Understanding 2026 US Federal Tax Brackets in Plain English
How marginal tax brackets actually work, why moving into a higher bracket does not tax all your income, and how to estimate your effective rate.
Tax brackets are one of the most misunderstood parts of personal finance. The good news: once you see how the marginal system actually works, planning becomes much simpler.
Marginal vs effective rates
Your marginal rate is the tax on your next dollar of income. Your effective rate is the average across all your income. They are almost never the same.
2026 single-filer brackets
- 10% on the first $12,150
- 12% up to $49,500
- 22% up to $105,700
- 24% up to $201,750
- 32% up to $256,375
- 35% up to $640,600
- 37% above $640,600
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