How U.S. taxes work
The U.S. uses a progressive federal income tax with seven brackets. Income is taxed in slices — not all at one rate — and credits and deductions reduce the amount owed.
Updated for Tax Year 2026
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Updated for Tax Year 2026
All calculators use the latest published federal brackets, standard deductions, and contribution limits for tax year 2026.
State-specific calculations
Effective rates for all 50 states plus DC, applied automatically based on where you live.
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Tax-year specific
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Choose a calculator
Eight purpose-built tools to handle the most common U.S. tax questions.
Income Tax Calculator
Estimate total federal and state income taxes for 2026.
OpenFederal Tax Calculator
See your federal tax owed with a full bracket breakdown.
OpenPaycheck Tax Calculator
Calculate take-home pay after federal, state, and FICA.
OpenSalary Tax Calculator
Annual salary breakdown into monthly and weekly take-home.
OpenTax Refund Calculator
Estimate your federal refund or amount owed.
OpenCapital Gains Tax Calculator
Estimate short and long-term capital gains taxes.
OpenProperty Tax Calculator
Estimate annual and monthly property taxes by state.
OpenSelf-Employment Tax Calculator
Calculate SE tax, federal estimate, and quarterly payments.
OpenState Tax Calculators
State-specific 2026 calculators with brackets, deductions, and credits built in.
California
California Income Tax Calculator
9 brackets, 1%–12.3% plus the 1% Mental Health surtax above $1M.
Calculate TexasTexas Paycheck Calculator
No state income tax — federal + FICA take-home for Texas employees.
Calculate FloridaFlorida Income Tax Calculator
No state income tax. Estimate federal liability and retirement income.
Calculate New YorkNew York Income Tax Calculator
State brackets 4%–10.9% plus NYC city tax for Manhattan & Brooklyn.
Calculate IllinoisIllinois Income Tax Calculator
Flat 4.95% — retirement income fully exempt for residents.
Calculate New JerseyNew Jersey Income Tax Calculator
1.4%–10.75% brackets plus the highest property tax in the US.
Calculate WashingtonWashington Paycheck Calculator
No wage income tax. WA Cares 0.58% LTSS deduction included.
Calculate GeorgiaGeorgia Income Tax Calculator
Flat 5.19% (2026), stepping down to 4.99% by 2029.
CalculateUnderstand how U.S. taxes work
Short, plain-English guides written for real taxpayers — no jargon required.
Federal vs state taxes
Federal taxes are paid to the IRS and apply nationally. State income taxes vary: nine states have none, while others use flat or graduated rates on top of federal tax.
Capital gains taxation
Profits on investments held over a year are taxed at favorable long-term rates of 0%, 15%, or 20%. Short-term gains are taxed as ordinary income.
Self-employment basics
If you earn $400+ from freelance or 1099 work, you owe 15.3% in self-employment tax for Social Security and Medicare, on top of regular income tax.
Tax refund fundamentals
A refund happens when your withholding and credits exceed your tax liability. It's not free money — it's an overpayment the IRS returns interest-free.
Paycheck deductions explained
Your paycheck is reduced by federal withholding, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), state withholding, and any pre-tax benefits like 401(k) or health insurance.
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