Tax Bracket Calculator
See exactly which 2026 federal tax brackets your income falls into, the tax charged in each bracket, and your marginal vs. effective rate.
Enter your taxable income and filing status to see a bracket-by-bracket breakdown of your 2026 federal income tax. The table shows how much of your income lands in each bracket and the tax on it — the clearest way to understand marginal vs. effective tax rates.
Tax year 2026 brackets per IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32. Enter taxable income (income after deductions), not gross income. Estimates only, not tax advice.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your taxable income — income after the standard or itemized deduction.
- Select your filing status.
- Click Calculate to see the bracket table.
- Read the highlighted rows: those are the brackets your income actually fills.
- Compare your marginal rate (top bracket touched) with your effective rate (average).
The formula
For each 2026 bracket: tax = (income inside the bracket) × (bracket rate). Total tax = sum over all brackets.
Worked example
A single filer with $60,000 of taxable income fills three 2026 brackets: $12,400 at 10% ($1,240), $38,000 at 12% ($4,560), and $9,600 at 22% ($2,112). Total federal tax is $7,912 — a 22% marginal rate but only a 13.19% effective rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 2026 federal tax brackets?
The 2026 brackets use seven rates — 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37% — per IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32. For single filers the 10% bracket covers the first $12,400 of taxable income, the 12% bracket runs to $50,400, and the top 37% rate starts above $640,600. Thresholds are roughly double for married couples filing jointly.
Do I pay my marginal rate on all my income?
No — this is the most common tax misconception. Only the dollars inside each bracket are taxed at that bracket's rate. If you are a single filer with $60,000 of taxable income, you pay 10% on the first $12,400, 12% on the next $38,000, and 22% only on the last $9,600. Your marginal rate is 22% but your effective rate is about 13.2%.
Can a raise push me into a higher bracket and cost me money?
Never. Because brackets apply only to the income inside them, earning one more dollar can only be taxed at the new bracket's rate on that dollar. A raise that moves you from the 22% to the 24% bracket costs you 24 cents on the extra dollar — you always keep most of it.
Should I enter gross income or taxable income?
Enter taxable income: your income after subtracting the standard or itemized deduction. If you only know your gross income, use the Income Tax Calculator first — it applies the deduction for you — or subtract $16,100 (single), $32,200 (joint), or $24,150 (head of household) for 2026.
Why is my effective rate so much lower than my bracket?
The lower brackets shelter a large chunk of income. Everyone pays 10% on their first dollars regardless of how much they earn, so the average rate blends all the brackets you fill. The gap between marginal and effective rates is exactly why being in the 24% bracket does not mean you pay 24% of your income in tax.