Tax Refund Estimator
Estimate a 2026 federal refund or balance due from wages, withholding, and qualifying children. This is not a tax return.
Federal only. The standard deduction and the child tax credit are included. Itemized deductions, the $500 credit for other dependents, and state tax are not. Estimate take-home pay.
Estimated federal balance due: $20.00.
| Standard deduction | $16,100.00 |
| Taxable income | $43,900.00 |
| Income tax | $5,020.00 |
| Child tax credit used | $0.00 |
| Additional child tax credit | $0.00 |
How it works
Taxable income is wages minus the 2026 standard deduction: $16,100 single or married filing separately, $32,200 married filing jointly, and $24,150 head of household. Federal tax then uses the brackets in IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32. Head of household uses the corrected table, with the 24% bracket ending at $201,750.
The child tax credit is $2,200 for each qualifying child you count. It shrinks by $50 per $1,000, or fraction, of wages over $200,000, or over $400,000 if you file jointly. The credit first reduces tax. Any remainder is refundable up to $1,700 per child and up to 15% of wages over $2,500, under IRC section 24.
A positive result is a refund. A negative result is a balance due. Itemized deductions, other income, adjustments, and every credit except this one are left out, so a real return can differ. The paycheck calculator estimates take-home pay instead.
FAQ
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Estimates only — not tax or legal advice. File using your forms or a tax professional.