reach; your effective rate is the total tax divided by gross income.

Worked example

A single filer earning $66,500 in 2026 subtracts the $16,100 standard deduction to get $50,400 of taxable income. The tax is 10% of the first $12,400 ($1,240) plus 12% of the next $38,000 ($4,560) = $5,800.00. Their marginal rate is 22% and their effective rate is about 8.7%.

2026 federal income tax brackets

Brackets apply to taxable income (gross income minus the standard deduction), tax year 2026:

RateSingleMarried filing jointlyMarried filing separatelyHead of household
10%$0 – $12,400$0 – $24,800$0 – $12,400$0 – $17,700
12%$12,400 – $50,400$24,800 – $100,800$12,400 – $50,400$17,700 – $67,450
22%$50,400 – $105,700$100,800 – $211,400$50,400 – $105,700$67,450 – $105,700
24%$105,700 – $201,775$211,400 – $403,550$105,700 – $201,775$105,700 – $201,750
32%$201,775 – $256,225$403,550 – $512,450$201,775 – $256,225$201,750 – $256,200
35%$256,225 – $640,600$512,450 – $768,700$256,225 – $384,350$256,200 – $640,600
37%over $640,600over $768,700over $384,350over $640,600

Source: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026). Reviewed July 2026; next review October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How is federal income tax calculated?

Your gross income minus the standard deduction gives taxable income. Each slice of that income is taxed at its bracket's rate — 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37% — and the pieces are added together to get your total federal tax.

What's the difference between marginal and effective rate?

Your marginal rate is the rate on your last dollar of income (the top bracket you reach). Your effective rate is your total tax divided by your gross income, which is always lower because the earlier brackets are taxed at lower rates.

What is the 2026 standard deduction?

For tax year 2026, the standard deduction is $16,100 for single and married- filing-separately, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for head of household (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32).

Which filing statuses does this support?

Single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, and head of household. Qualifying surviving spouse is computed on the married-filing-jointly schedule, so choose that option if it applies to you.

What does this calculator not include?

It estimates federal income tax only. It does not include tax credits (such as the Child Tax Credit), the alternative minimum tax, the net investment income tax, special rates for long-term capital gains or qualified dividends, Social Security or Medicare (FICA) payroll taxes, or any state and local taxes.

Where does the data come from and when is it updated?

The brackets and standard deductions come from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (tax year 2026). The data is reviewed and refreshed each autumn when the IRS publishes the following year's inflation-adjusted figures — typically mid-to-late October, ahead of filing season.

Is this tax advice?

No. This is an estimate for informational purposes only, based on the 2026 IRS federal tax rate schedules. It is not tax advice; consult a qualified tax professional or IRS.gov for your specific situation.

How we know this is right

Last reviewed
Jul 18, 2026
Next review
Jan 15, 2027
Precision
Rounded to 2 decimal places.
Read our methodology

Sources