The United States imposes a progressive income tax system, which means that a taxpayer’s tax rate increase as his or her income increases.
A “tax bracket” is an income range along with the corresponding tax rate that is assessed on that income based on one’s filing status.
There are currently seven federal income tax brackets. In October 2022, the IRS released the tax brackets for 2023.
Here are the tax brackets for 2023 from the IRS as well as historical tax brackets for the previous four years as well.
Related: Standard Deduction Amounts For 2022-2023
Table of Contents
2023 Federal Income Tax Brackets
On October 18, 2022, the IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2022-38, which provided the 2023 income tax brackets below.
These tax brackets are for 2023 tax returns, which are filed in 2024.
| Tax Rate | Single | Married Filing Jointly or Qualifying Widow(er) | Married Filing Separately | Head of Household |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 to $11,000 | $0 to $22,000 | $0 to $11,000 | $0 to $15,700 |
| 12% | $11,000 to $44,725 | $22,001 to $89,450 | $11,001 to $44,725 | $15,701 to $59,850 |
| 22% | $44,726 to $95,375 | $89,451 to $190,750 | $44,726 to $95,375 | $59,851 to $95,350 |
| 24% | $95,376 to $182,100 | $190,751 to $364,200 | $95,376 to $182,100 | $95,351 to $182,100 |
| 32% | $182,101 to $231,250 | $364,201 to $462,500 | $182,101 to $231,50 | $182,101 to $231,250 |
| 35% | $231,251 to $578,125 | $462,501 to $693,750 | $231,251 to $346,875 | $231,251 to $578,100 |
| 37% | $578,126 or more | $693,751 or more | $346,876 or more | $578,101 or more |
2022 Federal Income Tax Brackets
On November 10, 2021, the IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2021-45 which provided the 2023 income tax brackets below.
These tax brackets are for 2022 tax returns, which are filed in 2023.
| Tax Rate | Single | Married Filing Jointly or Qualifying Widow(er) | Married Filing Separately | Head of Household |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 to $10,275 | $0 to $20,550 | $0 to $10,275 | $0 to $14,650 |
| 12% | $10,276 to $41,775 | $20,551 to $83,550 | $10,276 to $41,775 | $14,651 to $55,900 |
| 22% | $41,776 to $89,075 | $83,551 to $178,150 | $41,776 to $89,075 | $55,901 to $89,050 |
| 24% | $89,076 to $170,050 | $178,151 to $340,100 | $89,076 to $170,050 | $89,051 to $170,050 |
| 32% | $170,051 to $215,950 | $340,101 to $431,900 | $170,051 to $215,950 | $170,051 to $215,950 |
| 35% | $215,951 to $539,900 | $431,901 to $647,850 | $215,951 to $323,925 | $251,951 to $539,900 |
| 37% | $539,901 or more | $647,851 or more | $323,926 or more | $539,901 or more |
2021 Federal Income Tax Brackets
On October 26, 2020, the IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2021-45 which provided the 2023 income tax brackets below.
These tax brackets are for 2021 tax returns, which are filed in 2022.
| Tax Rate | Single | Married Filing Jointly or Qualifying Widow(er) | Married Filing Separately | Head of Household |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 to $9,950 | $0 to $19,900 | $0 to $9,950 | $0 to $14,200 |
| 12% | $9,951 to $40,525 | $19,901 to $81,050 | $9,951 to $40,525 | $14,201 to $54,200 |
| 22% | $40,526 to $86,375 | $81,051 to $172,750 | $40,526 to $86,375 | $54,201 to $86,350 |
| 24% | $86,376 to $164,925 | $172,751 to $329,850 | $86,376 to $164,925 | $86,351 to $164,900 |
| 32% | $164,926 to $209,425 | $329,851 to $418,850 | $164,926 to $209,425 | $164,901 to $209,400 |
| 35% | $209,426 to $523,600 | $418,851 to $628,300 | $209,426 to $314,150 | $209,401 to $523,600 |
| 37% | $523,601 or more | $628,301 or more | $314,151 or more | $523,601 or more |
2020 Federal Income Tax Brackets
On November 18, 2019, the IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2019-44, which provided the 2020 income tax brackets below.
These tax brackets are for 2020 tax returns, which are filed in 2021.
| Tax Rate | Single | Married Filing Jointly or Qualifying Widow(er) | Married Filing Separately | Head of Household |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 to $9,875 | $0 to $19,750 | $0 to $9,875 | $0 to $14,100 |
| 12% | $9,876 to $40,125 | $19,751 to $80,250 | $9,876 to $40,125 | $14,101 to $53,700 |
| 22% | $40,126 to $85,525 | $80,251 to $171,050 | $40,126 to $85,525 | $53,701 to $85,500 |
| 24% | $85,526 to $163,300 | $171,051 to $326,600 | $85,526 to $163,300 | $85,501 to $163,300 |
| 32% | $163,301 to $207,350 | $326,601 to $414,700 | $163,301 to $207,350 | $163,301 to $207,350 |
| 35% | $207,351 to $518,400 | $414,701 to $622,050 | $207,351 to $311,025 | $207,351 to $518,400 |
| 37% | $518,401 or more | $622,051 or more | $311,026 or more | $518,401 or more |
2019 Federal Income Tax Brackets
On November 15, 2018, the IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2018-57, which provided the 2019 income tax brackets below.
These tax brackets are for 2019 tax returns, which are filed in 2020.
| Tax Rate | Single | Married Filing Jointly or Qualifying Widow(er) | Married Filing Separately | Head of Household |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 to $9,700 | $0 to $19,400 | $0 to $9,700 | $0 to $13,850 |
| 12% | $9,701 to $39,475 | $19,401 to $78,950 | $9,701 to $39,475 | $13,851 to $52,850 |
| 22% | $39,476 to $84,200 | $78,951 to $168,400 | $39,476 to $84,200 | $52,851 to $84,200 |
| 24% | $84,201 to $160,725 | $168,401 to $321,450 | $84,201 to $160,725 | $84,201 to $160,700 |
| 32% | $160,726 to $204,100 | $321,451 to $408,200 | $160,726 to $204,100 | $160,701 to $204,100 |
| 35% | $204,101 to $510,300 | $408,201 to $612,350 | $204,101 to $306,175 | $204,101 to $510,300 |
| 37% | $510,301 or more | $612,351 or more | $306,176 or more | $510,301 or more |
How Tax Brackets Work
To figure out which tax bracket you’ll be in next year, see which income range in the first column your taxable income falls in and then look at the percentage in the second column.
That’s your marginal tax rate, that is, the rate of tax you’ll pay on the next dollar of income earned.
Understanding the Marginal Rate
Keep in mind, though, that this doesn’t mean that all of your income is earned at this marginal tax rate.
Only the income within that tax rate’s corresponding range is taxed at that rate.
Keep in mind that the tax brackets are dealing with your taxable income, which is your income after adjustments and your standard or itemized deductions.
Tax Brackets Example
For example, if your taxable income is $65,000, the first $9,875 of income is taxed at 10%, meaning that you will pay $987.50 on your first $9,875 of income.
Your next $30,250 of income (that is, the income between $9,875 and $40,125) is taxed at 12%, meaning that you will pay $3,630 on income falling in this range.
Finally, the next $24,875 (that is, the income between $40,125 and your taxable income of $65,000) is taxed at 22%, meaning that you will pay $5,472.50 of tax on this income.
Add all those tax amounts ($987.50 + $3,630 + $5,472.50) together, and you end up with a tax liability of $10,090.
Author:
Logan is a practicing CPA and founder of Choice Tax Relief and Money Done Right. After spending nearly a decade in the corporate world helping big businesses save money, he launched his blog with the goal of helping everyday Americans earn, save, and invest more money. Learn more about Logan.
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