Federal tax brackets 2026, explained
"I got a raise into the next bracket — now I take home less!" is the most persistent myth in personal finance. It's false, and understanding why takes about three minutes.
The 2026 brackets (single filer)
Set by IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32, incorporating the One Big Beautiful Bill Act's permanent extension of the 2017 rate structure:
| Rate | Taxable income (single) | Taxable income (married joint) |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $12,400 | $0 – $24,800 |
| 12% | $12,400 – $50,400 | $24,800 – $100,800 |
| 22% | $50,400 – $105,700 | $100,800 – $211,400 |
| 24% | $105,700 – $201,775 | $211,400 – $403,550 |
| 32% | $201,775 – $256,225 | $403,550 – $512,450 |
| 35% | $256,225 – $640,600 | $512,450 – $768,700 |
| 37% | over $640,600 | over $768,700 |
Standard deduction: $16,100 single / $32,200 married filing jointly. Income below the deduction is taxed at 0%.
Marginal means marginal
Each rate applies only to the dollars inside that bracket. Crossing a threshold changes the tax on your next dollar, never on the dollars behind it.
Example: $60,000 salary, single, standard deduction.
- Taxable income: $60,000 − $16,100 = $43,900
- First $12,400 × 10% = $1,240
- Remaining $31,500 × 12% = $3,780
- Federal tax: $5,020
Your marginal rate is 12% (the tax on your next dollar), but your effective rate is just 8.4% of gross — and that's the number that describes your life. Add FICA (7.65%) and the picture on your pay stub makes sense.
Example: $120,000 salary, single. Taxable $103,900 → $1,240 + $4,560 + ($103,900−$50,400)×22% = $17,570, an effective federal rate of 14.6% despite a 22% marginal bracket.
Why a raise never hurts (almost)
Move from $50,000 to $52,000 and only the dollars above the 22% threshold — if any — pay the higher rate; everything below keeps its old treatment. The rare genuine "cliffs" in the tax code are benefit phase-outs (EITC, premium tax credits, IRMAA Medicare surcharges), not the brackets themselves. If a raise seems to shrink your check, look at withholding tables or benefit deductions, not the bracket schedule.
Inflation indexing
Bracket edges and the standard deduction rise with chained CPI every year (2026's thresholds are ~2.7% above 2025's). This prevents bracket creep — paying higher rates merely because inflation raised your nominal wage. If your raise only matches inflation, your effective federal rate stays roughly flat.
What the brackets don't include
The bracket math above excludes: FICA (a flat 7.65% employee-side on top — see our FICA guide); state income taxes (0% in Texas/Florida, up to 13.3% in California); capital gains (their own preferential schedule); and credits (child tax credit, EITC), which subtract from the tax bill dollar-for-dollar and can push effective rates negative at lower incomes.
Quick reference: effective federal rates, 2026 single filer
| Gross salary | Federal tax | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $1,420 | 4.7% |
| $60,000 | $5,020 | 8.4% |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | 13.2% |
| $200,000 | $36,734 | 18.4% |
(Standard deduction, no credits.) For your state's addition, see the state-by-state pages under salary after tax.
Sources
- IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments); IRS newsroom summary
- Tax Foundation, 2026 Tax Brackets
- Congressional Research Service, Federal Individual Income Tax Brackets, 1988–2026
Estimates for reference only, based on 2026 published rates. Not tax, legal or financial advice.