The honest answer to "What tax bracket am I in?"
Your tax bracket is the rate applied to your last dollar of taxable income. But almost nobody pays their bracket rate on their whole income, because the U.S. system is marginal: income is cut into slices and each slice is taxed at its own rate. Someone "in the 22% bracket" pays 10% on the first slice, 12% on the next, and 22% only on what's left above that threshold.
The 2026 brackets
There are seven rates (10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37%) and the dollar ranges depend on your filing status. Crucially, they apply to taxable income, which is your gross income minus the standard (or itemized) deduction, not your salary. For 2026 the standard deduction is $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, and $24,150 head of household, so a single earner doesn't reach the 22% bracket until roughly $66,500 of salary. Full tables are in our 2026 tax brackets reference.
Bracket vs. effective rate
Your marginal rate (your bracket) tells you what the next dollar costs, useful for deciding whether to make a deductible contribution or take on extra work. Your effective rate, total tax divided by total income, is the honest headline of what you actually pay, and it's always lower. A single filer earning $75,000 sits in the 22% bracket but has an effective federal rate closer to 10%.
Using your bracket to make decisions
Knowing your bracket turns vague tax questions into arithmetic:
- Deductions: a $1,000 traditional 401(k) or HSA contribution saves your marginal rate: $220 in the 22% bracket.
- Roth vs traditional: if your bracket is low now and likely higher later, Roth usually wins.
- Timing income: the gap between your income and the next bracket edge is your planning room for a bonus, Roth conversion, or asset sale.
For the deeper explanation of marginal versus effective rates, read how tax brackets actually work, or use the marginal tax rate calculator to see the tax on your next $1,000.