Calcs for Life

Tax Refund Calculator

Estimate the refund (or balance due) on your 2026 federal return from your income, the tax already withheld and your credits.

Rates as of the 2026 tax year (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32)

$

Gross pay before 401(k) and other pre-tax deductions.

$

Interest, unemployment, IRA withdrawals, short-term gains.

$

From your final 2026 pay stub, or box 2 of your W-2.

$
$

Traditional 401(k), 403(b), 457, deductible IRA, HSA.

Children 17 and older, or relatives you support.

$

Tips in an occupation that customarily receives them. Up to $25,000 is deductible.

$

Only the extra half in time-and-a-half overtime required by federal law.

$

Leave at 0 to use the standard deduction. The larger of the two is used.

Estimated refund

$880.00

Total 2026 tax after credits
$5,620.00
Withheld and paid
$6,500.00
Adjusted gross income
$65,000
Standard deduction
$16,100
Taxable income
$48,900
Tax before credits
$5,620.00
Marginal tax rate
12%
Effective rate (tax ÷ income)
8.6%

Estimate for the 2026 tax year, filed in early 2027. Excludes capital gains rates, self-employment tax and credits not listed.

2026 single brackets7 rows
RateTaxable incomeYour tax in this bracket
10%$0 – $12,400$1,240.00
12%$12,400 – $50,400$4,380.00
22%$50,400 – $105,700$0.00
24%$105,700 – $201,775$0.00
32%$201,775 – $256,225$0.00
35%$256,225 – $640,600$0.00
37%over $640,600$0.00

How it works

Your refund is the difference between the federal income tax you paid during the year (mostly through paycheck withholding) and the tax you actually owe after credits. Refundable credits, like part of the child tax credit and the earned income credit, can produce a refund even if no tax was withheld.

This estimate uses the 2026 tax brackets, standard deduction and credit amounts the IRS published in Revenue Procedure 2025-32. It is for income you earn from January through December 2026 and report on the return you file in early 2027.

Your income minus pre-tax retirement and HSA contributions is your adjusted gross income. From that we subtract the larger of the standard deduction and your itemized deductions, then the deductions for qualified tips, overtime premium pay and age 65 or older that apply from 2025 through 2028. Tax is figured bracket by bracket on what is left, and credits come off the result.

Credits included are the child tax credit ($2,200 per child under 17, up to $1,700 of it refundable), the $500 credit for other dependents and the earned income credit. Capital gains and qualified dividends taxed at lower rates, self-employment tax, the alternative minimum tax and other credits are not included. The earned income credit has rules this estimate can't check, such as investment income under $12,200 and age limits for workers without children, so confirm eligibility on the IRS site.

To change what comes out of each paycheck next year, see your take-home pay in the paycheck calculator, then adjust your Form W-4 with your employer.

Formula

Refund = tax withheld + estimated payments − (income tax − nonrefundable credits − refundable credits)

Sources

Questions people ask

When will I get my 2026 refund?

The IRS usually starts accepting returns in late January. Most e-filed returns with direct deposit are refunded within 21 days. By law, refunds that include the earned income credit or the refundable child tax credit can't be issued before mid-February.

Where do I find how much tax was withheld?

Box 2 of your W-2 shows federal income tax withheld for the year. Before you get your W-2, use the year-to-date federal withholding on your last pay stub of 2026.

Why is my refund smaller than last year?

Common reasons are a raise that moved more income into a higher bracket, a child aging out of the child tax credit at 17, less withholding after a W-4 change, or income from a second job or side work without withholding.

Does this include state tax?

No, this estimates your federal refund only. Each state has its own return and withholding.