What Tax Bracket Am I in?

There are seven different federal tax brackets ranging from 10% to 37% depending on the taxable income and filing status of each individual.

How 2019 Tax Brackets Work

The United States utilizes a progressive tax system that means that individuals with higher taxable incomes pay higher federal income tax rates. There are a few things to keep in mind regarding these brackets.

First, falling under a specific tax bracket doesn’t mean you pay that federal income tax rate on everything you earn. The progressive tax system simply means that individuals with higher taxable incomes will need to pay higher tax federal income tax rates, while people with lower taxable incomes will need to pay lower federal income tax rates.

The government decides how much tax a person owes by dividing taxable income into groups known as tax brackets. Each bracket gets taxed at the corresponding tax rate. Regardless of which bracket you’re currently in, you won’t need to pay that tax rate on all of your income.

Below you’ll see all of the tax brackets that apply to both the 2018 tax year, which will relate to your 2019 tax returns, and the 2019 tax year, which will relate to 2020 tax returns.

Federal Income Tax Brackets in 2018 for April 2019 Tax Returns

Single Filers

In general, single filers are individuals who have no dependents, are under the age of 65 and not blind or handicapped.

Tax Rate	Taxable Income Bracket	Tax Due
10%	$0 to $9,525	10% of taxable income
12%	$9,526 to $38,700	$952.50 plus 12% of the amount over $9,525
22%	$38,701 to $82,500	$4,453.50 plus 22% of the amount over $38,700
24%	$82,501 to $157,500	$14,089.50 plus 24% of the amount over $82,500
32%	$157,501 to $200,000	$32,089.50 plus 32% of the amount over $157,500
35%	$400,001 to $600,000	$45,689.50 plus 35% of the amount over $200,000
37%	$500,001 or more	$150,689.50 plus 37% of the amount over $500,000

Married & Filing Jointly

This joint return option is for individuals reporting their combined tax liability – usually used by married couples of recently widowed taxpayers.

Tax Rate	Taxable Income Bracket	Tax Due
10%	$0 to $19,050	10% of taxable income
12%	$19,051 to $77,400	$1,905 plus 12% of the amount over $19,050
22%	$77,401 to $165,000	$8,907 plus 22% of the amount over $77,400
24%	$165,001 to $315,000	$28,179 plus 24% of the amount over $165,000
32%	$315,001 to $400,000	$64,179 plus 32% of the amount over $315,000
35%	$400,001 to $600,000	$91,379 plus 35% of the amount over $400,000
37%	$600,001 or more	$161,379 plus 37% of the amount over $600,000

Married & Filing Separately

Tax Rate	Taxable Income Bracket	Tax Due
10%	$0 to $9,525	10% of taxable income
12%	$9,526 to $38,700	$952.50 plus 12% of the amount over $9,525
22%	$38,701 to $82,500	$4,453.50 plus 22% of the amount over $38,700
24%	$82,501 to $157,500	$14,089.50 plus 24% of the amount over $82,500
32%	$157,501 to $200,000	$32,089.50 plus 32% of the amount over $157,500
35%	$200,001 to $300,000	$45,689.50 plus 35% of the amount over $200,000
37%	$300,001 or more	$80,689.50 plus 37% of the amount over $300,000

Head of Household

Taxpayers can also file as “head of household” if they are unmarried but support qualifying dependents.

Tax Rate	Taxable Income Bracket	Tax Due
10%	$0 to $13,600	10% of taxable income
12%	$13,601 to $51,800	$1,360 plus 12% of the amount over $13,600
22%	$51,801 to $82,500	$5,944 plus 22% of the amount over $51,800
24%	$82,501 to $157,500	$12,698 plus 24% of the amount over $82,500
32%	$157,501 to $200,000	$30,698 plus 32% of the amount over $157,500
35%	$200,001 to $500,000	$44,298 plus 35% of the amount over $200,000
37%	$500,001 or more	$149,298 plus 37% of the amount over $500,000

Federal Income Tax Brackets in 2019 for April 2020 Tax Returns

Single Filers

In general, single filers are individuals who have no dependents, are under the age of 65 and not blind or handicapped.

Tax Rate	Taxable Income Bracket	Tax Due
10%	$0 to $9,700	10% of taxable income
12%	$9,701 to $39,475	$970 plus 12% of the amount over $9,700
22%	$39,476 to $84,200	$4,543 plus 22% of the amount over $39,475
24%	$84,201 to $160,725	$14,382.50 plus 24% of the amount over $84,200
32%	$160,726 to $204,100	$32,748.50 plus 32% of the amount over $160,725
35%	$204,101 to $510,300	$46,628.50 plus 35% of the amount over $204,100
37%	$510,301 or more	$153,798.50 plus 37% of the amount over $510,300

Married & Filing Jointly

Tax Rate	Taxable Income Bracket	Tax Due
10%	$0 to $19,400	10% of taxable income
12%	$19,401 to $78,950	$1,940 plus 12% of the amount over $19,400
22%	$78,951 to $168,400	$9,086 plus 22% of the amount over $78,950
24%	$168,401 to $321,450	$28,765 plus 24% of the amount over $168,400
32%	$321,451 to $408,200	$65,497 plus 32% of the amount over $321,450
35%	$408,201 to $612,350	$93,257 plus 35% of the amount over $408,200
37%	$612,351 or more	$164,709.50 plus 37% of the amount over $612,350

Married & Filing Separately

Tax Rate	Taxable Income Bracket	Tax Due
10%	$0 to $9,700	10% of taxable income
12%	$9,701 to $39,475	$970 plus 12% of the amount over $9,700
22%	$39,476 to $84,200	$4,543 plus 22% of the amount over $39,475
24%	$84,201 to $160,725	$14,382.50 plus 24% of the amount over $84,200
32%	$160,726 to $204,100	$32,748.50 plus 32% of the amount over $160,725
35%	$204,101 to $306,175	$46,628.50 plus 35% of the amount over $204,100
37%	$306,176 or more	$82,354.75 plus 37% of the amount over $306,175

Head of Household

Tax Rate	Taxable Income Bracket	Tax Due
10%	$0 to $13,850	10% of taxable income
12%	$13,851 to $52,850	$1,385 plus 12% of the amount over $13,850
22%	$52,851 to $84,200	$6,065 plus 22% of the amount over $52,850
24%	$84,201 to $160,700	$12,962 plus 24% of the amount over $84,200
32%	$160,701 to $204,100	$31,322 plus 32% of the amount over $160,700
35%	$204,101 to $510,300	$45,210 plus 35% of the amount over $204,100
37%	$510,301 or more	$152,380 plus 37% of the amount over $510,300

Finding Your Tax Bracket

Once you understand your filing status, you can determine your specific tax bracket based on your income. Here are some examples:

How much income tax do I pay if I earn $30,000?

In this case, an individual filing as single would fall under the 12% tax rate within the tax bracket of $9,526 to $38,700.

That means that taxes due are $952.50 plus $12% of the amount over $9,525.

Here’s the math:

• Base of $952.50
• $30,000 less the $9,525 bracket cap = $20,475
• 12% of $20,475 = $2,457
• Total tax due = $3,409.50.

How to Reduce Your Federal Income Tax Rate in 2019 and Potentially Get into a Lower Tax Bracket

There are two main ways you can get a lower tax rate, one of which also enables taxpayers to get into a lower tax bracket:

1. tax credits
2. tax deductions

While tax credits will reduce the amount you owe, they won’t affect your bracket. On the other hand, tax deductions can lower your taxable income by the percentage of your highest federal income tax bracket. For example, if you’re in the 32% bracket, a $1,000 deduction will save you $320.

Keeping all of this in mind, you’ll have a better understanding of which tax bracket you’re in and how much you’ll need to pay in taxes this year and next. At the same time, you can reduce your tax rate by taking as many deductions as possible.