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2026 federal income tax estimator

A rough estimate of your 2026 federal income tax and payroll tax, built only from published IRS and SSA figures. Enter your income and it walks through each step: deduction, taxable income, the IRS bracket formula, capital gains rates, the child tax credit, and Social Security and Medicare. Checked 2026-10-13.

Estimator
Worked examples
The 2026 numbers it uses
What it leaves out

Estimate my 2026 federal tax

Uses the IRS 2026 standard deduction, bracket formulas and capital gains thresholds (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), the $2,200 child tax credit, and 2026 Social Security and Medicare payroll rates. Every step of the math is shown. A rough estimate, not a return.

Filing status Your wages, salary, tips ($) Pre-tax 401(k)/403(b) deferrals ($) Interest & ordinary dividends ($) Long-term gains + qualified dividends ($) Kids under 17 Age 65+ or blind (count) Itemized deductions, if any ($)

Worked examples (2026, standard deduction)

Household	Taxable income	Federal income tax	Top bracket	Share of income	Payroll tax
Single, $50,000 wages	$33,900	$3,820	12%	7.6%	$3,825
Single, $75,000 wages	$58,900	$7,670	22%	10.2%	$5,738
Single, $120,000 wages, $10,000 401(k)	$93,900	$15,370	22%	12.8%	$9,180
Married filing jointly, $100,000 wages, 2 kids	$67,800	$3,240	12%	3.2%	$7,650
Married filing jointly, $150,000 + $60,000 wages	$177,800	$28,540	22%	13.6%	$16,065
Head of household, $55,000 wages, 1 kid	$30,850	$1,148	12%	2.1%	$4,208
Single, $60,000 wages + $20,000 long-term gains	$63,900	$7,188	12%	9.0%	$4,590

Example: a single filer with $75,000 of wages subtracts the $16,100 standard deduction for $58,900 of taxable income. The IRS formula for that band is $5,800 plus 22% of the amount over $50,400, which is $7,670. Payroll tax adds $4,650 Social Security and $1,088 Medicare.

The 2026 numbers it uses

Standard deduction: $16,100 single / MFS, $24,150 head of household, $32,200 married filing jointly; plus $1,650 per person 65+ or blind ($2,050 if unmarried). Full bracket tables.
Long-term capital gains and qualified dividends: 0% up to $49,450 of taxable income single ($98,900 MFJ, $66,200 HOH); 15% up to $545,500 single ($613,700 MFJ, $579,600 HOH, $306,850 MFS); 20% above. Source: Rev. Proc. 2025-32 §4.03.
Child tax credit: up to $2,200 per qualifying child, with up to $1,700 refundable (needs at least $2,500 of earned income). Full credit at income up to $200,000 ($400,000 joint), then reduced $50 per $1,000 over. Sources: Rev. Proc. 2025-32 §4.05 · IRS: Child Tax Credit · 26 U.S.C. 24 (child tax credit).
Social Security (OASDI): 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 (SSA OCACT: Contribution and Benefit Base). Medicare: 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on wages over $200,000 single / HOH, $250,000 joint, $125,000 MFS (IRS: Questions and answers for the Additional Medicare Tax).

What this estimate leaves out

State and local income tax (see our state tools for property and sales tax).
Alternative minimum tax, the 3.8% net investment income tax, self-employment tax, and the qualified business income deduction.
The earned income credit, education credits, the credit for other dependents, and other credits.
The newer temporary deductions (for seniors, qualified tips and qualified overtime). See the IRS's One, Big, Beautiful Bill provisions page.
Withholding and refunds. To check your paycheck withholding, use the IRS's Tax Withholding Estimator.

Primary sources: IRS IR-2025-103: tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Oct. 9, 2025) · Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (PDF) · IRS: Child Tax Credit · IRS: Questions and answers for the Additional Medicare Tax · SSA OCACT: Contribution and Benefit Base · 26 U.S.C. 24 (child tax credit). Checked 2026-10-12.

Next step: 2026 401(k) & IRA limits (pre-tax deferrals lower taxable income) · 2026 brackets · Social Security basics · Tax hub

Not tax advice. This page republishes IRS dollar amounts and rate tables only. It is not a filing tool, not personalized guidance, and not a substitute for IRS forms, Pub. 17, or a tax professional. We don't prepare returns or sell tax software.

FAQ

How much federal income tax will I pay on $75,000 in 2026?

Single with only wages and the standard deduction: taxable income $58,900, federal income tax about $7,670 (10.2% of income, 22% top bracket), plus about $5,738 Social Security and Medicare. Rough estimate from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 figures.

What are the 2026 long-term capital gains brackets?

0% up to $49,450 of taxable income for single filers ($98,900 married filing jointly, $66,200 head of household); 15% up to $545,500 single ($613,700 joint, $579,600 HOH); 20% above (Rev. Proc. 2025-32 §4.03).

How much is the 2026 child tax credit?

Up to $2,200 per qualifying child, with up to $1,700 refundable. It phases out above $200,000 of modified AGI ($400,000 married filing jointly).

Is this a tax return or tax advice?

No. It's a rough estimate using published IRS and SSA figures, with every step shown. It leaves out state tax, AMT, several credits and newer deductions.

Not tax advice. Figures are republished from the IRS with dates; confirm with IRS.gov or a tax professional before acting.