Key takeaways
Your tax bracket is based on your taxable income and filing status, not your total salary, and the IRS sets different brackets for single, married, and head of household filers.
If your income falls into a higher tax bracket, only the income above that threshold is taxed at the higher rate, not all of your earnings.
Your effective tax rate is usually lower than your top bracket and represents the average percentage of income you actually pay in federal taxes.
Understanding your tax bracket can help you plan ahead, estimate your tax bill, and reduce what you owe through deductions and tax credits.
Updated: November 2025 — The IRS has not yet published its 2025 filing updates. This page will be refreshed as soon as new guidance is released.
Tax brackets are the income ranges taxpayers fall into, outlining what you can expect to pay in taxes on your taxable income each year.
The higher your taxable income, the progressively higher your federal income tax rate will be. There are also different tax brackets depending on your filing status.
Understanding your tax bracket can help you figure out what you could owe and plan ahead for tax season.
How do tax brackets work?
The United State's progressive tax system means that the higher your taxable income, the more you will pay in taxes. As you move up the tax bracket, the tax rate also increases.1 The less you make, the lower your federal income tax rate will be, and vice versa.
Note: your total taxable income isn't all taxed at your income tax bracket rate. You'll only pay the specified tax rate for income within that bracket.
Your taxable income is divided into tax brackets, and each chunk of it is taxed at the appropriate tax rate.
The good news about this system is that your entire income won't fall into one tax bracket. Plus, you won't pay more in taxes on all of your income simply because you fall into a higher bracket.
The overall percentage you'll pay is your effective tax rate. You can calculate this percentage by dividing the tax you owe by your taxable income.
What are the 2024-2025 income tax brackets?
Each year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) updates income thresholds that make up the federal tax brackets.
These are the 2024 federal income tax brackets2 for taxes due in April 2025, based on your filing status:
Filing Single
You'd fall under this filing status if you're legally separated from your spouse or unmarried by the end of the calendar year. You can also choose to file separately if you're married but want to be solely responsible for your tax return.
Income | Marginal Tax Rate |
|---|---|
Up to $11,600 | 10% |
$11,601 to $47,150 | 12% |
$47,151 to $100,525 | 22% |
$100,526 to $191,950 | 24% |
$191,951 to $243,725 | 32% |
$243,726 to $609,350 | 35% |
$609,350 or more | 37% |
Married Filing Separately
You can also choose to file separately if you're married but want to be solely responsible for your tax return.
Income | Marginal Tax Rate |
|---|---|
Up to $23,200 | 10% |
$23,201 to $94,300 | 12% |
$94,301 to $201,050 | 22% |
$201,051 to $383,900 | 24% |
$383,901 to $487,450 | 32% |
$487,541 to $365,600 | 35% |
$365,601 or more | 37% |
Married Filing Jointly
This status is for married couples and want to report their combined income and qualifying deductions together.
Income | Marginal Tax Rate |
|---|---|
Up to $23,200 | 10% |
$23,201 to $94,300 | 12% |
$94,301 to $201,050 | 22% |
$201,051 to $383,900 | 24% |
$383,901 to $487,450 | 32% |
$487,451 to $731,200 | 35% |
$731,201 or more | 37% |
Head of Household
The head of household filing status is for someone who is unmarried by the end of year and cares for a dependent who lives with you more than half the year. You also paid more than half the costs to maintain the home for the tax year.
Income | Marginal Tax Rate |
|---|---|
Up to $16,550 | 10% |
$16,551 to $63,100 | 12% |
$63,101 to $100,500 | 22% |
$100,501 to $191,950 | 24% |
$191,951 to $243,700 | 32% |
$243,701 to $609,350 | 35% |
$609,351 or more | 37% |
The following are the 2025 federal income tax brackets2 for taxes due in April 20263:
Income (Single) | Income (Married Filing Separately) | Income (Married Filing Jointly) | Income (Head of Household) | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Up to $11,925 | Up to $11,925 | Up to $23,850 | Up to $17,000 | 10% |
$11,926 to $48,475 | $11,926 to $48,475 | $23,851 to $96,950 | $17,001 to $64,850 | 12% |
$48,476 to $103,350 | $48,476 to $103,350 | $96,951 to $206,700 | $64,851 to $103,350 | 22% |
$103,351 to $197,300 | $103,351 to $197,300 | $206,701 to $394,600 | $103,351 to $197,300 | 24% |
$197,301 to $250,525 | $197,301 to $250,525 | $394,601 to $501,050 | $197,301 to $250,500 | 32% |
$250,526 to $626,350 | $250,526 to $375,800 | $501,051 to $751,600 | $250,501 to $626,350 | 35% |
$626,351 or more | $375,801 or more | $751,601 or more | $626,351 or more | 37% |
Understand tax brackets to take control of your tax bill
You may end up paying more in taxes with a higher income. However, the tax bracket system means you'll pay the same as everyone else on the lower end of your income spectrum.
Plus, you can take advantage of possible deductions or write-offs to help lower your taxable income and reduce the amount you'll owe in taxes.
You can also see what tax credits you qualify for — you may be able to receive a tax refund after applying credits and deductions. Paying less in taxes can help free up cash to use towards other financial goals, like saving for your next car or taking your family on a well-deserved vacation.
Once you've filed your taxes, find out how long it will take to receive your tax refund.
Free Online Tax Filing: File 100% for free, max out your tax refund guaranteed4, and get your federal tax refund up to 5 days early5 when you direct deposit it with Chime.