Income Tax Calculator
Estimate your US federal income tax from taxable income and filing status using the 2024 brackets.
Estimate based on 2024 federal figures only. Not tax advice — your actual bill depends on credits, deductions, and your state. Check with a tax professional or the IRS before filing.
How it works
US federal income tax is progressive, which trips a lot of people up. You don't pay one flat rate on everything — your income is sliced into bands, and each band is taxed at its own rate. Only the last dollars you earn hit the top rate you land in.
This tool runs your income through the 2024 brackets for your filing status (single, married filing jointly, or head of household). If you leave the standard deduction on, it subtracts 2024's amount first, since most people take it instead of itemizing.
You get three numbers: the total tax, your effective rate (tax divided by taxable income, usually much lower than people expect), and your marginal bracket — the rate on your next dollar of income. As a sanity check, $50,000 taxable as a single filer comes to about $6,053 in 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between marginal and effective rate?
Your marginal rate is the bracket your last dollar falls into — say 22%. Your effective rate is total tax divided by your income, which is lower because the earlier brackets tax at 10% and 12%. Most people quote their marginal rate but actually pay closer to the effective one.
Should I subtract the standard deduction?
If you're entering gross income and plan to take the standard deduction, yes — leave that option on so the tool removes 2024's amount before taxing. If you already have your taxable income figure, switch it off so it isn't subtracted twice.
Does this include Social Security and Medicare?
No. This tool is federal income tax only. Payroll taxes like Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%) are separate — the take-home pay calculator folds those in if you want the full paycheck picture.