2026 US tax estimate
Estimate federal income tax, employee payroll taxes, state income tax, and take-home income.
Last updated: October 2026
Planning estimate only; tax credits, dependents, local taxes, and state-specific deductions are not included.
Federal tax uses the 2026 standard deduction and progressive brackets for single and joint filers. Social Security is estimated at 6.2% up to the 2026 wage base, and Medicare at 1.45% plus applicable Additional Medicare Tax.
State rules differ by filing status, deductions, exemptions, credits, counties, and cities. The selector provides a representative planning rate—not a tax return calculation.
It estimates federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state income tax from a gross annual income, filing status, and state, then shows an estimated take-home amount and effective tax rate. It is meant for quick planning — comparing job offers, budgeting, or sanity-checking a paycheck — not for filing an actual tax return.
A single filer earning $85,000 in California, with no pre-tax deductions, comes out to roughly $9,870 in federal income tax, $5,270 in Social Security, $1,233 in Medicare, and about $7,905 in estimated state tax using California's representative rate — leaving an estimated take-home of around $60,723, or an effective tax rate near 28.6%. Switching the filing status to married filing jointly, or moving to a no-income-tax state, changes the state tax line to zero and noticeably raises the take-home estimate.
State tax rules vary by filing status, deductions, exemptions, credits, counties, and cities, so a single percentage can only approximate your real state liability. Editing the rate lets you substitute a more accurate figure if you know it.
Federal brackets and the standard deduction are based on the IRS's published 2026 inflation adjustments. Social Security is estimated at 6.2% up to the 2026 wage base, and Medicare at 1.45% plus the Additional Medicare Tax above the applicable threshold.
No. It is a quick planning estimate. For an actual return, use tax preparation software or a qualified tax preparer who can account for your full financial situation.
Yes — switching the state selector is a fast way to see how take-home pay might differ for the same gross income across states, though local taxes and cost of living still need separate research.
In depth
"What tax bracket am I in?" is the most common tax question, and the answer usually overstates what you actually owe. This guide explains the difference between marginal and effective rates, shows the 2026 federal brackets, and works through three examples so you can see how the estimate above is assembled.
Your marginal rate is the rate on your next dollar of taxable income. Your effective rate is your total tax divided by your total income. Because the U.S. uses progressive brackets, a raise that pushes you into a higher bracket only taxes the dollars above the threshold at the higher rate. It never makes your whole income more expensive.
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $12,400 | $0 – $24,800 |
| 12% | $12,401 – $50,400 | $24,801 – $100,800 |
| 22% | $50,401 – $105,700 | $100,801 – $211,400 |
| 24% | $105,701 – $201,775 | $211,401 – $403,550 |
| 32% | $201,776 – $256,225 | $403,551 – $512,450 |
| 35% | $256,226 – $640,600 | $512,451 – $768,700 |
| 37% | Over $640,600 | Over $768,700 |
The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married couples filing jointly and $24,150 for heads of household.
| Scenario | Taxable income | Federal income tax | Effective rate on gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single, $50,000 salary | $33,900 | $3,820 | 7.6% |
| Single, $120,000 salary | $103,900 | $17,570 | 14.6% |
| Married filing jointly, $120,000 combined | $87,800 | $10,040 | 8.4% |
The examples assume the standard deduction, no pre-tax deductions and no credits. The single filer earning $120,000 has a 22% marginal rate, yet pays under 15% of gross income in federal income tax.
Social Security (6.2% up to the $184,500 wage base in 2026) and Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 joint) are calculated on wages, not on taxable income, and they ignore the standard deduction. That is why the calculator shows them as separate lines. For a $50,000 salary, FICA ($3,825) is about the same size as federal income tax.
State systems range from no wage tax at all to multi-bracket schedules with their own deductions, credits and local add-ons. A single editable rate keeps the tool honest: it is easy to replace the default with the rate from your state's tax agency or last year's return, rather than trusting a simplified model.
For withholding decisions, compare the estimate with the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator.
Figures checked October 2026. Tax rules change; confirm with the linked official pages before filing or signing anything.