Want to know which federal tax bracket your income falls into? This Tax Bracket Calculator helps you estimate your 2026 U.S. federal income tax rate based on your taxable income and filing status.
Enter your taxable income, choose your filing status, and the calculator will show your marginal tax bracket, estimated federal income tax, effective tax rate, and tax calculated within each bracket.
One important thing to remember: being in a higher tax bracket does not mean all of your income is taxed at that higher rate. The U.S. federal income tax system uses progressive tax brackets, so different portions of your taxable income are taxed at different rates.
2026 Federal Tax Brackets
These brackets apply to Single filers for tax year 2026.
| Tax Rate | Taxable Income Range | Tax on Bracket | Status |
|---|
How Your Federal Tax Is Calculated
How Do Federal Tax Brackets Work?
The U.S. federal income tax system uses marginal tax brackets. This means your taxable income is divided into portions, and each portion is taxed at the rate for that bracket.
For example, a taxpayer can have a marginal tax rate of 22% without paying 22% on every dollar of taxable income. The income in the lower brackets is taxed at the lower rates first.
For 2026, the federal income tax rates range from 10% to 37%, depending on taxable income and filing status.
What Is a Marginal Tax Rate?
Your marginal tax rate is the tax rate applied to the next dollar of taxable income you earn.
For example, if your taxable income places you in the 22% bracket, your marginal tax rate is 22%. It does not mean your entire taxable income is taxed at 22%.
What Is an Effective Tax Rate?
Your effective tax rate is the percentage of your taxable income that goes toward federal income tax based on the calculation.
For example, if your taxable income is $100,000 and your estimated federal income tax is $16,712, your effective tax rate would be about 16.71%.
This is why your effective tax rate can be lower than your marginal tax rate.
2026 Federal Tax Brackets
The 2026 federal income tax system has seven ordinary income tax rates: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%.
The income thresholds depend on your filing status. The IRS publishes separate schedules for Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, and Head of Household filers.
The calculator above uses the 2026 federal tax brackets and applies the rates progressively.
Example: Single Filer With $100,000 of Taxable Income
Suppose a single taxpayer has $100,000 of taxable income in 2026.
The income is divided across the tax brackets rather than being taxed entirely at the highest applicable rate:
- First $12,400 is taxed at 10%
- The next $38,000 is taxed at 12%
- The remaining $49,600 is taxed at 22%
That produces an estimated federal income tax of $16,712, before considering tax credits or other special tax rules.
The taxpayer’s marginal tax rate is 22%, while the effective rate is about 16.71%.
Tax Bracket vs. Tax Rate: What’s the Difference?
A tax bracket is an income range associated with a particular tax rate. Your tax rate is the percentage applied to the portion of income within that bracket.
Being pushed into a higher bracket does not mean all of your income suddenly gets taxed at the higher rate. Only the portion that falls inside the higher bracket is taxed at that rate.
What Income Should I Enter?
For this calculator, enter your taxable income, not simply your salary or gross income.
Taxable income is generally the amount left after applicable deductions and adjustments that reduce the income subject to federal income tax.
If you want to estimate your taxable income from salary or other income, you may need a separate income tax calculator that considers deductions, credits, and other factors.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides an estimate for informational purposes only and is not tax, financial, or legal advice. Actual tax liability may vary based on your individual circumstances, deductions, credits, and applicable tax rules.
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