US Federal Income Tax Estimator

How it works

The US federal income tax is a progressive tax — different portions of your income are taxed at different rates as your income climbs through the brackets. This calculator uses the 2024 brackets and standard deduction to estimate your federal income tax liability for single and married-filing-jointly filers.

Two important concepts: marginal rate and effective rate. Your marginal rate is the rate that applies to the last dollar you earned — the bracket your taxable income lands in. Your effective rate is your total tax divided by your total income — almost always lower than your marginal rate, because the lower brackets only apply to portions of your income.

Most filers take the standard deduction, which the IRS subtracts from your gross income before calculating tax. For 2024, the standard deduction is $14,600 for single filers and $29,200 for married filing jointly. If your itemized deductions (mortgage interest, large charitable gifts, state and local taxes capped at $10,000) exceed the standard deduction, itemizing saves you money. Most filers don't itemize.

This calculator does not model: FICA payroll taxes (Social Security 6.2% on wages up to the cap, Medicare 1.45% on all wages); state and local income taxes (highly variable); tax credits (Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Credit, etc.); or alternative minimum tax. Real take-home pay is generally 65–80% of gross for typical W-2 employees, depending on state, benefits, and contributions to pre-tax accounts.

For more accurate planning, use the official IRS Tax Withholding Estimator or talk to a CPA. Tax rules change yearly — always verify against the current year's IRS publications.