2026 tax brackets and standard deduction

Since the IRS just released the 2026 inflation adjustments, figured I'd post them here for reference. These are the marginal tax brackets for tax year 2026 (filed in 2027):

Single Filers:
- 10%: $0 - $11,925
- 12%: $11,926 - $48,475
- 22%: $48,476 - $103,350
- 24%: $103,351 - $197,300
- 32%: $197,301 - $250,525
- 35%: $250,526 - $626,350
- 37%: $626,351+

Married Filing Jointly:
- 10%: $0 - $23,850
- 12%: $23,851 - $96,950
- 22%: $96,951 - $206,700
- 24%: $206,701 - $394,600
- 32%: $394,601 - $501,050
- 35%: $501,051 - $751,600
- 37%: $751,601+

Standard Deduction:
- Single: $15,000
- MFJ: $30,000

All brackets went up slightly from 2025 to account for inflation. The standard deduction also increased.

Reminder: these are MARGINAL brackets. You don't pay 22% on ALL your income if you're in the 22% bracket. You pay 10% on the first $11,925, 12% on the next chunk, and 22% only on income above $48,475. This is probably the most misunderstood concept in personal finance.

Thanks for posting this. Let me add the effective tax rate examples since people always get confused:

Single filer making $75,000 gross income:
- Standard deduction: $15,000
- Taxable income: $60,000
- Tax calculation:
- 10% on first $11,925 = $1,192.50
- 12% on $11,926 to $48,475 = $4,385.88
- 22% on $48,476 to $60,000 = $2,535.28
- Total tax: $8,113.66
- Effective rate: 10.8% (on $75k gross) or 13.5% (on $60k taxable)

So even though this person is "in the 22% bracket," they're only paying ~11% effective. This is why people who say "I dont want a raise because it'll put me in a higher tax bracket" are wrong. Only the additional income gets taxed at the higher rate.

Also worth noting these brackets expire after 2025 under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Unless Congress extends them (which they probably will), brackets revert to pre-2018 levels in 2026. Something to watch.

wait so you're saying if i make like $50k I only pay 10% tax?? that seems really low. my paycheck feels like way more gets taken out than that

@saving_noob_2026 Good question. The brackets above are just federal income tax. Your paycheck also has deductions for:
- Social Security tax: 6.2% of gross (up to $168,600)
- Medicare tax: 1.45% of gross
- State income tax: varies by state (some states have zero, some are 5-10%+)
- Health insurance premiums if your employer offers it
- 401k contributions if you're making them

So on $50k gross you'd pay roughly:
- Federal income tax: ~$4,400 (about 8.8% effective)
- Social Security: ~$3,100
- Medicare: ~$725
- State tax: depends where you live

Total federal payroll + income tax is about $8,200 or ~16.4% before state taxes. If you're in a state like California or New York, add another 4-6%. That's why your paycheck feels like so much is being taken out.

This is the thing nobody is talking about enough. If the TCJA provisions expire, the standard deduction drops from $15,000 to roughly $8,000 and the brackets change significantly. For a married couple making $100k that could mean an extra $2,000-3,000 in taxes.

Congress will probably extend it because letting taxes go up is political suicide. But "probably" isn't "definitely." Worth keeping in mind for tax planning purposes. If you're deciding between Roth and Traditional contributions for 2026, the possibility of higher future tax rates is an argument for Roth.

One thing I'd add for the retirees and near-retirees: remember that Social Security benefits can be taxable too, which affects your effective rate in retirement.

If your combined income (AGI + nontaxable interest + half your SS benefits) exceeds $25k single / $32k married, up to 50% of your SS is taxable. Over $34k single / $44k married, up to 85% is taxable.

This catches a lot of retirees off guard. They assume their tax rate will be super low in retirement because they're not "working" but between SS benefits, pension income, and required minimum distributions from traditional IRAs, many retirees end up in the 22% bracket or higher.

This is why Roth conversions in the years between retirement and age 73 (when RMDs kick in) can be really valuable. You fill up the lower brackets with Roth conversions while your income is temporarily low.