2025 Tax Brackets: Here’s How Much You’ll Owe the IRS Next Year
Each fall, the Internal Revenue Service analyzes how inflation has impacted the cost of living and, in response, makes changes to how we’re taxed and how much we receive in government benefits. The IRS has released the latest inflation-adjusted federal income tax brackets that will go into effect for tax year 2025.
This won’t affect what tax bracket you’re in when you file your 2024 taxes in April 2025. Instead, it’ll affect any income you earn in 2025 for filing in 2026.
So what are the new tax brackets for the 2025 tax year, what other changes has the IRS announced and will any of it make a difference in your finances? We have the details.
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Tax Bracket Changes for 2025
For the 2025 tax year, there are seven federal tax rates:
- 10%
- 12%
- 22%
- 24%
- 32%
- 35%
- 37%
These are unchanged from the 2024 tax year. However, how the IRS sorts taxpayers into these rates has changed for the 2025 tax year, and it all comes down to your filing status and how much money you make.
Single Filer Tax Brackets
This table shows tax brackets for single filers for the 2024 tax season compared to the new tax brackets for single filers in 2025. Note that these tax brackets also apply to married couples filing separately.
Single Filer Tax Brackets
| Tax Bracket | 2024 Taxable Income (use when you file in 2025) | 2025 Taxable Income (use when you file in 2026) |
|---|---|---|
10% |
Up to $11,600 |
Up to $11,925 |
12% |
$11,600 to $47,150 |
$11,925 to $48,475 |
22% |
$47,150 to $100,525 |
$48,475 to $103,350 |
24% |
$100,525 to $191,950 |
$103,325 to $197,300 |
32% |
$191,950 to $234,725 |
$197,300 to $250,525 |
35% |
$234,725 to $609,350 |
$250,525 to $626,350 |
37% |
Over $609,350 |
Over $626,350 |
Married, Filing Jointly Tax Brackets
This table shows tax brackets for married couples filing jointly for the 2024 tax season compared to the new tax brackets for joint filers in 2025.
Married, Filing Jointly Tax Brackets
| Tax Bracket | 2024 Taxable Income (use when you file in 2025) | 2025 Taxable Income (use when you file in 2026) |
|---|---|---|
10% |
Up to $23,200 |
Up to $23,850 |
12% |
$23,200 to $94,300 |
$23,850 to $96,950 |
22% |
$94,300 to $201,050 |
$96,950 to $206,700 |
24% |
$201,050 to $383,900 |
$206,700 to $394,600 |
32% |
$383,900 to $487,450 |
$394,600 to $501,050 |
35% |
$487,450 to $731,200 |
$501,050 to $751,600 |
37% |
Over $731,200 |
Over $751,600 |
Head of Household Tax Brackets
This table shows tax brackets for head of household filers for the 2024 tax season compared to the new tax brackets for heads of household in 2025.
Head of Household Tax Brackets
| Tax Bracket | 2024 Taxable Income (use when you file in 2025) | 2025 Taxable Income (use when you file in 2026) |
|---|---|---|
10% |
Up to $16,550 |
Up to $17,000 |
12% |
$16,550 to $63,100 |
$17,000 to $64,850 |
22% |
$63,100 to $100,500 |
$64,850 to $103,350 |
24% |
$100,500 to $191,950 |
$103,350 to $197,300 |
32% |
$191,950 to $243,700 |
$197,300 to $250,500 |
35% |
$243,700 to $609,350 |
$250,500 to $626,350 |
37% |
Over $609,350 |
Over $626,350 |
Why Tax Brackets Changed
The IRS reviews tax brackets and dozens of other tax provisions each year to ensure inflation doesn’t cause “bracket creep.”
What’s bracket creep? Because of salary increases, you might have earned more physical dollars than you did in the previous year. But due to an inflated cost of living, the increase in your income theoretically may not have made you better off. Even so, that higher income could catapult you into a more aggressive tax bracket meant for higher earners.
Thus, the IRS reviews how the cost of living shifts from year to year. With that data, pulled from the Chained Consumer Price Index (C-CPI), the IRS increases the income thresholds for each tax bracket. This keeps taxpayers from moving up into higher tax brackets without a real substantial change in income.
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How Tax Brackets and Tax Rates Work
Knowing your tax rate is helpful, but how do you actually use that to estimate what you owe?
Tax rates apply only to the income within each bracket. So if you’re a single filer with taxable income of $50,000, you won’t pay a flat 22% of that $50K to Uncle Sam. Instead, according to the 2025 tax brackets, you’d pay:
- $1,192.50 — 10% on the first $11,925 of income
- $4,386 — 12% on the next $36,550 of income ($48,475 – $11,925 = $36,550)
- $335.50 — 22% on the remaining $1,525 of income ($50,000 – $48,475 = $1,525)
- $5,914 — total tax bill
So even though your marginal tax rate is 22%, you’d only pay 11.82% of your taxable income to Uncle Sam ($5,933.50 / $50,000 = 11.82%).
Other Tax Changes for 2025
The IRS has changed more than tax brackets for the 2025 tax year. Here are some of the other changes you’ll need to be aware when filing in 2026:
Standard Deduction in 2025
The IRS has increased the standard deduction for 2025:
- Single filers and married, filing separately: $15,000, up from $14,600 2024
- Married couples, filing jointly: $30,000, up from $29,200 in 2024
- Heads of household: $22,500, up from $21,900 in 2024
Since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, most Americans take the standard deduction. However, you can still itemize your deductions if you’d prefer.
Social Security Benefits in 2025
In October 2024, the IRS announced that Social Security benefits would increase by 2.5% starting in January 2025. While technically an increase, this the second year in a row that the benefits experienced a lower rate of growth. Benefits increased by 3.2% in 2024 and 8.7% in 2023.
FSA and 401(k) Contributions in 2025
In addition, the IRS has announced that FSA participants can contribute $3,300 in the 2025 tax year (that’s up from $3,200 in 2024).
Employee contributions to various employer-sponsored retirement accounts, including 401(k)s, have also grown. In 2025, you can contribute up to $23,500, an increase of $500 over the 2024 limit.
How Will the New Tax Brackets Affect Me?
The IRS updates tax brackets in response to inflation. If inflation outpaced your salary, you might find that you’re paying a little less to the IRS in 2025 than you did in 2024. But if your salary grew alongside inflation, what you owe to the IRS in 2024 could feel like deja vu.
And if your salary grew faster than inflation (hey, good for you!), there’s a small chance you could have graduated to a new tax bracket. You’ll wind up paying Uncle Sam a little more in taxes — unless you have enough tax credits and deductions to lower your overall tax liability.
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Timothy Moore is a personal finance writer and Certified Financial Education Instructor. He covers banks, loans, insurance and taxes for The Penny Hoarder. Find his work on sites such as USA Today, Business Insider and Forbes.
