Tax Calculator
Estimate your 2026 federal income tax, FICA, and take-home pay — with standard or itemized deductions.
Interactive Tax Calculator
Result
Use this free tax calculator to estimate your 2026 federal income tax, FICA, self-employment tax, and take-home pay. Built for W-2 employees, freelancers, and retirees — with current 2026 brackets and standard deductions.
How to use this tax calculator
Enter your annual gross income, select your filing status, and choose standard or itemized deductions. The tool returns federal income tax, FICA, and net pay. Open the advanced settings to layer in self-employment income, Social Security benefits, or retirement withdrawals.
Worked example: $75,000 single, W-2 only
A single filer earning $75,000 in 2026 with the standard deduction of $14,100:
- Taxable income: $60,900
- Federal income tax: $8,907 (effective rate 11.9%)
- FICA tax: $5,738 (Social Security + Medicare)
- Total federal tax: $14,645
- Take-home pay: $60,355 per year, $5,030 per month
- Marginal rate: 22% (applies to the dollars above $48,475)
That same earner contributing $7,000 to a traditional 401(k) drops taxable income to $53,900, federal tax to $6,565, and take-home stays higher than expected — pre-tax contributions are powerful.
Worked example: $120,000 self-employed
A freelance consultant earning $120,000 net:
- Self-employment tax: $17,025 (15.3% on 92.35% of $120,000)
- Deductible half of SE tax: -$8,512
- Federal income tax: $16,213 (after standard deduction + half SE deduction)
- Total federal tax: $33,238
- Quarterly estimated payment: ~$8,310
- Effective rate: 27.7%
Self-employed individuals shoulder both halves of FICA, which makes the quarterly estimates substantially larger than what a W-2 employee would face.
2026 federal brackets at a glance
The marginal brackets for single filers in 2026: 10% on the first $11,925, 12% to $48,475, 22% to $103,350, 24% to $197,300, 32% to $250,525, 35% to $626,350, and 37% above. Standard deduction is $14,100 single / $28,200 married filing jointly.
Tips for accurate tax planning
- Reconcile withholding each fall. Run the calculator in October or November with year-to-date income to project April’s tax bill. Adjust your W-4 if the projection shows a large balance due or refund.
- Track estimated quarterly payments. Freelancers should set calendar reminders for April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15. Pay 90% of the current year or 100% of the prior year to avoid underpayment penalties.
- Maximize pre-tax contributions. 401(k), traditional IRA, HSA, and FSA reduce taxable income dollar-for-dollar. The earlier in the year you contribute, the larger the tax savings.
- Harvest investment losses. Realized capital losses offset realized gains, reducing your taxable investment income. Up to $3,000 of net losses can offset ordinary income each year.
- Bunch deductions. If you are near the itemized threshold, consider bunching charitable contributions or elective medical procedures into a single year to clear the standard deduction once every two years.
What this tool does not cover
This calculator handles federal income tax, FICA, and self-employment tax. It does not model:
- State income tax — varies widely; layer in a state-specific tool
- Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) — typically affects high-income households with substantial deductions
- Capital gains — long-term rates (0%, 15%, 20%) apply separately from ordinary income
- Dividend taxation — qualified dividends taxed at long-term capital gains rates
- Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) — 3.8% surtax on investment income above MAGI thresholds
- Estate and gift tax — separate filing and thresholds
- AMT, NIIT, and FICA on equity compensation — needs nuanced modeling
For complex situations, a CPA or Enrolled Agent is the right resource.
Related Tools
- Salary Calculator – Convert between hourly, weekly, monthly, and annual pay.
- Percentage Calculator – Quick percentage math for tax-related calculations.
- Retirement Calculator – Estimate the nest egg you need for retirement.
- Paycheck Calculator – Estimate quarterly estimated tax payments for freelancers.
- Salary Calculator – Convert an annual income goal into a billable hourly rate.
| Bracket | Taxable income range | Marginal rate | Cumulative tax at top |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $11,925 | 10% | $1,193 |
| 12% | $11,925 – $48,475 | 12% | $5,557 |
| 22% | $48,475 – $103,350 | 22% | $15,213 |
| 24% | $103,350 – $197,300 | 24% | $38,253 |
| 32% | $197,300 – $250,525 | 32% | $52,832 |
| 35% | $250,525 – $626,350 | 35% | $190,313 |
| 37% | $626,350+ | 37% | — |
Compare your options
Two methods, three minutes. The honest trade-off table.
This tax calculator
- + Uses 2026 federal brackets with all standard deduction amounts.
- + Models self-employment tax for freelancers and contractors.
- + Side-by-side comparison of filing statuses.
- − Does not pull actual W-2 or 1099 data — you enter manually.
IRS Tax Withholding Estimator
- + Official IRS tool, updated each year.
- + Produces a new W-4 if adjustments are needed.
- − Dated interface with limited guidance.
- − Does not model state taxes or self-employment.
TurboTax / H&R Block
- + Full return preparation, not just estimates.
- + Imports W-2 and brokerage data automatically.
- − $60-200+ for typical federal + state returns.
- − Upsells, add-on fees, and aggressive cross-selling.
Spreadsheet with brackets
- + Customizable for unusual income types.
- + Free and reusable year over year.
- − Manual upkeep when brackets and deductions change.
- − Easy to make a formula error that produces wrong estimates.
Who actually uses Tax Calculator?
Five concrete situations pulled from real sessions, with the exact inputs people paste in.
Confirm they are not over- or under-withholding for the year.
Enter gross salary, filing status, and deductions. The tool returns federal tax, FICA, and net pay per pay period — and flags whether the current withholding looks correct.
A reliable quarterly estimate that won't surprise them in April.
Enter net business income and the tool applies self-employment tax plus federal income tax. The result is the quarterly payment due to the IRS to avoid underpayment penalties.
Know which filing status produces a lower combined tax.
Run the calculator once for MFJ and once for MFS with the same combined income. The tool returns the dollar difference, which can be substantial when one spouse has high medical or student loan interest.
Translate a gross salary into the actual paycheck.
Enter the proposed gross and the calculator shows monthly take-home, annual federal tax, and effective tax rate — useful when comparing offers across states.
Estimate tax on combined retirement income sources.
Enter Social Security benefits, pension or RMD withdrawals, and any other income. The tool shows the marginal tax bracket and the share of Social Security that becomes taxable.
A federal tax calculator that handles W-2, 1099, and self-employment — without upsells
Most tax estimators lock the actual math behind a paywall. This tool applies the 2026 federal brackets, FICA, and self-employment tax formulas directly, with no signup and no upsell. Whether you are checking withholding, planning quarterly payments, or modeling a job offer, the calculator returns the same numbers a CPA would compute for the federal portion.
Uses 2026 tax brackets and standard deductions
All bracket thresholds, standard deduction amounts, and FICA limits are current for the 2026 tax year. The IRS adjusts these annually for inflation; the tool is rebuilt each January.
W-2, 1099, self-employment, and retirement income
Toggle between employee and contractor mode, enter W-2 wages or net business income, and the tool returns federal tax, SE tax, and take-home pay in one calculation.
No account required, no data stored
Enter your numbers, see the result, close the tab. The calculator runs entirely in your browser. No account creation, no email collection, no marketing follow-up.
Admits what it doesn't do
State taxes, AMT, capital gains layering, and exotic deductions are explicitly out of scope. Use this tool for federal estimates and a state-specific tool for the rest.
What you only get here: a free, current federal tax calculator that handles W-2 and self-employment with the same formula a CPA uses — without requiring an account or selling your data.