Frequently Asked Questions

Your tax bracket usually means the highest federal (or state) rate that applies to the last dollars of your taxable income. The U.S. federal income tax is progressive: income is taxed in layers, so only the portion that falls into higher brackets is taxed at those higher rates—not your entire income. Use the My Taxes calculator to see how much income falls in each bracket for your filing status and year.

Your marginal tax rate is the rate that applies to your next dollar of taxable income—the top bracket you reach. Your effective tax rate is total tax divided by taxable income. Effective rate is almost always lower than your top bracket because earlier income was taxed at lower rates.

Taxable income is not the same as W-2 wages. It is what remains after allowable adjustments, deductions (standard or itemized), and other rules that reduce the amount subject to income tax. My Taxes estimates tax from the taxable income you enter and does not automatically apply every credit or state-specific subtraction.

On the home page, choose your tax year, taxable income, state, and filing status, then click Next. The results page shows federal brackets and—when available—state income tax brackets. You can change year, income, filing status, or state without starting over. Timeline View charts estimated federal tax across multiple years.

Start on the home page. More detail is on the About page and in our tax guides.

Yes. After you pick a state, the results view can show that state’s income tax brackets for supported years. Some states have no wage income tax; others use a flat rate or graduated brackets. Local city or county income taxes are generally not included.

My Taxes supports Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, and Head of Household. State tables use the same status labels; some states treat Head of Household like Married Filing Jointly or Single depending on their statutes.

Bracket widths and rates change over time, so the same taxable income can produce a different federal tax bill in different years. Use Tax Results and Timeline View to compare estimated federal tax across years. Real returns also depend on deductions and credits.

SALT means State And Local Taxes, often including state income tax and property taxes you may deduct on a federal return when you itemize. Deduction limits can change with legislation. My Taxes does not compute your SALT deduction for you.

See also the Tax Foundation overview of the SALT deduction. Try the tax calculator or browse guides for more context.

No. My Taxes is an educational tool that applies published federal and state rate schedules to the taxable income you provide. It is not the IRS, a state revenue department, or a tax professional. For filing decisions, use IRS publications, your state tax agency, qualified software, or a licensed advisor.