Estimate your federal income tax liability based on your filing status and taxable income.
Single
Married Filing Jointly
Married Filing Separately
Head of Household
Your Estimated Tax
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Understanding IRS Tax Brackets
The U.S. federal income tax system is progressive, meaning that higher income levels are taxed at higher rates. This is achieved through a system of tax brackets. Each bracket represents a range of income taxed at a specific rate. Your total tax liability is calculated by summing the taxes paid on each portion of your income that falls into different brackets.
How the Calculator Works
This calculator uses the official IRS tax brackets for a specific tax year (please note: tax brackets are updated annually). It requires two key pieces of information:
Taxable Income: This is your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) minus any deductions you claim (either the standard deduction or itemized deductions). It's the amount of income that is actually subject to federal income tax.
Filing Status: This determines which set of tax brackets and standard deduction amounts apply to you. The common filing statuses are Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, and Head of Household.
The calculator applies the appropriate tax rates to the portions of your income that fall within each bracket for your selected filing status.
Tax Brackets Explained (Example for a hypothetical recent tax year – *always consult official IRS resources for the most current data*)
The tax rates and income ranges vary by filing status and tax year. Here's a simplified illustration of how a progressive tax system works:
If you are in the 10% bracket, the first portion of your income is taxed at 10%.
If you are also in the 12% bracket, the *next* portion of your income (above the 10% bracket's limit) is taxed at 12%.
This continues for all subsequent brackets (22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, 37%).
Important Note: This calculator provides an estimate for educational purposes only. It does not account for all potential tax credits, deductions, alternative minimum taxes, or other complexities of the tax code. Always consult with a qualified tax professional or refer to official IRS publications for accurate tax advice and filing.
function calculateTaxes() {
var taxableIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById("taxableIncome").value);
var filingStatus = document.getElementById("filingStatus").value;
var totalTax = 0;
// Tax Brackets for a hypothetical recent year (e.g., 2023 for illustrative purposes)
// THESE ARE FOR ILLUSTRATION ONLY. Actual brackets change yearly.
// Consult IRS.gov for official, current year data.
var brackets = {
single: [
{ limit: 11000, rate: 0.10 },
{ limit: 44725, rate: 0.12 },
{ limit: 95375, rate: 0.22 },
{ limit: 182100, rate: 0.24 },
{ limit: 231250, rate: 0.32 },
{ limit: 578125, rate: 0.35 },
{ limit: Infinity, rate: 0.37 } // Top bracket
],
married_filing_jointly: [
{ limit: 22000, rate: 0.10 },
{ limit: 89450, rate: 0.12 },
{ limit: 190750, rate: 0.22 },
{ limit: 364200, rate: 0.24 },
{ limit: 462500, rate: 0.32 },
{ limit: 693750, rate: 0.35 },
{ limit: Infinity, rate: 0.37 } // Top bracket
],
married_filing_separately: [ // Often mirrors single, but with different income thresholds
{ limit: 11000, rate: 0.10 },
{ limit: 44725, rate: 0.12 },
{ limit: 95375, rate: 0.22 },
{ limit: 182100, rate: 0.24 },
{ limit: 231250, rate: 0.32 },
{ limit: 346875, rate: 0.35 }, // Adjusted limit for MFS
{ limit: Infinity, rate: 0.37 } // Top bracket
],
head_of_household: [
{ limit: 15700, rate: 0.10 },
{ limit: 59850, rate: 0.12 },
{ limit: 95350, rate: 0.22 },
{ limit: 182100, rate: 0.24 },
{ limit: 231250, rate: 0.32 },
{ limit: 578100, rate: 0.35 },
{ limit: Infinity, rate: 0.37 } // Top bracket
]
};
var currentBrackets = brackets[filingStatus];
var previousLimit = 0;
if (isNaN(taxableIncome) || taxableIncome < 0) {
document.getElementById("taxResult").innerText = "Please enter a valid income.";
return;
}
for (var i = 0; i previousLimit) {
incomeInBracket = Math.min(taxableIncome, bracket.limit) – previousLimit;
totalTax += incomeInBracket * bracket.rate;
} else {
// Income does not reach this bracket
break;
}
previousLimit = bracket.limit;
}
document.getElementById("taxResult").innerText = "$" + totalTax.toFixed(2);
}