WiseCalc

Tax Refund Calculator

Estimate a basic 2026 federal refund or balance from ordinary income, entered deductions, nonrefundable credits and payments.

2026 federal income-tax scenario

Uses 2026 ordinary-income brackets and entered deductions and nonrefundable credits. It does not determine eligibility or include refundable credits, payroll/self-employment tax, AMT, state tax or special capital-gain rates.

IRS sources — 2026
$
$0$500,000
$
$0$200,000
$
$0$300,000
$
$0$100,000
$
$0$30,000
$
$0$100,000
Estimated Tax Refund
$3,330.00
You paid more during the year than the estimated federal tax due.
Tax Liability
$5,670.00
Total Paid
$9,000.00
Effective Rate
7.6%
Taxable Income
$58,900.00

Calculation Summary

Total Income$75,000.00
Deductions-$16,100.00
Taxable Income$58,900.00
Tax Before Credits$7,670.00
Tax Credits-$2,000.00
Tax After Credits$5,670.00
Withholding$9,000.00
Estimated Tax Payments$0.00
Estimated Tax Refund$3,330.00

Why is my refund different?

Your actual refund can change because of state tax, self-employment tax, capital gains, IRA/HSA deductions, dependent rules, premium tax credits, underpayment penalties, and updated IRS forms. This tool is meant to give you a clean federal estimate using income, withholding, estimated payments, credits, and deductions.

Related Guides

Helpful articles and resources related to this calculator.

Quarterly Estimated Tax Guide: How to Calculate 1040-ES Payments in the U.S.

Useful if refund or balance-due changes are being driven by estimated payments rather than payroll withholding alone.

How Much Should Freelancers Set Aside for U.S. Taxes?

Helpful if your refund estimate is affected by side income, contract work, or uneven tax set-asides.

Estimate Your 2026 Self-Employment Tax: Formula, Examples & Quarterly Payments

A strong companion when refund math includes freelance or self-employment tax exposure.

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Tax Withholding Calculator

Adjust your W-4 strategy if your projected refund or balance due looks too large.

What to do after checking your tax refund estimate

The goal is not just to predict tax season, but to fix mismatches while there is still time to act.

Review your latest withholding

Compare this estimate with year-to-date withholding from recent pay stubs or your W-2 Box 2 projection.

Adjust before the year ends

If the refund or balance due is too large, change your W-4 or estimated payments while there are still pay periods left.

Re-run with updated assumptions

Check the result again after bonuses, side income, credits, or deduction changes so the estimate stays current.

Fine-tune your withholding

Tax Refund Calculator

Estimate a basic 2026 federal refund or balance from ordinary income, entered deductions, nonrefundable credits and payments.

Uses the 2026 IRS ordinary-income brackets for the selected filing status. Deductions and nonrefundable credits are entered assumptions; eligibility, refundable credits, payroll and self-employment tax, AMT, state tax and special capital-gain rates are not modeled. This is an estimate, not a prepared tax return.