Income Tax Calculator
Estimate your annual US federal income tax, effective rate, and refund or amount owed.
Your 2026 federal return
Everything you expect to earn this year, from all sources, before any deductions.
Standard deduction for Single: $16,100
From your pay stubs or estimated payments. Leave it blank and the refund estimate stays hidden. The refund figure is a simplified difference — it ignores tax credits entirely.
Bracket breakdown
Only the income inside each band is taxed at that band's rate — moving into a higher bracket never taxes your whole income at the higher rate.
| Rate | Taxable income range | Taxed here | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $12,400 | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $12,400 – $50,400 | $38,000 | $4,560 |
| 22% | $50,400 – $105,700 | $18,500 | $4,070 |
| Total federal tax | $9,870 | ||
For a per-paycheck breakdown instead of your total annual tax, use the Paycheck Calculator, which also adds state tax and FICA. Because 401(k) contributions come out before federal income tax and lower your taxable income, the Retirement Calculator is a useful companion when you are deciding how much to contribute. And if you are itemizing, mortgage interest is usually the largest single line — the Mortgage Calculator shows how much of each year's payments is interest rather than principal.
How it works
US federal income tax is progressive: your income is sliced into bands and each slice is taxed at its own rate. The calculator uses the same 2026 bracket and standard deduction data as every other Skycally tax tool.
Itemizing only helps if it beats the standard amount.
$85,000 − $16,100 standard (single) = $68,900.
10% on the first slice, 12% on the next, and so on up your bracket ladder.
Effective is always lower than marginal.
How to use
- 1
Pick your filing status and enter your total annual gross income from all sources.
- 2
Choose Standard or Itemized. The calculator automatically applies whichever deduction is larger and tells you which one it used.
- 3
Optionally enter the federal tax already withheld this year to see an estimated refund or amount owed, then read the bracket breakdown to see exactly where each dollar was taxed.
Federal Income Tax Calculator — Estimate Your 2026 Tax, Refund & Effective Rate
Free federal income tax calculator: enter your annual income and filing status to see your taxable income, federal income tax owed, effective and marginal rates, a bracket-by-bracket breakdown, and an income tax refund estimate.
This federal income tax calculator answers the question most people are really asking: how much income tax will I pay this year? Enter your total annual gross income and your filing status and it applies the 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction to work out your taxable income, the federal income tax owed, your effective tax rate and your marginal tax rate. Everything recalculates as you type and nothing you enter leaves your browser.
The standout feature is the bracket breakdown. Instead of a single number, the chart and table show exactly how much of your income landed in each band — 10%, 12%, 22% and up — and how much tax each band produced. That makes it obvious why a raise that pushes you into a higher bracket does not tax all of your income at the new rate: only the dollars above the threshold are taxed there. It is the clearest way to see the difference between your marginal rate and the much lower effective rate you actually pay.
The tool doubles as a standard vs itemized deduction calculator. Switch to the Itemized tab, add up mortgage interest, state and local taxes and charitable giving, and the calculator automatically uses whichever figure is higher, labelling the result so you know which one applied. Add the federal tax already withheld from your pay stubs and it becomes an income tax refund calculator, showing the estimated refund or the amount you would owe.
This is deliberately a simple estimator. It covers federal income tax only — no state income tax, no payroll or self-employment tax, and no tax credits such as the Child Tax Credit or the Earned Income Tax Credit, all of which can change the final figure substantially. Treat the result as a planning ballpark, not a filed return, and speak to a tax professional for anything binding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between this and the Paycheck Calculator?
This Income Tax Calculator works on your whole year at once and covers federal income tax only — total tax owed, effective rate, bracket breakdown and refund or balance due. The Paycheck Calculator works per pay period and models take-home pay, so it also subtracts state income tax, Social Security and Medicare, 401(k) and health premiums. Use this one for your annual return, the Paycheck Calculator to see what actually hits your bank account each payday.
How much income tax will I pay?
It depends on your filing status and taxable income, not your gross income. Subtract your deduction (standard or itemized, whichever is larger) from your gross income, then tax each slice of what remains at its bracket rate. Enter your numbers above and the calculator shows the total plus the amount taxed at each rate.
What is the difference between the effective and marginal tax rate?
Your marginal rate is the rate applied to your last taxable dollar — the bracket you are 'in'. Your effective rate is the total tax divided by your gross income, which is always lower because your first dollars are taxed at 10% and 12%. This calculator divides by gross income (not taxable income) so the effective rate reflects what you actually pay on everything you earned.
Should I take the standard deduction or itemize?
Take whichever is larger. Most filers do better with the standard deduction; itemizing usually only wins if you have significant mortgage interest, state and local taxes or charitable contributions. Switch to the Itemized tab, enter your total, and the calculator applies the larger figure automatically and tells you which one it used.
How do I estimate my tax refund?
Enter the federal tax already withheld or paid this year in the optional field. If it is more than the calculated tax you get an estimated refund; if it is less, you owe the difference. This is a simplified estimate — tax credits are not included and can move the number significantly in your favour.
Does this include state income tax?
No. This is a federal-only calculator, which is deliberate. If you need state income tax modelled alongside FICA, use the Paycheck Calculator, which supports state-level rates.
Are tax credits included?
No. Credits such as the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and education credits are excluded on purpose, because guessing at eligibility would produce misleading numbers. Credits reduce tax dollar for dollar, so your real tax is likely to be lower than shown if you qualify for any.
Which tax year does this use?
The 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction amounts. The figures come from a single shared dataset used across all Skycally tax tools, so every calculator stays consistent.
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