Marginal Tax Rate Calculator 2026

Marginal Tax Rate Calculator

Your marginal tax rate is the bracket your next dollar lands in — what matters when you weigh a raise, a bonus or extra freelance work. Enter your income to find your 2026 federal bracket and exactly how much of your next dollar you keep.

● 7 federal brackets ● Next-dollar value ● 2026 IRS data

🪜 Your tax bracket

The bracket myth

What your marginal tax rate really means

A common fear is that "moving up a bracket" taxes all your income at the higher rate. It doesn't. Only the dollars inside each bracket are taxed at that bracket's rate. Your marginal rate applies just to your next dollar — which is exactly the number you need when deciding whether extra income is worth it.

2026 federal brackets (single filer)

Taxable income	Marginal rate
$0 – $12,400	10%
$12,400 – $50,400	12%
$50,400 – $105,700	22%
$105,700 – $201,775	24%
$201,775 – $256,225	32%
$256,225 – $640,600	35%
$640,600+	37%

2026 single-filer brackets per IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32. Taxable income is gross minus pre-tax deductions and the standard deduction. Married and head-of-household thresholds differ.

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The raise math: If you're in the 22% bracket, a $5,000 raise yields about $3,900 after federal tax — never $0. You always keep the majority of a raise; only the slice in a higher bracket is taxed more.

Marginal vs. effective

Use your marginal rate for decisions about extra income, and your effective rate to understand your overall burden. They answer different questions — and confusing them is the single most common tax mistake.

Marginal tax rate FAQ

What is a marginal tax rate?

Your marginal tax rate is the rate applied to your next dollar of taxable income — the federal bracket your highest dollars fall into. It is the number you use to estimate the tax on a raise, bonus or side income.

Does moving into a higher bracket tax all my income more?

No. The US uses a progressive system, so only the dollars within each bracket are taxed at that bracket's rate. Crossing into the 24% bracket means only the income above the threshold is taxed at 24% — the rest stays at lower rates.

What tax bracket am I in for 2026?

For a single filer, taxable income up to $12,400 is 10%, up to $50,400 is 12%, up to $105,700 is 22%, up to $201,775 is 24%, then 32%, 35% and 37% above $640,600. Taxable income is your salary minus pre-tax deductions and the standard deduction.

How much of a $5,000 raise will I keep?

In the 22% bracket you keep about $3,900 of a $5,000 raise after federal income tax, before FICA and state tax. A raise is taxed at your marginal rate, so higher brackets keep slightly less, but you always keep the majority.