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NewUSA federal + state tax estimator
2026 federal rates50 states + D.C.Private on your device

USA Federal & State Tax Refund Calculator

See federal and state estimates separately, compare tax already paid with estimated liability, and understand where your income goes.

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Federal + state estimate

Enter your 2026 tax details

California: A simplified statewide estimate is applied at up to 9.30%. Uses a simplified progressive-rate estimate; the 1% mental-health tax is not included.
Private: calculations stay in this browser and are not saved.
Looking for paycheck take-home pay? This calculator focuses on tax already paid and a possible refund or balance. For gross-to-net salary and pay-period estimates, open the separate USA salary after-tax calculator.

Built for clarity

One view for federal and state tax

1

Every state included

Choose all 50 states or Washington, D.C., including states with no broad wage-income tax.

2

Refunds separated

See federal and state refund or amount owing before reviewing the combined planning total.

3

Payroll tax explained

FICA and self-employment tax remain separate from federal and state income tax.

4

Limits made visible

Local income taxes, part-year residence and special state credits are clearly identified as exclusions.

How the federal and state estimate works

The federal calculation uses 2026 IRS brackets and the standard deduction for your filing status. It then estimates the Child Tax Credit, FICA on wages and self-employment tax. Your federal result compares federal withholding and payments with estimated federal income and self-employment tax.

The state calculation starts from estimated adjusted gross income and applies a simplified statewide resident rate and deduction. This makes state-to-state planning much more useful than a federal-only calculator, but it is not a substitute for a state return: each state has its own additions, subtractions, credits and filing rules.

$75,500IRSFICASS + MedicareState
W-2 employees: compare federal withholding, FICA and state withholding against your calculated liability.
Estimated paymentsQ1Apr 15Q2Jun 15Q3Sep 15Q4Jan 1515.3%SE tax rate
Self-employed filers: self-employment tax and quarterly estimated payments are tracked separately from income tax.

State-tax examples

California resident

The calculator adds a simplified California income-tax estimate and compares it with state withholding. Special credits and the high-income mental-health tax are excluded.

Texas resident

Texas has no state individual income tax on wages, so the state wage-income estimate is $0. Federal income tax and FICA still apply.

New York resident

The calculator estimates New York State tax. New York City and Yonkers taxes are not included and can materially change the final result.

Working across state lines

This version assumes one full-year resident state. A nonresident or part-year return may allocate income differently and is outside the quick estimate.

Worked example: $75,500 income, California, single filer

These are the same numbers used by this calculator's "Load example" button, shown step by step so you can see exactly how the federal and California figures are built.

  1. Add up income. $75,000 in W-2 wages plus $500 of other taxable income equals $75,500 in total income.
  2. Subtract pre-tax retirement contributions. $75,500 minus a $4,500 traditional 401(k) contribution leaves $71,000 of adjusted gross income (AGI).
  3. Subtract the federal standard deduction. The 2026 single standard deduction is $16,100, so federal taxable income is $71,000 − $16,100 = $54,900.
  4. Apply the 2026 federal brackets. 10% on the first $12,400 ($1,240), 12% on the next $38,000 up to $50,400 ($4,560), and 22% on the remaining $4,500 ($990) totals $6,790 in federal income tax.
  5. Add FICA payroll tax. 6.2% Social Security ($4,650) plus 1.45% Medicare ($1,088) on $75,000 of wages equals $5,738. FICA is separate from income tax and is not reduced by deductions.
  6. Apply the California estimate. California's simplified estimate taxes AGI minus its own $5,540 deduction ($71,000 − $5,540 = $65,460) at up to 9.30%, for about $6,088 of state tax.
  7. Compare with payments already made. $8,200 of federal withholding minus $6,790 of federal tax leaves about a $1,410 federal refund. $3,100 of California withholding minus $6,088 of state tax leaves about $2,988 owed to California — a combined result of roughly $1,578 owed once both are added together.

Try it yourself: open the calculator above, choose Load example, and you will see these exact figures in the breakdown.

Key terms explained

Adjusted gross income (AGI)
Total income minus specific adjustments such as pre-tax retirement contributions. AGI is the starting point for both the federal standard deduction and this calculator's state estimate.
FICA
Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax: 6.2% Social Security up to the annual wage base, plus 1.45% Medicare, withheld from wages regardless of your income-tax bracket.
Effective vs. marginal tax rate
Your marginal rate is the bracket applied to your last dollar of income; your effective rate is total tax divided by total income, and is almost always lower.
Standard deduction
A fixed amount ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household for 2026) that reduces taxable income unless itemizing produces a larger deduction.

Important limitation

The state figure is a simplified planning estimate, not state-return preparation. It excludes city, county and school-district income taxes; part-year and nonresident allocation; most state credits; special capital-gain rules; and other state-specific adjustments.

Official starting points

Frequently asked questions

Does the calculator include state income tax?+

Yes. Select any of the 50 states or Washington, D.C. The state result is a simplified resident planning estimate; local income taxes and many state-specific credits are excluded.

Which states have no tax on wage income?+

Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming do not impose a broad state individual income tax on wage income. Washington's separate capital-gains tax is outside this calculator.

Are federal and state refunds paid together?+

No. The combined result is useful for planning, but the IRS and your state tax agency calculate and issue their refunds separately.

Why might my actual result differ?+

State credits, local taxes, part-year residence, income earned in another state, capital gains, EITC, education credits and other return details can change the result.

How is federal income tax calculated for a $75,000 salary?+

Federal tax is calculated on taxable income, not gross salary. Subtract the standard deduction (and any pre-tax retirement contributions) from gross pay first, then apply the 2026 progressive brackets to what remains. The worked example on this page walks through the exact math for a $75,500 income.

What's the difference between my marginal and effective tax rate?+

Your marginal rate is the bracket that applies to your last dollar earned. Your effective rate is your total tax divided by your total income, and because of progressive brackets it is almost always lower than your marginal rate.

Learn before you file

USA tax guides and examples

Estimate a refund from your W-2 →Federal vs. state tax refunds →Self-employment and quarterly taxes →2026 Child Tax Credit →
Browse all USA tax guides →

Practical pay planning

Salary and take-home pay guides

All salary guides →