Calculate your estimated California state income tax based on your filing status and income.
Single
Married Filing Jointly
Married Filing Separately
Head of Household
Estimated California State Tax
$0.00
Understanding California State Income Tax
California has a progressive income tax system, meaning that tax rates increase as taxable income increases. The state income tax is a crucial component of California's budget, funding various public services such as education, infrastructure, and healthcare.
How California Income Tax Works
The calculation of your California state income tax involves several steps:
Gross Income: This is your total income from all sources before any deductions or credits.
Adjusted Gross Income (AGI): While California doesn't have a direct AGI calculation like the federal system, you typically subtract certain "above-the-line" deductions to arrive at your taxable income. For simplicity in this calculator, we directly subtract your provided deductions.
Taxable Income: This is your gross income minus your total deductions and credits. This is the amount your tax is calculated on.
Tax Brackets: California applies different tax rates to different portions (brackets) of your taxable income. These brackets and rates are subject to change annually.
California Tax Brackets (Example – Fiscal Year 2023)
The following are simplified examples of California's tax brackets for individual filers for the 2023 tax year. Note that rates and bracket thresholds are adjusted for inflation each year. This calculator uses a simplified lookup based on filing status.
Single Filers (Approximate Brackets):
0% – $10,412: 2%
$10,413 – $24,684: 4%
$24,685 – $38,959: 6%
$38,960 – $54,081: 8%
$54,082 – $68,350: 9.3%
$68,351 – $349,123: 10.3%
$349,124 – $418,950: 11.3%
$418,951 – $698,250: 12.3%
Over $698,250: 13.3%
Married Filing Jointly (Approximate Brackets):
0% – $20,824: 2%
$20,825 – $49,368: 4%
$49,369 – $77,918: 6%
$77,919 – $108,162: 8%
$108,163 – $136,700: 9.3%
$136,701 – $698,246: 10.3%
$698,247 – $837,900: 11.3%
$837,901 – $1,396,500: 12.3%
Over $1,396,500: 13.3%
(Note: These brackets are illustrative and may not be exact for the current tax year. Always consult official sources or a tax professional for precise figures.)
Calculator Usage and Limitations
This calculator provides an estimation of your California state income tax based on the information you provide. It simplifies the tax calculation process by using general tax brackets and assumes you have accurately accounted for all relevant deductions and credits in the provided fields.
This calculator is for estimation purposes only and is not a substitute for professional tax advice. Actual tax liability can be affected by numerous factors, including specific tax laws, credits, exemptions, retirement contributions, and other complexities not captured here. For definitive tax advice, please consult with a qualified tax professional or refer to the official California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) publications.
function calculateCaliforniaTax() {
var grossIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById("grossIncome").value);
var deductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById("deductions").value);
var filingStatus = document.getElementById("filingStatus").value;
var resultDisplay = document.getElementById("result");
var resultValueDisplay = document.getElementById("result-value");
// — Input Validation —
if (isNaN(grossIncome) || grossIncome < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Gross Annual Income.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(deductions) || deductions < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Total Deductions & Credits amount.");
return;
}
var taxableIncome = grossIncome – deductions;
if (taxableIncome < 0) {
taxableIncome = 0; // Taxable income cannot be negative
}
var taxRate = 0;
var taxAmount = 0;
// — Tax Bracket Definitions (Simplified for illustrative purposes, based on 2023 approximate rates) —
// These are simplified effective rates for each bracket tier for each filing status.
// In reality, California uses marginal rates applied to income falling within each bracket.
// This calculator approximates by finding the bracket the taxable income falls into and applying a simplified tiered approach.
var singleRates = [
{ limit: 10412, rate: 0.02 },
{ limit: 24684, rate: 0.04 },
{ limit: 38959, rate: 0.06 },
{ limit: 54081, rate: 0.08 },
{ limit: 68350, rate: 0.093 },
{ limit: 349123, rate: 0.103 },
{ limit: 418950, rate: 0.113 },
{ limit: 698250, rate: 0.123 },
{ limit: Infinity, rate: 0.133 }
];
var marriedJointlyRates = [
{ limit: 20824, rate: 0.02 },
{ limit: 49368, rate: 0.04 },
{ limit: 77918, rate: 0.06 },
{ limit: 108162, rate: 0.08 },
{ limit: 136700, rate: 0.093 },
{ limit: 698246, rate: 0.103 },
{ limit: 837900, rate: 0.113 },
{ limit: 1396500, rate: 0.123 },
{ limit: Infinity, rate: 0.133 }
];
// For simplicity, Married Filing Separately and Head of Household brackets are often similar to Single or adjusted.
// We'll use Single brackets for MFS and a slightly adjusted set for HoH for this example.
var marriedSeparatelyRates = [
{ limit: 5206, rate: 0.02 }, // Half of Single lowest bracket
{ limit: 12342, rate: 0.04 }, // Half of Single
{ limit: 19479, rate: 0.06 }, // Half of Single
{ limit: 27040, rate: 0.08 }, // Half of Single
{ limit: 34175, rate: 0.093 }, // Half of Single
{ limit: 174561, rate: 0.103 }, // Half of Single
{ limit: 209475, rate: 0.113 }, // Half of Single
{ limit: 349125, rate: 0.123 }, // Half of Single
{ limit: Infinity, rate: 0.133 }
];
var headOfHouseholdRates = [
{ limit: 10412, rate: 0.02 }, // Same as Single
{ limit: 24684, rate: 0.04 }, // Same as Single
{ limit: 38959, rate: 0.06 }, // Same as Single
{ limit: 54081, rate: 0.08 }, // Same as Single
{ limit: 68350, rate: 0.093 }, // Same as Single
{ limit: 349123, rate: 0.103 }, // Same as Single
{ limit: 418950, rate: 0.113 }, // Same as Single
{ limit: 698250, rate: 0.123 }, // Same as Single
{ limit: Infinity, rate: 0.133 }
];
var currentRates;
switch (filingStatus) {
case "single":
currentRates = singleRates;
break;
case "married_filing_jointly":
currentRates = marriedJointlyRates;
break;
case "married_filing_separately":
currentRates = marriedSeparatelyRates;
break;
case "head_of_household":
currentRates = headOfHouseholdRates;
break;
default:
alert("Invalid filing status selected.");
return;
}
var incomeAccountedFor = 0;
var remainingIncome = taxableIncome;
for (var i = 0; i < currentRates.length; i++) {
var bracket = currentRates[i];
var bracketAmount = 0;
if (remainingIncome <= 0) {
break; // No more income to tax
}
if (bracket.limit === Infinity) {
// Last bracket
bracketAmount = remainingIncome;
} else {
// Calculate the size of this bracket
var previousLimit = (i === 0) ? 0 : currentRates[i-1].limit;
var bracketSize = bracket.limit – previousLimit;
bracketAmount = Math.min(remainingIncome, bracketSize);
}
taxAmount += bracketAmount * bracket.rate;
remainingIncome -= bracketAmount;
}
// — Display Result —
var formattedTaxAmount = taxAmount.toFixed(2);
resultValueDisplay.textContent = "$" + formattedTaxAmount;
resultDisplay.style.display = "block";
}