Federal tax vs take-home
How much of your gross income goes to federal income tax.
Home / US Calculators / Federal Tax
Income Tax · 2026
Federal Income Tax Calculator 2026
Estimate your 2026 federal income tax from your income and filing status, using the latest IRS tax brackets. See your taxable income after the standard deduction, your marginal and effective tax rates, and your take-home pay.
Estimated federal income tax
$7,670
Taxable income—
Marginal rate—
Effective rate—
After-tax income—
2026 federal income tax only, using the standard deduction. Excludes FICA, state tax and credits.
Federal income tax, defined
The US federal income tax is progressive: income is taxed in brackets, with each slice taxed at its own rate. You first subtract the standard deduction to get taxable income, then apply each bracket's rate only to the income within it. Because lower brackets always come first, your effective rate (total tax ÷ income) is lower than your top marginal rate.
The formula
taxable income = gross − pre-tax deductions − standard deduction
tax = Σ (income in each bracket × that bracket's rate)
effective rate = total tax ÷ gross income
tax = Σ (income in each bracket × that bracket's rate)
effective rate = total tax ÷ gross income
Worked example
A single filer earning $75,000 subtracts the $16,100 standard deduction for $58,900 taxable. The 10%, 12% and 22% brackets stack to about $7,670 in tax, a 22% marginal but only a 10.2% effective rate, leaving roughly $67,330 after federal income tax.
2026 federal income tax brackets
The 2026 tax brackets below show the taxable income ranges for each rate by filing status, from the IRS inflation-adjusted figures for tax year 2026. Remember that only the income within each range is taxed at that rate.
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $12,400 | $0 – $24,800 | $0 – $17,700 |
| 12% | $12,401 – $50,400 | $24,801 – $100,800 | $17,701 – $67,450 |
| 22% | $50,401 – $105,700 | $100,801 – $211,400 | $67,451 – $105,700 |
| 24% | $105,701 – $201,775 | $211,401 – $403,550 | $105,701 – $201,775 |
| 32% | $201,776 – $256,225 | $403,551 – $512,450 | $201,776 – $256,200 |
| 35% | $256,226 – $640,600 | $512,451 – $768,700 | $256,201 – $640,600 |
| 37% | $640,601+ | $768,701+ | $640,601+ |
2026 standard deduction: $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household. Figures are IRS inflation-adjusted amounts for tax year 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How is federal income tax calculated?
Progressive brackets applied to income after the standard deduction.
Marginal vs effective rate?
Marginal is your top bracket; effective is total tax ÷ income.
What is the 2026 standard deduction?
$16,100 single, $32,200 joint, $24,150 head of household.
Does this include FICA or state tax?
No, federal income tax only.
Why is my refund different?
This is total liability, not the refund after withholding and credits.