Bender, Lang & Posey CPAs Bender, Lang & Posey
Certified Public Accountants
Reference

Standard Deductions & Tax Brackets

Federal figures for tax years 2025 and 2026, side by side. Brackets are marginal — each slice of taxable income is taxed at its own rate, not the whole amount at the top rate.

Figures current as of July 31, 2026 · tax years 2025 and 2026 · IRS Rev. Proc. 2024-40 and 2025-32

Standard deduction

Filing status TY2025 TY2026
Single $15,750 $16,100
Married filing jointly $31,500 $32,200
Married filing separately $15,750 $16,100
Head of household $23,625 $24,150
Additional, age 65 or older or blind — single or head of household $2,000 $2,050
Additional, age 65 or older or blind — per qualifying married person $1,600 $1,650

Taxpayers 65 and older may also claim the separate $6,000 senior deduction created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, available for tax years 2025 through 2028. It phases out above $75,000 of modified AGI (single) or $150,000 (joint). Ask us whether it applies to you.

Ordinary income tax brackets — 2025

Taxable income, after deductions. Returns filed in early 2026.

Rate Single Married jointly Married separately Head of household
10% $0 – $11,925 $0 – $23,850 $0 – $11,925 $0 – $17,000
12% $11,925 – $48,475 $23,850 – $96,950 $11,925 – $48,475 $17,000 – $64,850
22% $48,475 – $103,350 $96,950 – $206,700 $48,475 – $103,350 $64,850 – $103,350
24% $103,350 – $197,300 $206,700 – $394,600 $103,350 – $197,300 $103,350 – $197,300
32% $197,300 – $250,525 $394,600 – $501,050 $197,300 – $250,525 $197,300 – $250,500
35% $250,525 – $626,350 $501,050 – $751,600 $250,525 – $375,800 $250,500 – $626,350
37% Over $626,350 Over $751,600 Over $375,800 Over $626,350

Ordinary income tax brackets — 2026

Taxable income, after deductions. Returns filed in early 2027. The seven rates are unchanged; the thresholds moved with inflation.

Rate Single Married jointly Married separately Head of household
10% $0 – $12,400 $0 – $24,800 $0 – $12,400 $0 – $17,700
12% $12,400 – $50,400 $24,800 – $100,800 $12,400 – $50,400 $17,700 – $67,450
22% $50,400 – $105,700 $100,800 – $211,400 $50,400 – $105,700 $67,450 – $105,700
24% $105,700 – $201,775 $211,400 – $403,550 $105,700 – $201,775 $105,700 – $201,775
32% $201,775 – $256,225 $403,550 – $512,450 $201,775 – $256,225 $201,775 – $256,200
35% $256,225 – $640,600 $512,450 – $768,700 $256,225 – $384,350 $256,200 – $640,600
37% Over $640,600 Over $768,700 Over $384,350 Over $640,600

Long-term capital gains and qualified dividends

Keyed to taxable income, with their own rate schedule.

Rate Year Single Married jointly Head of household
0% 2025 Up to $48,350 Up to $96,700 Up to $64,750
2026 Up to $49,450 Up to $98,900 Up to $66,200
15% 2025 Up to $533,400 Up to $600,050 Up to $566,700
2026 Up to $545,500 Up to $613,700 Up to $579,600
20% Both Taxable income above the 15% ceiling for the filing status

Payroll and surtax thresholds

The Social Security wage base is indexed. The two surtax thresholds are fixed in statute and have never been adjusted for inflation.

Item TY2025 TY2026
Social Security wage base (6.2% stops above this) $176,100 $184,500
Medicare rate (no wage cap) 1.45% 1.45%
Additional Medicare tax of 0.9% — single / married jointly $200,000 / $250,000 $200,000 / $250,000
Net investment income tax of 3.8% — single / married jointly $200,000 / $250,000 $200,000 / $250,000
These are federal figures only
Colorado taxes income at a flat rate on federal taxable income, with its own additions and subtractions. Your return accounts for both.
Your bracket is not your tax rate
The rate in the table applies only to the income inside that band. Most people’s effective rate is well below their top bracket.
Planning happens in the gaps
The room between where you are and the next threshold is where Roth conversions, gain harvesting, and income timing pay off. Call us.

Source: IRS Rev. Proc. 2024-40 (tax year 2025) and Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026). Published for general reference; it is not advice on your specific situation.