Understanding Federal Tax Brackets in 2025

Federal tax brackets determine how much income tax you owe based on your taxable income. In 2025, the tax brackets have been adjusted for inflation, affecting millions of taxpayers across the United States.

2025 Tax Brackets

• 10%: $0 to $11,600 (Single) / $0 to $23,200 (Married Filing Jointly)
• 12%: $11,601 to $47,150 (Single) / $23,201 to $94,300 (Married Filing Jointly)
• 22%: $47,151 to $100,525 (Single) / $94,301 to $201,050 (Married Filing Jointly)
• 24%: $100,526 to $191,950 (Single) / $201,051 to $383,900 (Married Filing Jointly)
• 32%: $191,951 to $243,725 (Single) / $383,901 to $487,450 (Married Filing Jointly)
• 35%: $243,726 to $609,350 (Single) / $487,451 to $731,200 (Married Filing Jointly)
• 37%: Over $609,350 (Single) / Over $731,200 (Married Filing Jointly)

How Tax Brackets Work

It's important to understand that tax brackets work on a marginal basis. This means you don't pay the same tax rate on all of your income. Instead, you pay different rates on different portions of your income.

Example

Let's say you're a single filer with a taxable income of $50,000 in 2025. Here's how your tax would be calculated:

• First $11,600: 10% = $1,160
• $11,601 to $47,150: 12% = $4,266
• $47,151 to $50,000: 22% = $627
• Total tax: $6,053

Key Takeaways

• Tax brackets are progressive, meaning higher income is taxed at higher rates
• Only the income within each bracket is taxed at that bracket's rate
• Understanding your tax bracket can help with tax planning and financial decisions