Effective Tax Rate Calculator
Estimate your effective tax rate using total tax paid divided by income.
Updated for 2026Sources citedNo signup required
Key takeaways
- Your effective tax rate is what you paid overall — not your bracket.
- It’s usually lower than your marginal rate because brackets are progressive.
- Use this to compare years or estimate how ‘tax-heavy’ your income is.
- This is a simple ratio: tax paid ÷ income.
Calculator
Results
Enter inputs and click calculate.
See step-by-step breakdown
We’ll show the math here after you calculate.
How this calculator works
Inputs we ask for
- Total income used
- Total tax paid
What we calculate
- Effective tax rate (%)
What this calculator does NOT do
- Separate federal vs state unless you enter them separately
- Compute your tax from brackets
Assumptions + rounding
We divide tax paid by income and show a percentage rounded to 2 decimals.
FAQ
Should I use gross income or taxable income?
Use whatever matches the ‘tax paid’ number you’re pairing it with. Many people use total income; others use taxable income for a bracket-style comparison. Just be consistent.
Does this include payroll tax?
Only if you include it in ‘tax paid’. This calculator doesn’t separate components.
Does this include state tax?
Only if you include state tax in ‘tax paid’.
Why is my effective rate much lower than my bracket?
Because only the top slice of income hits the top bracket — the rest is taxed at lower rates.
Is this the same as marginal rate?
No. Marginal is the rate on the next dollar; effective is your overall rate.
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More resources
These pages explain the rules, assumptions, and constants used in the calculator.