US Federal Income Tax Calculator
Estimate your federal income tax and take-home pay from your gross salary and filing status.
This calculator gives you a quick estimate of the federal income tax on a salary. Enter your annual gross income, pick a filing status, and it applies the standard deduction and the progressive tax brackets to show your estimated tax, your effective rate, your top marginal bracket, and a rough take-home figure. It is built for a fast ballpark, not a filed return — it looks only at federal income tax on wages. Everything runs in your browser, so your income figures never leave your device.
How the tax is calculated
The tool first subtracts the standard deduction from your gross income to get taxable income, then taxes that amount one bracket at a time. It uses the federal figures for the 2024 tax year: a standard deduction of $14,600 for single filers, $29,200 for married filing jointly, and $21,900 for head of household, each with its own set of seven brackets running from 10% up to 37%.
Tax = sum over brackets of (income in bracket × bracket rate), on (gross − standard deduction)
Take a single filer earning $75,000. Taxable income is 75,000 − 14,600 = $60,400. The first $11,600 is taxed at 10% ($1,160), the next $35,550 at 12% ($4,266), and the remaining $13,250 at 22% ($2,915), for about $8,341 in tax. The effective rate shown is 8,341 ÷ 75,000 ≈ 11.1%, the top bracket is 22%, and estimated take-home is 75,000 − 8,341 ≈ $66,659.
Reading the four results
Estimated Federal Tax is the total from the bracket math above. Effective Rate divides that tax by your gross income, so it is usually much lower than your top bracket — it is the average share of every dollar you earn that goes to federal income tax. Take-Home (Est) is simply gross income minus that federal tax. Top Bracket is the marginal rate on your last dollar of taxable income. Because take-home here subtracts only federal income tax, your real paycheck will be lower once Social Security and Medicare (FICA), any state income tax, and other withholdings come out.
What this estimate leaves out
This is a planning estimate, not tax advice. It assumes the standard deduction and does not model itemized deductions, tax credits, retirement or pre-tax contributions, capital gains, or income beyond a single wage figure. All three filing statuses — single, married filing jointly, and head of household — use their own 2024 brackets and standard deduction. The IRS adjusts brackets and the standard deduction every year, so confirm against current figures for the year you are filing. Your actual liability depends on your full circumstances, and a tax professional can account for the details this tool cannot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this calculator store or send my income?
No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded or saved, and reloading the page clears the values.
Is this the same as what I will owe on my tax return?
Not exactly. It is an estimate of federal income tax using the standard deduction and the 2024 brackets. It does not include credits, itemized deductions, FICA, or state tax, so treat it as a rough guide for planning rather than a filed figure.
Why is my effective rate so much lower than my tax bracket?
Because the brackets are progressive. Only the income that falls inside each band is taxed at that band's rate, so your first dollars are taxed at 10% or 12% even if your last dollars reach 22% or higher. The effective rate is the blended average across all of them.
Is this tax advice?
No. It is for general information and planning only. Tax law and IRS figures change year to year, and your real liability depends on your filing status, deductions, credits, and state rules. Check with a qualified tax professional for decisions about your own taxes.