What Are Tax Brackets?
Your income tax rate is determined by the tax brackets you're in, but what are tax brackets exactly? Each tax bracket applies to specific income thresholds based on filing status. Higher earners typically pay higher income tax rates. Here's what you need to know to find your tax bracket and calculate your income taxes.
The One Big Beautiful Bill that passed includes permanently extending tax cuts from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including increasing the cap on the amount of state and local or sales tax and property tax (SALT) that you can deduct, makes cuts to energy credits passed under the Inflation Reduction Act, makes changes to taxes on tips and overtime for certain workers, reforms Medicaid, increases the Debt ceiling, and reforms Pell Grants and student loans. Updates to this article are in process. Check our One Big Beautiful Bill article for more information.

Key Takeaways
- Different portions of your income can be taxed at different rates. Tax brackets specify the tax rate you will pay on each portion of your taxable income.
- Your tax rate typically increases as your taxable income increases. The overall effect is that higher-income taxpayers usually pay a higher rate of income tax than lower-income taxpayers.
- Your effective tax rate is the percentage of your income that you owe in taxes. To find it, divide your total tax by your total income.
- Your marginal tax rate refers to the tax rate on the last dollar of your taxable income, or the highest tax bracket you fall under.
What are income tax brackets?
Tax brackets show you the tax rate you will pay on each portion of your taxable income. For example, if you file as Single, the lowest tax rate of 10% is applied to the first $11,925 of your taxable income in 2025. The next chunk of your income is then taxed at 12%, and so on, up to the top of your taxable income.
The progressive tax system increases the tax rate as taxable income increases. The overall effect is that higher-income taxpayers typically pay a higher rate of income tax than lower-income taxpayers.
How many tax brackets are there?
For the 2025 tax year (which you file a return for in 2026), there are seven different federal income tax brackets, with tax rates set based on your income and tax filing status, such as whether you file Single or Married Filing Jointly.
The seven tax brackets range from 10 to 37%, with an individual’s taxable income falling under different tax brackets to be taxed at different rates due to the United States’ progressive tax system.
TurboTax Tip:
There are seven different tax brackets with tax rates of 10, 12, 22, 24, 32, 35, and 37%. You can use the TurboTax Tax Bracket Calculator to determine your estimated tax rate.
What are the current federal tax brackets?
As stated, there are seven different tax brackets with tax rates of 10, 12, 22, 24, 32, 35, and 37%. How much you will actually owe depends on both your income and your filing status as well as several other factors.
For example, in 2025, if you file as Single, you will pay 10% on the first $11,925 of taxable income, but if you are Married Filing Jointly, you and your spouse remain in that lower tax bracket until your income exceeds $23,850.
2025 Federal Tax Brackets
Below are the federal tax brackets for the 2025 tax year:
Single Filer (2025) |
|
|---|---|
|
10% |
$0 to $11,925 |
|
12% |
$11,926 to $48,475 |
|
22% |
$48,476 to $103,350 |
|
24% |
$103,351 to $197,300 |
|
32% |
$197,301 to $250,525 |
|
35% |
$250,526 to $626,350 |
|
37% |
$626,351 or more |
Married Filing Jointly (2025) |
|
|---|---|
|
10% |
$0 to $23,850 |
|
12% |
$23,851 to $96,950 |
|
22% |
$96,951 to $206,700 |
|
24% |
$206,701 to $394,600 |
|
32% |
$394,601 to $501,050 |
|
35% |
$501,051 to $751,600 |
|
37% |
$751,601 or more |
Married Filing Separately (2025) |
|
|---|---|
|
10% |
$0 to $11,925 |
|
12% |
$11,926 to $48,475 |
|
22% |
$48,476 to $103,350 |
|
24% |
$103,351 to $197,300 |
|
32% |
$197,301 to $250,525 |
|
35% |
$250,526 to $375,800 |
|
37% |
$375,801 or more |
Head of Household (2025) |
|
|---|---|
|
10% |
$0 to $17,000 |
|
12% |
$17,001 to $64,850 |
|
22% |
$64,851 to $103,350 |
|
24% |
$103,351 to $197,300 |
|
32% |
$197,301 to $250,500 |
|
35% |
$250,501 to $626,350 |
|
37% |
$626,351 or more |
Use our 2025 tax bracket calculator to determine your estimated tax rate (the tool is updated every year).
2026 Federal Tax Brackets
Knowing the tax brackets for next year’s return can help you prepare in advance. So, here are the federal tax brackets for the 2026 tax year:
Single Filer (2026) |
|
|---|---|
|
10% |
$0 to $12,400 |
|
12% |
$12,401 to $50,400 |
|
22% |
$50,401 to $105,700 |
|
24% |
$105,701 to $201,775 |
|
32% |
$201,776 to $256,225 |
|
35% |
$256,226 to $640,600 |
|
37% |
$640,601 or more |
Married Filing Jointly (2026) |
|
|---|---|
|
10% |
$0 to $24,800 |
|
12% |
$24,801 to $100,800 |
|
22% |
$100,801 to $211,400 |
|
24% |
$211,401 to $403,550 |
|
32% |
$403,551 to $512,450 |
|
35% |
$512,451 to $768,700 |
|
37% |
$768,701 or more |
Married Filing Separately (2026) |
|
|---|---|
|
10% |
$0 to $12,400 |
|
12% |
$12,401 to $50,400 |
|
22% |
$50,401 to $105,700 |
|
24% |
$105,701 to $201,775 |
|
32% |
$201,776 to $256,225 |
|
35% |
$256,226 to $384,350 |
|
37% |
$384,351 or more |
Head of Household (2026) |
|
|---|---|
|
10% |
$0 to $17,700 |
|
12% |
$17,701 to $67,450 |
|
22% |
$67,451 to $105,700 |
|
24% |
$105,701 to $201,750 |
|
32% |
$201,751 to $256,200 |
|
35% |
$256,201 to $640,600 |
|
37% |
$640,601 or more |
Are tax brackets adjusted for inflation?
Every year, the IRS adjusts the tax brackets to account for inflation. As a result, some people may find themselves in a lower tax bracket than in previous years if their income stays the same or doesn’t increase by at least the rate of inflation.
How do deductions affect your tax bracket?
Deductions are a way for you to reduce your taxable income, which means less of your income is taxed in those higher tax brackets. For example, if you’re in the 32% tax bracket this year, then claiming a $1,000 deduction typically saves you $320 in taxes (32% of $1,000). However, if you’re in the 12% bracket, that same deduction only saves you $120 (12% of $1,000).
What is a marginal tax rate?
Your marginal tax rate refers to the tax rate on the last dollar of your taxable income, or the highest tax bracket you fall under.
For example, if you’re a Single filer earning a taxable income of $75,000, your marginal tax rate would be 22% for the 2025 tax year. Even if your taxable income increased by $10,000, your marginal tax rate would still be the same.
But, if your taxable income increased to $112,825, the last $9,475 would fall under the 24% tax bracket. So, while most of your salary falls under the 22% tax bracket, your marginal tax rate would be 24%.
What is an effective tax rate?
Your effective tax rate is the actual percentage of taxable income you pay to the IRS. It’s typically calculated by dividing your total tax – before subtracting tax payments and refundable tax credits – by your taxable income. This rate is usually lower than your marginal tax rate.
For example, if half of your income is taxed at 10% and the other half at 12%, then your marginal tax rate is 12% (your top rate), but your effective tax rate is only 11%. That means 11 cents of every dollar you earn for the year goes to the IRS.
Key Differences: Marginal vs. Effective Tax Rate
|
Feature |
Marginal Tax Rate |
Effective Tax Rate |
|
Core Definition |
Tax rate associated with your tax bracket |
Percentage of taxable income that you actually pay in federal income tax |
|
What It Measures |
Tax rate on the last dollar of your taxable income |
Your overall tax relative to your total income |
|
How It’s Calculated |
Determined by the highest tax bracket applied to your taxable income |
Total tax ÷ taxable income |
|
Progressive Bracket Impact |
Only the income within your top bracket is taxed at this rate |
Reflects all brackets you pass through, so it’s typically lower than your marginal rate |
|
Use Cases |
Evaluating the tax impact of earning more money; planning raises, bonuses, freelance income |
Budgeting, cash‑flow planning, understanding true tax burden |
|
Example (2026 single filer) |
Taxable income of $100,000 = 22% marginal rate |
Same person pays an effective rate of approximately 17%, because some income is taxed at 10% and 12% |
|
Common Misunderstanding |
People often think entering a higher bracket taxes all income at that rate—this is false |
People confuse this with the marginal rate and misjudge their true tax burden |
|
Why It Matters |
Helps you understand the tax cost of earning more |
Helps you understand how much of your income you actually keep |
Are state tax brackets different from federal tax brackets?
Yes — state income tax brackets are separate from federal tax brackets and vary significantly from state to state. While the federal government uses a single set of progressive tax brackets that apply to all U.S. taxpayers, each state has its rates and/or bracket structures (if they even have an income tax).
States with no income tax
As of 2026, nine states — Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming — do not levy a broad-based state income tax on wages. As a result, these states don’t have any tax brackets
Flat tax states
Some states use a flat income tax rate, meaning all taxable income is taxed at a single rate regardless of how much you earn. States with flat rates don’t use tax brackets. For example, Illinois taxes income at a flat rate, rather than using graduated brackets like the federal system.
Progressive (graduated) tax states
Many states mirror the federal approach with their own tiered brackets, but the specific income thresholds and rates differ widely. California, for instance, has the highest top state income tax rate in the country at 13.3% for the highest earners, while other states top out at a much lower rate.
What this means for your overall tax burden
Your combined federal and state tax rate can be substantially higher than your federal bracket alone suggests. For example, a high-income earner in California could face a top federal rate of 37% plus a top state rate of 13.3%, bringing their combined marginal rate to over 50% on income in the highest brackets.
State conformity to federal rules
States also differ in how closely they follow federal definitions of taxable income. Some states automatically adopt federal rules, while others have their own rules around deductions, exemptions, and credits. And if you live in multiple states, you’ll want to consult with a tax professional to ensure you’ve got your bases covered.
Can TurboTax help ensure you file your taxes correctly?
With TurboTax Expert Full Service, a local expert matched to your unique situation will do your taxes for you start to finish. Or, get unlimited help and advice from tax experts while you do your taxes with TurboTax Expert Assist.
And you can file your own taxes with TurboTax Do It Yourself. Easily start your taxes by adding your forms and answering a few simple questions, then we’ll guide you from there. No matter which way you file, we guarantee 100% accuracy and your maximum refund.
Get started now by logging into TurboTax and file with confidence.


