Income Tax Calculator
Estimate your 2026 US federal income tax
Estimated Federal Tax
$7,670.00
Tax Bracket Breakdown
| Income Range | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| $0.00 – $12,400.00 | 10% | $1,240.00 |
| $12,400.00 – $50,400.00 | 12% | $4,560.00 |
| $50,400.00 – $105,700.00 | 22% | $1,870.00 |
What is the Income Tax Calculator?
This calculator estimates how much federal income tax you owe based on your income, filing status, and deductions. It's not a substitute for a tax professional, but it gives you a clear ballpark before tax season hits. People use it to figure out if they'll owe money or get a refund, to decide between taking the standard deduction or itemizing, and to understand how a raise or side income affects their tax bracket. CalciHub's version uses current US federal tax brackets and lets you adjust for common deductions and filing status.
How Does It Work?
The US uses a progressive tax system, meaning different portions of your income are taxed at different rates. The process is:
Taxable income = Gross income − Deductions
Tax owed = Sum of each bracket's rate applied to income within that bracket
For 2024: brackets are 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%
Deductions include: standard deduction ($14,600 for single, $29,200 for married filing jointly)
How to Use CalciHub's Income Tax Calculator
1. Enter your total annual income (wages, freelance, investment income if applicable).
2. Select your filing status: single, married filing jointly, head of household.
3. Choose the standard deduction or enter a custom deduction amount.
4. Add other income adjustments if relevant (contributions to a traditional IRA, for example).
5. Click Calculate to see your estimated tax and effective rate.
Tip: Your effective tax rate is almost always lower than your marginal bracket — because only income above each threshold gets taxed at the higher rate.
A Quick Example
Lisa earns $85,000 per year as a project manager in Seattle. She's single and takes the standard deduction.
Gross income: $85,000
Standard deduction (2024): $14,600
Taxable income: $70,400
10% on first $11,600: $1,160
12% on $11,601–$47,150: $4,266
22% on $47,151–$70,400: $5,115
Total estimated federal tax: $10,541
Effective tax rate: approximately 12.4%
Lisa's marginal rate is 22%, but her effective rate is just over 12% the progressive structure makes a real difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your marginal rate is the rate applied to your last dollar of income — the highest bracket you fall into. Your effective rate is your total tax bill divided by your total income. The effective rate is always lower because the lower brackets still apply to the earlier portions of your income.
Take whichever is larger. The standard deduction for 2024 is $14,600 (single) or $29,200 (married filing jointly). Itemising makes sense if your mortgage interest, state taxes, charitable giving, and other deductible expenses add up to more than those amounts.
CalciHub's income tax calculator focuses on federal income tax. State income taxes vary widely — from 0% in states like Texas and Florida to over 13% in California. You'd need a separate state-specific calculator or your state's tax department website for that piece.
Compare your estimated tax to what's already been withheld from your pay cheques (shown on your pay stubs as federal tax withheld). If you've withheld more than your estimated tax, you'll get a refund. If you've withheld less, you'll owe the difference.
A refund is the gap between what was withheld and what you actually owe, and both sides move. Credits, extra income without withholding, and a mid-year change to your allowances all shift the final figure. A large refund is not a bonus, it is money that was withheld sooner than needed.
Before you rely on this result
This estimates federal tax only. It excludes state and local income tax, payroll tax, the alternative minimum tax, and every credit — including the child tax credit and earned income credit, which can change what you owe substantially. Treat the result as a rough position, not a filing figure.
Uses IRS tax year 2026 brackets and standard deductions (Rev. Proc. 2025-32).
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