Tax Refund Estimator
Federal tax refund or amount owed for tax year 2024, 2025 or 2026 from wages, withholding, filing status, deductions and credits, using IRS brackets. How it works
Use the Tax Refund Estimator
About the Tax Refund Estimator
Single, $60,000 of wages and $8,000 withheld in tax year 2026: the federal income tax is $5,020.00, so the refund is $2,980.00. The tax refund estimator takes off the standard deduction ($16,100 for a single filer in 2026, plus any extra deductions you enter) or your itemized deductions, runs the rest through the IRS brackets for the year you choose, subtracts nonrefundable credits, and compares the tax with what was withheld plus any refundable credits.
Standard deduction by tax year and filing status
| Tax year | Single | Married filing jointly | Married filing separately | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $14,600 | $29,200 | $14,600 | $21,900 |
| 2025 | $15,750 | $31,500 | $15,750 | $23,625 |
| 2026 | $16,100 | $32,200 | $16,100 | $24,150 |
The amounts the estimator uses, from IRS Rev. Proc. 2023-34 (2024) and Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2025 as amended in 2025, and 2026). The extra amounts for age 65 or blindness are not built in: enter yours in the extra deductions field.
Refund or amount owed with $8,000 withheld, single, tax year 2026
| Wages | Taxable income | Federal income tax | Tax as share of wages | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $13,900.00 | $1,420.00 | 4.7% | Refund $6,580.00 |
| $45,000 | $28,900.00 | $3,220.00 | 7.2% | Refund $4,780.00 |
| $60,000 | $43,900.00 | $5,020.00 | 8.4% | Refund $2,980.00 |
| $75,000 | $58,900.00 | $7,670.00 | 10.2% | Refund $330.00 |
| $100,000 | $83,900.00 | $13,170.00 | 13.2% | Owed $5,170.00 |
Standard deduction, no credits, federal income tax only.
Frequently asked questions
- How much will I get back in taxes if I make $60,000?
- It depends on what was withheld. Single in tax year 2026 with $8,000 withheld: tax $5,020.00 and a refund of $2,980.00. With $4,000 withheld you would owe $1,020.00. For tax year 2025 the same wages and withholding give $5,071.50 of tax and a $2,928.50 refund.
- Which tax year should I choose?
- The year the income was earned. The IRS says its 2026 figures generally apply to returns filed in 2027, so a return filed in early 2027 is for tax year 2026. The estimator offers 2024, 2025 and 2026.
- Does the tax refund estimator include the child tax credit?
- It does not work the credit out, but you can type it in: the nonrefundable part in one field and any refundable part in the other. Nonrefundable Tax Credits reduce the tax down to $0 and no further. Refundable Credits are added to what was withheld, so they are paid out even when no tax is owed. Head of household in 2026 with $30,000 of wages, $1,000 withheld, $2,200 of nonrefundable and $1,700 of refundable credits: the tax falls from $585.00 to $0.00 and the refund is $2,700.00. Limits and income phase-outs are not checked.
- Should I itemize or take the standard deduction?
- The estimator uses whichever is larger. Single in 2026 with $20,000 of itemized deductions on $60,000 of wages: tax $4,552.00 and a $3,448.00 refund, against $2,980.00 with the $16,100 standard deduction. Itemized amounts below the standard deduction are ignored.
- How do I add the senior, tips or overtime deduction?
- Type the amount in Extra deductions on top of the standard deduction. The IRS lists an additional deduction of up to $6,000 for people 65 and older, and a tips deduction of up to $25,000, both for tax years 2025 to 2028, so leave them out for 2024. Single in 2026 with $60,000 of wages, $8,000 withheld and $6,000 entered, the tax is $4,300.00 and the refund $3,700.00. Whether you qualify, and any income phase-out, is not checked. If your itemized total is larger, it is used instead and the extra amount is ignored.
- What does the tax refund estimator leave out?
- State tax, Social Security and Medicare, self-employment tax, investment and other income, and adjustments such as HSA contributions. Credits and extra deductions are taken as you enter them: eligibility, limits and phase-outs are not checked. If you put money into a traditional 401(k) through payroll, enter your wages after those contributions.
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