Income Tax Calculator

Tax brackets are marginal — you only pay the higher rate on income within that bracket, not your entire income. For example, if the 22% bracket starts at $44,726, only dollars above that threshold are taxed at 22%. Your first dollars are taxed at 10%, then 12%, then 22%, etc. This is why your effective rate is always lower than your marginal rate.

Your marginal rate is the bracket your last dollar of income falls into. Your effective rate is the total tax divided by total income — the actual percentage you pay overall. If you earn $80,000 as a single filer, your marginal rate is 22% but your effective rate is about 14% because lower brackets are taxed at lower rates.

Use whichever is larger. The 2024 standard deduction is $14,600 (single) or $29,200 (married filing jointly). If your itemizable expenses (mortgage interest, state/local taxes up to $10,000, charitable donations, medical expenses) exceed the standard deduction, itemizing saves you more. Most taxpayers benefit from the standard deduction.

This calculator estimates federal income tax only. State income tax rates vary significantly — some states have no income tax (Florida, Texas, Nevada), while others have rates up to 13.3% (California). Add your state tax to the federal estimate for your total income tax burden.

The calculator uses current federal tax brackets and standard deduction amounts. Tax brackets are adjusted annually for inflation by the IRS. Always verify against the latest IRS publications for filing purposes. This tool provides estimates for planning — use tax preparation software for actual returns.