Tools · Tax Estimator

An honest look
at what you'll owe.

W-2, self-employment, Bitcoin, dividends, and a federal tax estimate. A state component is included only for states whose 2026 rules are explicitly marked supported below; every other selection returns a federal-only result. This is not your tax return. Use TurboTax, H&R Block, FreeTaxUSA, IRS Free File, or a CPA to actually file.

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.).
// VERIFY NUMBERS Tax brackets, contribution limits, and the standard deductionstandard deductionA fixed dollar amount that reduces your taxable income without itemizing. Most people claim this instead of listing individual deductions.Full definition update every January. Figures baked into this tool reflect the year noted in the source; verify the current year's numbers at irs.gov before relying on a result for actual tax planning.
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, 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 with large preference items, NOLs, basis limitations, K-1 pass-throughs with complex allocations, estate or trust income, rental depreciation recapture, ISOIncentive Stock Option (ISO)A right your employer gives you to buy company shares at a fixed price later. Cheaper taxes than other stock options if you hold long enough, but can trigger an unexpected extra tax called AMT.Full definition 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 inflationinflationA general increase in prices over time, meaning each dollar buys less than it did before.Full definition-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.

Form W-2 · wage and tax statement ×DON'T TRUST, VERIFYClaim: W-2 Box 1 is federal taxable wages; Box 3 is SS wages capped at $184,500 for 2025 ($184,500 projected 2026).Verify at: IRS W-2 instructions ↗SS wage base indexed annually; Medicare has no cap.

Copy what's on your pay stub or W-2.

Box 12 · pre-tax and retirement codes

Most common codes. D: 401(k), E: 403(b), G: 457(b), W: HSAHealth Savings Account (HSA)A tax-advantaged account for healthcare costs, available with a high-deductible plan; contributions, growth, and qualified withdrawals are all tax-free.Full definition 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.

Additional income (leave blank if none)
Deductions
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
···
Where your taxable income sits in the 2026 federal brackets
State tax detail

···

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
···
Optimization suggestions
···
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.

→ IRS Free File (AGI ≤ $84k) ↗ → FreeTaxUSA (free federal, $15 state) ↗ → IRS Direct File (25 states) ↗ → TurboTax ↗ → H&R Block ↗ → TaxAct ↗ → Cash App Taxes (free all) ↗ → Find a CPA (AICPA) ↗

When to hire a CPA vs DIY: CPA pays for itself if you have rental income, self-employment > $50k, multi-state, RSURestricted Stock Unit (RSU)Company shares your employer promises to give you over time, usually a chunk every year for four years. The shares are taxed as regular wages on the day each chunk lands in your account.Full definition/ISO/NSONon-Qualified Stock Option (NSO)An employee stock option taxed as ordinary income at exercise, unlike ISOs which receive better tax treatment.Full definition, large crypto activity, estate planningestate planningOrganizing your assets and legal documents so they transfer correctly and efficiently when you die.Full definition, 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.

What this tool assumes
  • 2026 federal brackets and standard deductions (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025 inflation adjustments).
  • Standard deduction applied unless itemized is toggled.
  • SALT deduction capped at $40,400 for 2026 (OBBBA), reduced by 30% of income over $505,000 down to a $10,000 floor; MFS uses half of each amount. MAGIModified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI)Your taxable income with certain deductions added back in. The IRS uses this slightly different number to decide if you qualify for some tax breaks.Full definition is approximated by AGI here.
  • Child Tax Credit of $2,200 per dependent under 17; up to $1,700 per child is refundable (ACTC: 15% of earned income over $2,500). Phases out above $200k AGI ($400k MFJMarried Filing Jointly (MFJ)A tax filing status where a married couple combines their income and deductions on one tax return.).
  • Capital gainscapital gainsThe profit from selling an asset for more than you paid for it. Taxed differently depending on how long you held the asset. and losses are netted Schedule D style. A net loss offsets ordinary income up to $3,000 ($1,500 MFS); the remainder is a carryforward to future years (shown in the breakdown, not applied).
  • State income tax is estimated at single-filer rates where graduated; check your state DOR.

Related

→ Paycheck Optimizer, what maxing 401(k)/HSA does to take-home → Tax Loss Harvesting, offset Bitcoin losses against gains → Roth Conversion Ladder, fill lower brackets on purpose → Bitcoin Taxes, the full treatment → Tax Strategy, the order of operations → Bitcoin State Taxes, what each state does → Solo 401(k), the self-employed retirement play
New to this topic?

See the glossary for plain-English definitions of every term used here.

Last updated 2026-04-22. 2026 figures are 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 from IRS guidance. Not financial advice, not tax advice. Estimation only; use a CPA or tax software to file.

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.