Individual Federal Income Tax Rates by Tax Year

Before you get started preparing your tax return, find out what federal income tax rates apply to you, based on your income and filing status.

What Is a Tax Rate?

A tax rate is the percentage at which taxes are paid on a dollar of income.

What Is a Tax Bracket?

A tax bracket is a range of income amounts that are taxed at a particular rate. Each filing status has its own tax brackets, but the tax rates are the same for all filing statuses. Most of us pay income taxes across several tax brackets, which is what makes our tax system "progressive".

When someone asks what tax bracket you fall into, they generally want to know your "marginal tax rate". This is the tax bracket that your last dollar of income falls into, and therefore the highest tax rate you pay.

Tax Brackets and Effective Tax Rates

If your marginal tax rate is, for example, 25%. That doesn't mean that ALL of your income is taxed at 28%. Income is actually taxed at different rates. Here's how it works:

Say that your income for 2012 is $40,000 and your filing status is single. Your first $8,700 will be taxed at 10%. Every dollar from $8,701 to $35,350 will be taxed at 15%. And every dollar from $35,351 to $40,000 will be taxed at 25%.

So, if you added up the taxes that you pay on each portion of your income, and then divide it by your total income (then multiply by 100), you would get your "effective tax rate". This is the actual rate you pay on your taxes, regardless of your marginal tax rate.

Estimate Your Federal Income Tax Rate

To estimate your income taxes, see the tax rate schedules listed below by tax year. Find your filing status, and compare you income to the amounts listed to find your marginal tax rate.

2012 Individual Income Tax Rate Schedule (for Tax Returns Due by April 15, 2013)

For a more detailed estimate of your taxes, use the free income tax estimator and tax calculator.

When you prepare your tax return online with efile.com, the software applies the correct tax rates and does all the math for you. We guarantee 100% accuracy. See more benefits of using efile.com.

2011 Individual Income Tax Rate Schedule (for Tax Returns Due by April 17, 2012)

For a more detailed estimate of your taxes, use the free income tax estimator and tax calculator.

2010 Individual Income Tax Rate Schedule (for the Tax Return Due by April 18, 2011)

The table below shows the income tax rates for tax year 2010 by filing status and annual income; you should use your taxable income to figure out your tax bracket and tax rate. 

2009 Individual Income Tax Rates

2008 Individual Income Tax Rates

2007 Individual Income Tax Rates

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