Introduction
This free tax calculator helps you estimate your federal and state income taxes in just a few steps. Enter your income, filing status, deductions, and credits to find out if you will get a refund or owe money. The calculator covers W-2 wages, self-employment income, capital gains, FICA taxes, and more. It works for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 tax years and supports all 50 states.
You will see a full breakdown of your tax bill, your effective tax rate, and your take-home pay. The tool also shows how each dollar of your income is split between federal tax, state tax, payroll tax, retirement savings, and the money you keep. Use the built-in what-if sliders to see how changes to your wages, 401(k) contributions, or charitable donations affect your bottom line.
How to Use Our Tax Calculator
Enter your income, filing details, deductions, and credits below. The calculator will estimate your federal and state taxes, your refund or amount owed, and your take-home pay.
Filing Information
Tax Year: Pick the tax year you want to calculate. The calculator adjusts tax brackets and limits for each year.
State: Select the state where you live. This sets your state income tax rate.
Your Age: Enter your current age. If you are 65 or older, you get a higher standard deduction.
Spouse Age: This field appears if you file jointly. Enter your spouse's age so the calculator can apply any extra deduction for seniors.
Number of Dependents: Enter the total number of people you claim as dependents on your tax return.
Qualifying Children Under 17: Enter the number of your dependents who are under age 17. This drives the Child Tax Credit.
Local Income Tax Rate: If your city or county charges an income tax, enter the rate as a percentage. Leave it at zero if none applies.
Filing Status: Choose the status that matches your situation: Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, Head of Household, or Qualifying Surviving Spouse.
Claimed as a Dependent: Select "Yes" if someone else, like a parent, can claim you as a dependent on their return. This may reduce your standard deduction.
Income
W-2 Available: Choose "Yes" if you have your W-2 forms handy. Choose "No" if you are working from estimates.
W-2 Wages / Salary: Enter your total wages from Box 1 of all your W-2 forms. If you need to convert an hourly rate to an annual figure, try our salary calculator.
Self-Employment / 1099 Income: Enter your net profit from freelance or contract work. This income is subject to self-employment tax.
Ordinary Dividends & Interest: Enter dividends and interest that are taxed at your regular income tax rate. For more detail on dividend income, see our dividend calculator.
Qualified Dividends & Long-Term Capital Gains: Enter income that qualifies for the lower capital gains tax rates of 0%, 15%, or 20%.
Social Security Benefits: Enter your total Social Security income. The calculator figures out how much of it is taxable.
Retirement / Pension Distributions: Enter any money you took out of a retirement account. Check the Roth box if the money came from a Roth account, since Roth withdrawals are usually not taxed.
Other Taxable Income: Enter any other income such as rental income, gambling winnings, or alimony received before 2019. If you won the lottery, our lottery tax calculator can help estimate those taxes separately.
Federal Tax Withheld: Enter the total federal tax already taken out of your paychecks. Find this in Box 2 of your W-2. For a deeper look at withholding, try our tax withholding calculator.
State Tax Withheld: Enter the total state tax already taken out of your paychecks during the year.
Deductions
Deduction Type: Choose "Standard" to use the flat deduction the IRS gives every filer. Choose "Itemized" if you want to list your actual expenses instead.
Mortgage Interest: Enter the interest you paid on your home loan during the year. This only applies if you itemize. Our mortgage calculator can help you estimate how much of your payment goes toward interest.
State & Local Taxes (SALT): Enter the state and local taxes you paid, including property taxes and state income taxes. The IRS caps this deduction at $10,000, or $5,000 if you file separately.
Charitable Donations (Cash): Enter any cash donations you made to qualifying charities.
Charitable Donations (Non-Cash): Enter the value of items like clothing or furniture you donated to charity.
Medical & Dental: Enter your total medical and dental costs. Only the amount that exceeds 7.5% of your AGI counts as a deduction.
Other Itemized Deductions: Enter any other itemized deductions not covered above.
Student Loan Interest: Enter the interest you paid on student loans. This is an above-the-line deduction capped at $2,500, and it works whether you itemize or not.
Other Pre-Tax Deductions: Enter other above-the-line deductions like educator expenses.
Retirement Contributions
401(k) / 403(b): Enter the amount you contributed to your workplace retirement plan. The calculator caps this at the IRS annual limit for your tax year and age. Use our 401(k) calculator to see how your contributions grow over time.
Traditional IRA: Enter your contribution to a Traditional IRA. This lowers your taxable income up to the annual limit.
HSA Contribution: Enter how much you put into a Health Savings Account. This is tax-deductible up to the IRS family limit.
Tax Credits
Child / Dependent Care Expenses: Enter the amount you paid for daycare or dependent care so you could work. The calculator applies a 20% credit on qualifying costs.
Education Expenses: Enter tuition and education costs. Then choose AOTC (up to $2,500 credit) or LLC (up to $2,000 credit) from the dropdown. If you're saving for future education costs, check out our 529 calculator.
Other Tax Credits: Enter any other credits you qualify for, such as energy credits or the saver's credit.
Once all fields are filled in, click Calculate to see your results. The Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit are estimated for you automatically. Use the What-If Scenarios sliders to see how changes to your wages, 401(k), or charitable giving affect your taxes in real time.
How This Income Tax Calculator Works
This free income tax calculator estimates how much you owe in federal and state taxes — or how big your refund might be. Enter your wages, filing status, deductions, and credits, and the tool does the math for you in seconds.
What It Calculates
The calculator figures out your adjusted gross income (AGI), taxable income, and total tax bill based on the IRS tax brackets for 2023, 2024, and 2025. It covers federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security, Medicare, self-employment tax, and net investment income tax. It also applies common tax credits like the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) automatically.
Who Should Use It
This tool is built for W-2 employees, freelancers, and retirees who want a quick look at their tax picture. Whether you file as single, married filing jointly, head of household, or another status, the calculator adjusts the standard deduction and bracket thresholds to match. It supports all 50 states, including states with no income tax like Texas, Florida, and Washington. If you are in California, you may also find our California paycheck calculator helpful for a state-specific breakdown.
Key Features
Beyond a basic tax estimate, this calculator shows your effective tax rate, a full bracket-by-bracket breakdown, and your take-home pay split into monthly, bi-weekly, and weekly amounts. The what-if sliders let you see how changing your salary, 401(k) contributions, or charitable donations would change your taxes instantly. A built-in year-over-year comparison shows how your tax bill shifts between tax years.
Important Things to Know
This calculator gives you an estimate, not exact numbers. Your real tax return may differ based on details this tool does not cover, such as rental property depreciation, foreign income, or less common credits. For a closer look at your bonus withholding, try our bonus tax calculator, and use the paycheck calculator to estimate your net pay each period. Always check with a tax professional or use IRS-approved software when you file. Tax laws change often, so use the correct tax year for the most accurate results.