DollarWise

Free US Federal Income Tax Estimator 2026

October 12, 2026 · 3 min read · By the DollarWise team

Wondering what you will actually owe next April? Enter your gross income, filing status, and pre-tax deductions, and this estimator applies the real 2026 federal brackets and standard deductions to produce your taxable income, federal tax, effective rate, and the marginal bracket your next raise would land in. It runs entirely in your browser — your income is never typed into anyone’s server. Educational estimate only; it excludes state tax, credits, and payroll (FICA) taxes.

US Federal Income Tax Estimator (2026)

Estimate your 2026 federal tax in seconds — real brackets, standard deduction, effective and marginal rates. No sign-up, nothing stored.

100% Free Forever No Sign-up No Credit Card Private — files never leave your browser Unlimited Use

1 Your 2026 income

Filing status
Gross annual income ($)
Pre-tax deductions — 401(k), HSA etc. ($)
Other deductions above standard ($, 0 = use standard)
Uses 2026 federal brackets and standard deductions (Single $16,100 · Joint $32,200 · Head of household $24,150). Federal only — no state tax, credits, or FICA. Educational estimate, not tax advice.

2 Your estimate

🧾 2026 federal estimate

🎉 Free forever. No sign-up. No credit card. No limits.

Estimate your 2026 federal tax — free forever, right in your browser.

How it works

The tool subtracts pre-tax deductions (like 401(k) and HSA contributions) and the larger of the standard deduction or your itemized amount from gross income to get taxable income. It then walks the 2026 bracket table for your filing status, taxing each slice at its bracket rate — the way the IRS actually computes it — and totals the slices. The marginal rate is the bracket your last dollar fell into; the effective rate is your total tax divided by gross income.

Everyday uses

  • Employees — sanity-check your withholding before year-end surprises.
  • Freelancers — rough out quarterly estimated payments.
  • Job changers — compare offers by real take-home, not headline salary.
  • New filers — learn how brackets and the standard deduction actually work.

Frequently asked questions

Does this include state income tax?

No — this is the federal estimate only. State taxes range from 0% in nine states to over 10% in the highest-tax states. See our guide to states with no income tax.

Why is my effective rate lower than my bracket?

Because brackets are marginal: only the dollars inside each bracket are taxed at that rate, and the standard deduction shelters the first chunk entirely.

Is this tax advice?

No — it is an educational estimator using 2026 figures. Credits, other income, and special situations can change your real bill; a tax professional can advise on your situation.

Where is my data stored?

Nowhere. The calculation runs in your browser and the numbers vanish when you close the tab.