Key Takeaways
- The 2027 standard deduction is $16,600 single, $33,200 joint and $24,925 head of household.
- For 2027, the 37% rate starts above $661,375 single and $793,650 for married couples filing jointly.
- For 2026 returns filed in early 2027, it's $16,100 single, $32,200 joint and $24,150 head of household.
- All seven rates, 10% through 37%, stay the same; only the income thresholds rise each year.
The 2027 federal income tax brackets are official. The IRS released them on November 5, 2026: the standard deduction rises to $16,600 for single filers, $33,200 for married couples filing jointly and $24,925 for heads of household, and the 10% bracket now covers the first $12,800 of a single filer’s taxable income. The 2026 brackets you’ll use on the return you file in early 2027 are right below them.
Short version for 2026: same seven rates (10%–37%), but all the income thresholds and standard deductions moved up. The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) also layered an enhanced standard deduction on top of what inflation adjustment alone would have produced — so the 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers and $32,200 for married filing jointly.
2027 Tax Brackets (for returns filed in 2028)
These are official. The IRS announced the 2027 inflation adjustments on November 5, 2026 (IRS 2027 inflation adjustments). The seven rates don’t change: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37%. Every income threshold moved up about 3.2% from 2026.
| Tax Rate | Single Filers | Married Filing Jointly | Head of Household | Married Filing Separately |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Std. Deduction | $16,600 | $33,200 | $24,925 | $16,600 |
| 10% | $0 to $12,800 | $0 to $25,600 | $0 to $18,250 | $0 to $12,800 |
| 12% | $12,801 to $52,025 | $25,601 to $104,050 | $18,251 to $69,650 | $12,801 to $52,025 |
| 22% | $52,026 to $109,125 | $104,051 to $218,250 | $69,651 to $109,100 | $52,026 to $109,125 |
| 24% | $109,126 to $208,325 | $218,251 to $416,650 | $109,101 to $208,300 | $109,126 to $208,325 |
| 32% | $208,326 to $264,550 | $416,651 to $529,100 | $208,301 to $264,550 | $208,326 to $264,550 |
| 35% | $264,551 to $661,375 | $529,101 to $793,650 | $264,551 to $661,350 | $264,551 to $396,825 |
| 37% | Over $661,375 | Over $793,650 | Over $661,350 | Over $396,825 |
The OBBB enhanced standard deduction is already built into these 2027 amounts, and it lasts through 2028. A single filer gets $500 more standard deduction than in 2026, and a married couple filing jointly gets $1,000 more.
A few other 2027 items from the same IRS update: the extra standard deduction for 65 or older (or blind) rises to $2,100 for single filers and $1,700 per spouse for married couples, the AMT exemption is $93,000 for single filers ($144,700 joint), the estate tax exclusion is $15,480,000 and the annual gift exclusion goes up to $20,000 per recipient.
What it means in dollars: take the same $80,000 of taxable income as Sarah’s 2026 example further down. In 2027 she pays 10% on the first $12,800 ($1,280), 12% on the next $39,225 ($4,707) and 22% on the last $27,975 ($6,154.50). That’s $12,141.50, about $170 less than the $12,312 she owes on the same income for 2026.
2027 and 2026 Long-Term Capital Gains Brackets
Long-term gains and qualified dividends use their own 0%, 15% and 20% brackets. The rate depends on your total taxable income, and the 20% rate applies above the 15% limit.
| Filing status | 0% up to (2027) | 15% up to (2027) | 0% up to (2026) | 15% up to (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $51,050 | $563,200 | $49,450 | $545,500 |
| Married filing jointly | $102,100 | $633,600 | $98,900 | $613,700 |
| Head of household | $68,350 | $598,400 | $66,200 | $579,600 |
| Married filing separately | $51,050 | $316,800 | $49,450 | $306,850 |
Looking ahead to 2028: the IRS will set the 2028 brackets in fall 2027, from inflation in the 12 months ending August 2027. 2028 is also the last year of the OBBB enhanced standard deduction and the $6,000 senior deduction, so Congress will be deciding whether to extend them. I’ll post the 2028 numbers here when they’re out.
2026 Tax Brackets (for returns filed in 2027)
These are the official confirmed numbers from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32, released October 9, 2025.
OBBB changed the 2026 picture in two meaningful ways. First, it made the TCJA rate structure permanent — no more cliff where rates would have jumped back to pre-2018 levels. Second, it added a temporary enhanced standard deduction on top of the regular inflation adjustment. That enhancement runs through 2028.
| Tax Rate | Single Filers | Married Filing Jointly | Head of Household | Married Filing Separately |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Std. Deduction | $16,100 | $32,200 | $24,150 | $16,100 |
| 10% | $0 to $12,400 | $0 to $24,800 | $0 to $17,700 | $0 to $12,400 |
| 12% | $12,401 to $50,400 | $24,801 to $100,800 | $17,701 to $67,450 | $12,401 to $50,400 |
| 22% | $50,401 to $105,700 | $100,801 to $211,400 | $67,451 to $105,700 | $50,401 to $105,700 |
| 24% | $105,701 to $201,775 | $211,401 to $403,550 | $105,701 to $201,750 | $105,701 to $201,775 |
| 32% | $201,776 to $256,225 | $403,551 to $512,450 | $201,751 to $256,200 | $201,776 to $256,225 |
| 35% | $256,226 to $640,600 | $512,451 to $768,700 | $256,201 to $640,600 | $256,226 to $384,350 |
| 37% | Over $640,600 | Over $768,700 | Over $640,600 | Over $384,350 |
A few other 2026 items worth noting: the AMT exemption for single filers is $90,100 (phases out at $500,000), and the estate tax exclusion rises to $15,000,000. The annual gift exclusion holds at $19,000 per recipient.
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2025 Tax Brackets (for returns filed in 2026)
OBBB retroactively raised the 2025 standard deduction above what the IRS had originally set. The original figures were $15,000 (single) and $30,000 (MFJ) — OBBB bumped them to the amounts in the table below. If you filed before OBBB was signed on July 4, 2025 and your situation was close to the line, an amended return may be worth looking at.
| Tax Rate | Single Filers | Married Filing Jointly | Head of Household | Married Filing Separately |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Std. Deduction | $15,750 | $31,500 | $23,625 | $15,750 |
| 10% | $0 to $11,925 | $0 to $23,850 | $0 to $17,000 | $0 to $11,925 |
| 12% | $11,926 to $48,475 | $23,851 to $96,950 | $17,001 to $64,850 | $11,926 to $48,475 |
| 22% | $48,476 to $103,350 | $96,951 to $206,700 | $64,851 to $103,350 | $48,476 to $103,350 |
| 24% | $103,351 to $197,300 | $206,701 to $394,600 | $103,351 to $197,300 | $103,351 to $197,300 |
| 32% | $197,301 to $250,525 | $394,601 to $501,050 | $197,301 to $250,525 | $197,301 to $250,525 |
| 35% | $250,526 to $626,350 | $501,051 to $751,600 | $250,501 to $626,350 | $250,526 to $375,800 |
| 37% | Over $626,350 | Over $751,600 | Over $626,350 | Over $375,800 |
The 2025 adjustment overall was about 2.7%. Retirement contribution limits for 401k and IRA plans follow a similar annual cycle and have their own 2025 figures.
2024 Tax Brackets (for returns filed in 2025)
The 2024 adjustment was about 5.4%, down from the record ~7% expansion in 2023 as inflation cooled.
| Tax Rate | Single Filers | Married Filing Jointly | Head of Household | Married Filing Separately |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Std. Deduction | $14,600 | $29,200 | $21,900 | $14,600 |
| 10% | Up to $11,600 | Up to $23,200 | Up to $16,550 | Up to $11,600 |
| 12% | $11,601 to $47,150 | $23,201 to $94,300 | $16,551 to $63,100 | $11,601 to $47,150 |
| 22% | $47,151 to $100,525 | $94,301 to $201,050 | $63,101 to $100,500 | $47,151 to $100,525 |
| 24% | $100,526 to $191,950 | $201,051 to $383,900 | $100,501 to $182,100 | $100,526 to $191,950 |
| 32% | $191,951 to $243,725 | $383,901 to $487,450 | $182,101 to $231,250 | $191,951 to $243,725 |
| 35% | $243,726 to $609,350 | $487,451 to $731,200 | $231,251 to $578,100 | $243,726 to $365,600 |
| 37% | Over $609,350 | Over $731,200 | Over $578,100 | Over $365,600 |
How the Progressive Tax System Works — Two Examples
Federal income tax is progressive: you only pay each rate on the income that falls within that bracket, not on your full income.
Example 1 — Single filer, $80,000 taxable income (2026): After taking the $16,100 standard deduction, Sarah has $80,000 in taxable income. She pays 10% on the first $12,400 ($1,240), 12% on $12,401–$50,400 ($4,560), and 22% on $50,401–$80,000 ($6,512). Total federal tax: $12,312 — an effective rate of about 15.4%, not 22%.
Example 2 — Married filing jointly, $200,000 taxable income (2026): After taking the $32,200 standard deduction, Mark and Lisa report $200,000 in taxable income. They pay 10% on the first $24,800, 12% on $24,801–$100,800, and 22% on $100,801–$200,000. Total federal tax: approximately $33,424 — an effective rate well below their 22% marginal rate. Use tax software to factor in all credits and deductions specific to your situation.
Historical Brackets: 2018–2023 Reference
The same seven rates (10%–37%) applied in all of these years. Only the income thresholds changed. For full historical tables, the IRS archives Rev. Proc. documents going back to 2018.
| Tax Year | Single Std. Deduction | MFJ Std. Deduction | 10% Bracket Ends (Single) | 37% Rate Starts (Single) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $13,850 | $27,700 | $11,000 | $578,126 |
| 2022 | $12,950 | $25,900 | $10,275 | $539,901 |
| 2021 | $12,550 | $25,100 | $9,950 | $523,601 |
| 2020 | $12,400 | $24,800 | $9,875 | $518,401 |
| 2019 | $12,200 | $24,400 | $9,700 | $510,301 |
| 2018 | $12,000 | $24,000 | $9,525 | $500,001 |
Note: 2017 and prior years used different rates (15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, 39.6% at the top) plus a $4,050 personal exemption per person — a fundamentally different structure. The TCJA overhauled everything starting in 2018.
Common Issues to Watch For
A few things I see come up repeatedly:
Confusing marginal rate with effective rate. Your “tax bracket” is the rate on your last dollar of income, not what you pay on everything. Most people’s effective rate is well below their marginal rate because the lower brackets fill up first.
Forgetting OBBB changed the 2025 numbers retroactively. If you estimated your 2025 taxes before July 4, 2025, you may have used the original $15,000/$30,000 standard deduction. The actual 2025 amounts ($15,750/$31,500) are higher, which means a bigger deduction and potentially a smaller tax bill.
Using the wrong deduction for your filing status. Head of household gets a significantly better standard deduction than single — $24,150 vs. $16,100 in 2026. The IRS has strict rules on who qualifies (generally: unmarried, paying more than half the cost of a home for a qualifying person).
Missing the senior standard deduction add-on. Taxpayers 65 or older can claim an extra standard deduction of $2,050 (single) or $1,650 per qualifying spouse (MFJ) for 2026, rising to $2,100 and $1,700 for 2027. It doesn’t show up in the main bracket table but can meaningfully cut taxable income.
Assuming the OBBB bonus deduction is permanent. The $1,000/$2,000/$1,500 enhanced standard deduction runs through 2028 only. In 2029 it reverts to the base inflation-adjusted figure unless Congress extends it — something to watch heading into the next legislative cycle.
