Estimate your 2025 federal income tax and take-home pay. Uses current IRS brackets and the standard deduction, and shows both your effective and marginal rates.
The United States uses a progressive, bracket-based system. Your gross income is first reduced by adjustments and the standard deduction (or itemized deductions) to arrive at taxable income. That taxable income is then sliced across the brackets, and each slice is taxed at its own rate. A common myth is that moving into a higher bracket taxes all your income at that rate — it does not. Only the dollars inside each bracket are taxed at that bracket's rate.
Your marginal rate is the bracket your last dollar lands in. Your effective rate — total tax divided by income — is lower, because your first dollars are taxed at 10% and 12%. Someone in the 22% marginal bracket usually has an effective rate closer to 13–15%. Understanding the gap helps when you weigh a raise, a bonus, or a pre-tax contribution.
For the 2025 tax year (returns filed in 2026), the standard deduction is $15,000 single, $30,000 married filing jointly, and $22,500 head of household. Below is the single-filer bracket schedule this calculator applies:
| Rate | Single taxable income |
|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $11,925 |
| 12% | $11,925 – $48,475 |
| 22% | $48,475 – $103,350 |
| 24% | $103,350 – $197,300 |
| 32% | $197,300 – $250,525 |
| 35% | $250,525 – $626,350 |
| 37% | $626,350+ |
Tip: Pre-tax contributions to a 401(k) or HSA lower your taxable income dollar for dollar. Enter them above and watch your tax fall — the higher your marginal bracket, the bigger the saving on each dollar deferred.
This tool covers federal income tax only. It excludes FICA payroll taxes (7.65% on wages for Social Security and Medicare), state and local income taxes, tax credits, and the self-employment tax. Your total paycheck withholding will be higher. To see the flip side of your money growing over time, try the compound interest calculator, or plan your paycheck with the salary-to-hourly calculator.