2026 Federal Tax Brackets and Standard Deduction

For the 2026 tax year, the standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers and married people filing separately, $24,150 for heads of household and $32,200 for married couples filing jointly. The seven federal rates stay at 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37%; the top rate starts at $640,600 of taxable income for single filers and $768,700 for joint filers.

These figures come from Revenue Procedure 2025-32, which the IRS released in October 2025 and which reflects the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. That law made the rate structure permanent, so 2026 did not bring the jump in rates that had been scheduled before it passed. The brackets apply to income you earn in 2026 and report on the return you file in 2027.

2026 standard deduction by filing status

• Single: $16,100 (2025: $15,750)
• Married filing separately: $16,100 (2025: $15,750)
• Head of household: $24,150 (2025: $23,625)
• Married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse: $32,200 (2025: $31,500)

If you are 65 or older or blind, you add an additional standard deduction of $1,650 per condition in 2026, or $2,050 if you are unmarried and not a surviving spouse. Separately, taxpayers 65 and over may claim the enhanced senior deduction of up to $6,000 per person for 2025 through 2028, which phases out above $75,000 of modified AGI ($150,000 joint). Someone who can be claimed as a dependent has a standard deduction of the greater of $1,350 or earned income plus $450, capped at the regular amount.

2026 tax brackets for single filers

• 10%: taxable income up to $12,400
• 12%: over $12,400 up to $50,400
• 22%: over $50,400 up to $105,700
• 24%: over $105,700 up to $201,775
• 32%: over $201,775 up to $256,225
• 35%: over $256,225 up to $640,600
• 37%: over $640,600

2026 tax brackets for married filing jointly

• 10%: up to $24,800
• 12%: over $24,800 up to $100,800
• 22%: over $100,800 up to $211,400
• 24%: over $211,400 up to $403,550
• 32%: over $403,550 up to $512,450
• 35%: over $512,450 up to $768,700
• 37%: over $768,700

The joint brackets are exactly double the single brackets up through the 32% rate, so marriage generally doesn't push a couple into a higher rate below that level. Above $512,450, the joint thresholds are less than double the single ones, which is where a marriage penalty can appear for two high earners.

2026 tax brackets for head of household

• 10%: up to $17,700
• 12%: over $17,700 up to $67,450
• 22%: over $67,450 up to $105,700
• 24%: over $105,700 up to $201,750
• 32%: over $201,750 up to $256,200
• 35%: over $256,200 up to $640,600
• 37%: over $640,600

2026 tax brackets for married filing separately

The thresholds match the single brackets through the 32% rate (up to $256,225). After that, 35% applies from $256,225 to $384,350, and 37% applies above $384,350.

How the brackets actually work

Brackets are marginal. Each rate applies only to the slice of taxable income inside its band, so moving into a higher bracket never makes your whole income taxed at the higher rate. Two other points are easy to miss:

• The brackets apply to taxable income, which is AGI minus the standard or itemized deduction and other below-the-line deductions such as the qualified business income deduction and the new Schedule 1-A deductions.
• Long-term capital gains and qualified dividends have their own rates. For 2026, the 0% rate applies up to $49,450 of taxable income for single filers, $98,900 joint and $66,200 head of household; the 15% rate runs up to $545,500 single, $613,700 joint and $579,600 head of household; above that, 20%.

Worked example: a single Portland employee, 2026 versus 2025

Jordan is single, works as a salaried graphic designer and has no other income or adjustments. His AGI is $85,000 in both years, and he takes the standard deduction.

1. 2026 taxable income: $85,000 minus $16,100 = $68,900.
2. 10% band: 10% of $12,400 = $1,240.
3. 12% band: 12% of ($50,400 minus $12,400), or 12% of $38,000 = $4,560.
4. 22% band: 22% of ($68,900 minus $50,400), or 22% of $18,500 = $4,070.
5. Total 2026 tax: $1,240 + $4,560 + $4,070 = $9,870, before credits.

His marginal rate is 22%, but his tax is about 14.3% of taxable income and about 11.6% of AGI. With the 2025 standard deduction of $15,750 and 2025 brackets (10% to $11,925, 12% to $48,475, then 22%), the same $85,000 produces taxable income of $69,250 and tax of about $10,149. Inflation indexing alone saves him roughly $279 for 2026 without any change in his pay. Taxpayers with taxable income under $100,000 use the IRS Tax Table, which can differ from this calculation by a few dollars.

Worked example: a two-owner Austin landscaping business, married filing jointly

Ben and Alicia own a landscaping LLC taxed as a partnership and file jointly. After their business profit, adjustments, the standard deduction and their qualified business income deduction, their 2026 taxable income is $180,000.

1. Tax through the 12% band: 10% of $24,800 plus 12% of $76,000 = $2,480 + $9,120 = $11,600.
2. 22% band: 22% of ($180,000 minus $100,800), or 22% of $79,200 = $17,424.
3. Income tax: $11,600 + $17,424 = $29,024, before credits.

Remember that as self-employed owners they also owe self-employment tax on their business earnings, calculated separately on Schedule SE. The income tax brackets don't include it, and it is often the bigger surprise for new business owners.

What to watch for when you use the 2026 brackets

• Confusing tax years. The 2026 brackets are for your 2026 income, filed in 2027. Your return for 2025, filed in 2026, uses the 2025 figures.
• Applying the top rate to all income. Only the slice above each threshold is taxed at that rate.
• Ignoring the high-income itemized deduction limit. From 2026, taxpayers in the 37% bracket may see the value of their itemized deductions reduced.
• Forgetting estimated taxes. If you are self-employed, the brackets tell you roughly what to set aside each quarter; Form 1040-ES walks you through the safe harbors.

hellobooks< / a > -helps-you-plan-around-your-bracket">How HelloBooks helps you plan around your bracket

For a business owner, taxable income starts with business profit, and that is the number HelloBooks keeps current. Bank feeds and AI categorization (which you review and approve) keep the books up to date, and the P&L and budget vs actual reports show where profit is heading mid-year, so you can set aside the right amount for quarterly estimates rather than guessing in April. Year-end close tools handle accruals, prepayments and depreciation from the fixed assets register, and the reports export cleanly for your tax preparer to finish the return.

This is general information as of November 2026 and not tax advice. Use the official tables in Rev. Proc. 2025-32 and the Form 1040 instructions on irs.gov, or a CPA, for your own figures.