Home›Tools›Tax Estimator (W-2 + Self-Employed + All 50 States)
Tools · Tax Estimator
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An honest look at what you'll owe.
W-2, self-employment, Bitcoin, dividends, state tax. This is an estimation tool. It is not your tax return. It will get you within a few hundred dollars of what you owe, usually. Use the output to plan withholding, quarterly estimates, and year-end moves. Use TurboTax, H&R Block, FreeTaxUSA, IRS Free File, or a CPA to actually file.
READING TIME: 15 MIN · EST. USE TIME: 10 MIN
READ FIRST
This tool estimates. It does not file. Tax code is 73,000+ pages. This tool covers maybe 40 of them, the ones that apply to most people. If any of the following apply to you, the estimate will be wrong: multi-state income, nonresident alien status, foreign tax credits, passive activity losses, AMT with large preference items, NOLs, basis limitations, K-1 pass-throughs with complex allocations, estate or trust income, rental depreciation recapture, ISO exercises. The output is a starting point for conversation with your CPA or for rough withholding planning.
Every federal and state figure below has a verify badge. Click to see the source. All 2026 federal amounts are inflation-indexed projections; final figures are released by IRS in late 2025 and may shift by small amounts. Not tax advice, not legal advice, not financial advice.
INCOME TYPE
FILING STATUS 🔍 verify×DON'T TRUST, VERIFYClaim: 2026 standard deductions are $15,000 Single/MFS, $30,000 MFJ/QSS, $22,500 HOH.Verify at:IRS 2026 inflation adjustments ↗Indexed each year; IRS releases the official figure in late fall.
STATE 🔍 verify×DON'T TRUST, VERIFYClaim: State rates use single-filer brackets where graduated; check your state DOR for MFJ/HOH tables.Verify at:Tax Foundation 2026 state rates ↗9 states have no earned-income tax. 14 are flat-rate. 27+DC are graduated.
DEPENDENTS UNDER 17
FORM W-2 · WAGE AND TAX STATEMENT
Copy what's on your pay stub or W-2
🔍 verify×DON'T TRUST, VERIFYClaim: W-2 Box 1 is federal taxable wages; Box 3 is SS wages capped at $176,100 for 2025 ($184,500 projected 2026).Verify at:IRS W-2 instructions ↗SS wage base indexed annually; Medicare has no cap.
BOX 12 · PRE-TAX AND RETIREMENT CODES (click to expand)
Most common codes. D: 401(k), E: 403(b), G: 457(b), W: HSA via employer, AA: Roth 401(k), BB: Roth 403(b), EE: Roth 457(b), DD: employer-sponsored health (informational, not taxable). Others: A/B: uncollected SS/Medicare on tips, C: group term life over $50k, F/H/R/S/T/Y/Z/FF/GG/HH: various SIMPLE, nonqualified, adoption, DPAD.
SCHEDULE C · PROFIT OR LOSS FROM BUSINESS
1099-NEC / self-employed income
🔍 verify×DON'T TRUST, VERIFYClaim: SE tax is 15.3% on 92.35% of net earnings; half is deductible above the line.Verify at:IRS Schedule SE ↗SS portion (12.4%) caps at wage base; Medicare portion (2.9%) has no cap.
SELF-EMPLOYED RETIREMENT (Solo 401k / SEP-IRA)
Solo 401(k) employer portion is up to 25% of net SE earnings. SEP-IRA also ~20% of net SE earnings. HSA if HDHP. These are above-the-line for SE filers.
ADDITIONAL INCOME (leave blank if none)
DEDUCTIONS
Itemize only if your total exceeds the standard deduction for your filing status. Most filers take the standard.
ABOVE-THE-LINE ADJUSTMENTS
ESTIMATE
TOTAL INCOME
$0
AGI
$0
TAXABLE INCOME
$0
TOTAL TAX
$0
EFFECTIVE RATE
0%
MARGINAL RATE
0%
REFUND / OWE ESTIMATE
Fill in withholding to see this.
FULL CALCULATION BREAKDOWN (click to expand)
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WHERE YOUR TAXABLE INCOME SITS IN THE 2026 FEDERAL BRACKETS
STATE TAX DETAIL
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WHAT-IF PROJECTION
Drag to see how your total tax shifts if your primary income (W-2 wages or SE gross) changes. Everything else held constant.
1.00x
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OPTIMIZATION SUGGESTIONS
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SHAREABLE RESULT CARD
Download your estimate as a 1200×628 PNG.
Now actually file.
This tool is a projection. To file a real return, use one of these. All have real-world preparer review, IRS e-file, and audit support.
When to hire a CPA vs DIY: CPA pays for itself if you have rental income, self-employment > $50k, multi-state, RSU/ISO/NSO, large crypto activity, estate planning, or if you're close to a bracket line where planning moves the needle. A decent CPA runs $400-$1,500 for a typical return. For a straightforward W-2 with standard deduction, DIY software works fine.
Last updated 2026-04-22. 2026 figures are inflation-adjusted projections from IRS guidance. Not financial advice, not tax advice. Estimation only; use a CPA or tax software to file.