The IRS sets new income thresholds every year so inflation alone does not push you into a higher bracket (a problem called bracket creep). The figures below are the official 2026 numbers from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32. If you are looking ahead, the IRS has not yet released 2027 - those land around October 2026, and we keep a clearly-labeled projection on the 2027 tax brackets page.
The 2026 federal tax brackets
Each rate applies only to the slice of taxable income that falls inside that band, not to your whole income. Taxable income means your income after the standard deduction (or itemized deductions).
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 - $12,400 | $0 - $24,800 | $0 - $17,700 |
| 12% | $12,400 - $50,400 | $24,800 - $100,800 | $17,700 - $67,450 |
| 22% | $50,400 - $105,700 | $100,800 - $211,400 | $67,450 - $105,700 |
| 24% | $105,700 - $201,775 | $211,400 - $403,550 | $105,700 - $201,775 |
| 32% | $201,775 - $256,225 | $403,550 - $512,450 | $201,775 - $256,200 |
| 35% | $256,225 - $640,600 | $512,450 - $768,700 | $256,200 - $640,600 |
| 37% | $640,600+ | $768,700+ | $640,600+ |
Married filing separately uses the single-filer thresholds through the 32 percent bracket, then the 35 percent band runs to $384,350 and 37 percent starts above that. Run your own number through the US income tax calculator to see the tax owed at your exact taxable income.
Standard deduction for 2026
The standard deduction is the flat amount you subtract from income before the brackets apply. About 9 in 10 filers take it rather than itemizing.
That is roughly $350 (single) and $700 (married jointly) higher than 2025. Filers who are 65 or older, or blind, get an additional standard deduction on top - see IRS Publication 501 for the current add-on amounts. A single filer with $60,000 of gross income and no other adjustments therefore has about $43,900 of taxable income, which lands in the 12 and 22 percent bands.
How marginal brackets actually work
A common myth is that crossing into a higher bracket taxes all of your income at the higher rate. It does not. Only the dollars above each threshold are taxed at that bracket's rate. Take a single filer with $100,000 of taxable income in 2026:
| Band | Income taxed here | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | 10% | $1,240 |
| 12% | $38,000 | 12% | $4,560 |
| 22% | $49,600 | 22% | $10,912 |
| Total | $100,000 | 22% top | $16,712 |
The top dollar is taxed at 22 percent (the marginal rate), but the effective rate is only about 16.7 percent. Marginal rate drives most planning decisions (whether a Roth conversion or extra 401(k) dollar makes sense); effective rate is what you actually pay.
What changed for 2026 (OBBBA)
The big story is what did not happen. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act individual provisions were set to expire at the end of 2025, which would have pushed several rates back up (the 22 percent band to 25 percent, 24 to 28, and so on) and roughly halved the standard deduction. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed in July 2025, made the TCJA rate structure and the larger standard deduction permanent. Other 2026 highlights:
- SALT cap raised to $40,000 (from $10,000) for most households, phasing down above $500,000 single / $1,000,000 joint. This tips many high-tax-state homeowners back into itemizing - see the top 2026 deductions.
- Bottom two brackets indexed extra. OBBBA gave the 10 and 12 percent bands a larger inflation bump, widening the low-rate room slightly more than the higher bands.
- Rates unchanged. The seven statutory rates stay 10/12/22/24/32/35/37 percent.
2026 long-term capital gains brackets
Assets held more than a year are taxed at preferential long-term rates of 0, 15, or 20 percent, on a separate threshold schedule from ordinary income.
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | up to $49,450 | up to $98,900 | up to $66,200 |
| 15% | $49,450 - $545,500 | $98,900 - $613,700 | $66,200 - $579,600 |
| 20% | $545,500+ | $613,700+ | $579,600+ |
Short-term gains (assets held a year or less) are taxed as ordinary income at the bracket rates in the first table. High earners may also owe the 3.8 percent net investment income tax. The capital gains tax calculator handles both holding periods.
What to do before year-end
- Check your withholding. If your pay changed in 2026, run the W-4 calculator so you are not surprised at filing time.
- Max tax-advantaged accounts. The 2026 401(k) elective deferral is $24,500 ($8,000 catch-up at 50+, $11,250 at ages 60-63); the IRA limit is $7,500. Details in the 2026 401(k) guide.
- Harvest losses before December 31 to offset realized gains, and carry the rest forward.
- Decide standard vs itemized now that the SALT cap is $40,000 - many more filers clear the $32,200 (joint) threshold for 2026.