Tools · Tax Bracket (2026)

Tax brackets,
made visible.

Most people conflate marginal rate with effective rate. This tool breaks your income into every federal bracket it crosses and shows what each one costs. Single, married filing jointly, or head of household. Pre-tax deductions reduce your taxable income before the brackets apply.

This page covers US-specific accounts and tax law. Outside the US? The priority order is the same, the account names differ (ISAIndividual Savings Account (ISA)A UK tax-advantaged account where contributions are post-tax but all growth and withdrawals are tax-free.Full definition in the UK, TFSATax-Free Savings Account (TFSA)A Canadian tax-advantaged account where contributions are post-tax but all growth and withdrawals are tax-free.Full definition/RRSPRegistered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP)A Canadian tax-deferred retirement account; contributions reduce taxable income and growth is tax-deferred until withdrawal.Full definition in Canada, Super in Australia, etc.).

2026 brackets shown are IRS inflation-adjustedinflation-adjustedA dollar number redrawn after stripping out the effect of rising prices, so you can compare what the money actually bought across years. A $30,000 salary in 1985 was worth more in real life than a $50,000 salary today. projections. The IRS typically publishes final figures in October/November of the prior year. Verify at irs.gov before filing. Federal only, state taxes vary by jurisdiction.

Not Roth contributions. Only pre-tax.

TAXABLE INCOME
$0
FEDERAL TAX
$0
EFFECTIVE RATE
0%
MARGINAL RATE
0%
AFTER-TAX INCOME (FEDERAL ONLY)
$0
INCOME BROKEN INTO BRACKETS
MARGINAL VS EFFECTIVE

Your marginal rate is the bracket your next dollar falls into. Your effective rate is your total tax divided by taxable income, always lower, because earlier income was taxed at lower brackets. A “22% bracket” taxpayer typically pays 12–16% effectively. This is why “I just entered a new bracket” does not mean all your income is suddenly taxed at the higher rate.

What this tool assumes
  • 2026 federal marginal brackets (projected IRS Rev. Proc. figures).
  • Marginal rate applies to the next dollar; effective rate averages all brackets filled.

Not tax advice. Federal only. State taxes, FICAFederal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA)The payroll tax that funds Social Security and Medicare, split between employee and employer.Full definition, NIITNet Investment Income Tax (NIIT)A 3.8% extra federal tax on investment income for higher earners (above $200k single, $250k married).Full definition, AMTAlternative Minimum Tax (AMT)A second federal tax calculation. You compute your normal tax, you compute AMT, and you pay whichever is higher. Often triggered by employee stock options or large state-tax deductions.Full definition, and credits (EITC, CTC, etc.) are not included. Verify all figures at IRS.gov before filing.

This is the quick version. The free Command Center workbook runs this math inside your whole financial picture: one input spine, a 2026 tax engine, and 23 built-in self-tests.

Related

→ Every Tax-Advantaged Account Compared → Tax Strategy Playbook → Roth vs Traditional Calculator → Bitcoin Taxes
HOW THIS IS CALCULATED

This tool runs entirely in your browser — no data is sent to any server. All formulas use standard financial math. Verify the methodology or inspect the source code in your browser's dev tools.