Simple Income Tax Estimator
Estimate US federal income tax from gross income and filing status using 2024 brackets.
Returns effective rate, marginal rate, and tax for all filing statuses.
Income tax in the United States uses a progressive bracket system — you pay different rates on different portions of your income, not a single flat rate on everything. Understanding this eliminates the common misconception that earning more always leaves you worse off after taxes.
Formula: Taxable Income = Gross Income − Above-the-Line Deductions − Standard Deduction (or Itemized) Tax Owed = Σ(Tax Rate × Income within each bracket) Effective Tax Rate = Total Tax Owed ÷ Taxable Income × 100 Marginal Tax Rate = The rate that applies to your last dollar of income
What each variable means:
- Gross Income — all wages, salaries, freelance income, interest, dividends, and other taxable income.
- Above-the-Line Deductions — student loan interest, HSA contributions, self-employed health insurance, IRA deductions.
- Standard Deduction (2024) — $14,600 (single), $29,200 (married filing jointly), $21,900 (head of household).
2024 Federal Tax Brackets (Single filer):
- 10%: $0 – $11,600
- 12%: $11,601 – $47,150
- 22%: $47,151 – $100,525
- 24%: $100,526 – $191,950
- 32%: $191,951 – $243,725
- 35%: $243,726 – $609,350
- 37%: Over $609,350
Worked example: Single filer, gross income $75,000, takes standard deduction. Taxable income = $75,000 − $14,600 = $60,400
Tax = (10% × $11,600) + (12% × $35,550) + (22% × $13,250) Tax = $1,160 + $4,266 + $2,915 = $8,341
Effective rate = $8,341 ÷ $60,400 = 13.8% (much lower than the marginal 22% rate)