US Federal Tax Calculator
Estimate US federal income tax owed, effective rate, and marginal rate by filing status using current-year brackets and the standard deduction.
Annual Income (gross)
$
Filing Status
Standard deduction applied: $15,000
Estimated Federal Tax Owed
$8,114
Effective Rate
10.8%
Marginal Rate
22%
Estimated Take-Home (after federal tax)
$66,886
How this US federal tax estimator works
This tool estimates US federal income tax only, using the current-year IRS tax brackets and standard deduction for your filing status. It's a quick estimate for single filers, married couples filing jointly, or head of household filers — not a substitute for a full tax return, since it doesn't account for state income tax, itemized deductions, tax credits, or additional income types.
How federal tax brackets actually work
The US uses a progressive bracket system: each slice of your taxable income is taxed at the rate for that bracket, not your entire income at your top rate. Taxable income is your annual income minus the standard deduction ($15,000 for your selected filing status this year). Your marginal rate is the rate on your last dollar earned; your effective rate is your total tax divided by your total income — almost always lower than your marginal rate.
Example
A single filer earning $75,000/year has a taxable income of $75,000 minus the standard deduction, taxed across the 10%, 12%, and 22% brackets — landing at an estimated federal tax bill with an effective rate well below the 22% marginal rate, since only the income inside the top bracket is taxed at 22%.
Common Use Cases
- Estimating take-home pay before accepting a new salary or raise.
- Understanding the difference between your marginal and effective tax rate.
- Comparing rough tax liability across filing statuses (e.g. before or after marriage).
- Sanity-checking withholding before filing your annual return.
FAQs
Is this the same as the site's Income Tax Calculator?
No. This is a US federal tax estimator using IRS brackets, filing statuses, and the standard deduction. The site's separate Income Tax Calculator estimates Indian income tax under the Old and New regimes for a given financial year — use that one instead if you're filing taxes in India.
What's the difference between marginal and effective tax rate?
Your marginal rate is what you pay on your next dollar of income — it only applies to the top slice of your earnings. Your effective rate is your total tax divided by total income, blending all the lower brackets you passed through first, which is why it's always lower than (or equal to) your marginal rate.
Does this include state tax or FICA?
No — this estimates federal income tax only. It doesn't include state/local income tax, or Social Security and Medicare (FICA) payroll taxes, which reduce a paycheck further on top of federal withholding.
Does this use itemized deductions?
No — it assumes the standard deduction for your filing status. If your itemized deductions (mortgage interest, charitable giving, state taxes paid, etc.) exceed the standard deduction, your actual tax bill would be lower than this estimate.