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Useful next calculations
Rates & sources2026
US federal income tax year 2026 brackets and standard deductions from the IRS annual inflation-adjustment notice (Revenue Procedure). FICA uses the 2026 Social Security wage base.
| Band / figure | Rate |
|---|---|
| Standard deduction (single) | $16,100 |
| Standard deduction (MFJ) | $32,200 |
| 10% bracket (single) | up to $12,400 |
| Social Security wage base | $184,500 |
Source: IRS — inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 — source checked for 2026.
When to use this calculator
- Before accepting a pay change, bonus or contribution arrangement.
- When you want a simple take-home or conversion estimate before payroll or filing.
- When you need to convert between hourly, monthly and annual pay.
- When you want to compare two pay scenarios using the same assumptions.
A realistic US planning example
Use these sample inputs as a quick scenario test, then change one variable at a time to compare outcomes.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Gross Annual Income ($) | $55,000 |
| Filing Status | Single |
| Your Age | 35 |
| Deductions | Standard Deduction |
After entering these figures, review federal income tax, fica (ss+medicare) and total tax together rather than in isolation. Then rerun the tool with one input adjusted.
How to read your results
Federal Income Tax
Review this figure alongside gross income and the local tax rules that apply to you. It is a planning estimate, not a filing result.
FICA (SS+Medicare)
The figure produced by this output for the inputs you entered. Change one variable at a time if you want to see what drives it.
Total Tax
Review this figure alongside gross income and the local tax rules that apply to you. It is a planning estimate, not a filing result.
Effective Rate
The effective rate lets you compare options on a like-for-like basis rather than being misled by different compounding periods or fee structures.
Take-Home Pay
The figure produced by this output for the inputs you entered. Change one variable at a time if you want to see what drives it.
Monthly Take-Home
The figure produced by this output for the inputs you entered. Change one variable at a time if you want to see what drives it.
Method & assumptionsAuthoritative sources
This calculator estimates your 2024 US federal income tax liability using the IRS marginal bracket system. Taxable income is your gross income minus either the standard deduction (set by the IRS for each filing status) or your total itemised deductions, whichever applies. Tax is then calculated tier by tier across the seven brackets — 10% through 37% — so only the portion of income that falls within each bracket is taxed at that rate. FICA taxes (Social Security at 6.2% up to the $184,500 wage base and Medicare at 1.45% on all income) are added separately, as these are payroll taxes rather than income taxes and are not reduced by deductions. The Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% applies above the income thresholds shown.
Results are estimates only and do not account for tax credits (such as the Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, or education credits), alternative minimum tax (AMT), self-employment tax adjustments, or investment income surtaxes. Tax law changes frequently; always verify bracket and deduction figures at IRS.gov or with a qualified CPA for your actual filing. This tool is designed for W-2 wage earners and may not accurately reflect situations involving significant self-employment, capital gains, or foreign income.
Common mistakes
- !Using an assumption that is not supported by a current local quote, bill, statement or official source.
- !Treating a generic estimate as a lender, provider, payroll or tax authority decision.
- !Mixing monthly and annual inputs without converting them consistently.
- !Testing only one scenario instead of checking how a cautious assumption changes the result.
What to do next
- Run a second scenario with a cautious assumption so you can see the downside clearly.
- Compare the result with the related calculators below before making a decision.
- Check current local rules, eligibility and provider terms before applying or committing money.
- Keep a record of the assumptions so you can update the estimate when a quote, bill or pay figure changes.
Federal income tax — taxable income and filing status
Guidance reviewed 2 September 2026Federal income tax is marginal: each portion of taxable income is taxed at its own rate, and only the slice inside a bracket is taxed at that rate. Taxable income is gross income minus either the standard deduction for your filing status or your itemized deductions, whichever you choose — the calculator uses the larger of the two.
Filing status changes both the standard deduction and the bracket widths. This calculator models the four IRS statuses — Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, and Head of Household — and adds FICA (Social Security + Medicare) as a separate payroll line for context. Credits, AMT and state taxes are not modelled.
| Standard deduction (2026) | Single $16,100; MFJ $32,200; MFS $16,100; HoH $24,150 |
|---|---|
| Single brackets (2026) | 10%: $0 to $12,400; 12%: $12,400 to $50,400; 22%: $50,400 to $105,700; 24%: $105,700 to $201,775; 32%: $201,775 to $256,225; 35%: $256,225 to $640,600; 37%: $640,600 to above |
| Social Security (2026) | 6.2% to $184,500 |
| Medicare (2026) | 1.45% + 0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 MFJ |
Worked example (illustrative figures only)
- Inputs:
- Single · $90,000 gross · standard deduction · no itemized
- Estimate:
- Taxable $73,900 → federal $10,970; FICA $6,885 (SS $5,580 + Medicare $1,305); net before state $72,145 (≈ $6,012/month); effective total 19.84%
- What it means:
- Federal $10,970 is 12.19% of $90,000 effective but 22% marginal on the top slice above $50,400. Married Filing Jointly would be lower federal on the same $90,000 because its $32,200 deduction and wider brackets shift more income into lower rates.
- What is excluded:
- Itemized amounts above the standard deduction would lower taxable income further if you itemize; this example uses the standard deduction. State tax, credits, and local taxes are separate.
Example values only — not financial advice.
Assumptions
- Taxable income is gross minus the larger of the standard deduction ($16,100 single / $32,200 MFJ / $16,100 MFS / $24,150 HoH for 2026) and itemized deductions you enter.
- Federal tax is the IRS 2026 marginal brackets applied per filing status (e.g. single 10%: $0 to $12,400; 12%: $12,400 to $50,400; 22%: $50,400 to $105,700; 24%: $105,700 to $201,775; 32%: $201,775 to $256,225; 35%: $256,225 to $640,600; 37%: $640,600 to above).
- FICA for context is 6.2% Social Security to $184,500 and 1.45% Medicare plus 0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 MFJ.
- No credits, AMT, or state/local taxes are included.
Not included
- Credits such as Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Credit, and education credits are not modelled — they only reduce actual Form 1040 liability.
- Alternative Minimum Tax is not modelled.
- State income tax and local taxes are not included — use the State Income-Tax Calculator for California, New York or Texas.
- Above-the-line adjustments (student-loan interest, educator expenses, HSA) and qualified-business-income deductions beyond the standard/itemized choice are not modelled.
- Withholding from Form W-4 is not simulated; the FICA lines are payroll taxes, not income tax.
Reading the result
- Compare marginal vs effective: your top dollars are taxed higher than your average rate; a raise is taxed only on the slice above the next threshold.
- If you itemize above the standard deduction, taxable income and federal tax fall — otherwise the standard deduction is the binding floor.
- Head of Household and MFJ widen brackets and raise the standard deduction, so the same gross can produce noticeably different federal tax.
Frequently asked
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