The taxes we pay depend on two things.
Congress sets the rates and income that falls into them when a tax law is created or changed. Then the Internal Revenue Service adjusts the income brackets each year, usually in late October or early November, based on inflation.
Here's a look at income tax rates and brackets over the years.
2020 tax rates and income brackets
USE THESE RATES & INCOME BRACKETS FOR 2020 TAX YEAR RETURNS FILED IN 2021
|
Tax |
Single |
Head of |
Married |
Married |
|
10% |
Up to $9,875 |
Up to $14,100 |
Up to $ 19,750 |
Up to $9,875 |
|
12% |
$9,876 to |
$14,101 to |
$19,751 to |
$9,876 to |
|
22% |
$40,126 to |
$53,701 to |
$80,251 to |
$40,126 to |
|
24% |
$85,526 to |
$85,501 to |
$171,051 to |
$85,526 to |
|
32% |
$163,301 to |
$163,301 to |
$326,601 to |
$163,301 to |
|
35% |
$207,351 to |
$204,101 to |
$414,701 to |
$207,351 to |
|
37% |
$518,401 |
$518,401 |
$622,051 |
$311,026 |
2019 tax rates and income brackets
As enacted under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
USE THESE RATES & INCOME BRACKETS FOR 2019 TAX YEAR RETURNS FILED IN 2020
| Tax Rate | Single | Head of Household | Married Filing Jointly or Surviving Spouse |
Married Filing Separately |
| 10% | Up to $9,700 | Up to $13,850 | Up to $19,400 | Up to $9,700 |
| 12% | $9,701 to $39,475 | $13,851 to $52,850 | $19,401 to $78,950 |
$9,701 to $39,475 |
| 22% | $39,476 to $84,200 | $52,851 to $84,200 | $78,951 to $168,400 | $39,476 to $84,200 |
| 24% | $84,201 to $160,725 | $84,201 to $160,700 | $168,401 to $321,450 | $84,201 to $160,725 |
| 32% | $160,726 to $204,100 | $160,701 to $204,100 | $321,451 to $408,200 | $160,726 to $204,100 |
| 35% | $204,101 to $510,300 | $204,101 to $501,300 | $408,201 to $612,350 | $204,101 to $306,175 |
| 37% | $510,301 or more |
$510,301 or more |
$612,351 or more |
$306,176 or more |
2018 tax rates and income brackets
As enacted under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
USE THESE RATES & INCOME BRACKETS FOR 2018 TAX YEAR RETURNS FILED IN 2019
| Tax Rate | Single | Head of Household | Married Filing Jointly or Surviving Spouse |
Married Filing Separately |
| 10% | Up to $9,525 | Up to $13,600 | Up to $19,050 | Up to $9,525 |
| 12% | $9,526 to $38,700 | $13,601 to $51,800 | $19,051 to $77,400 |
$9,526 to $38,700 |
| 22% | $38,701 to $82,500 | $51,801 to $82,500 | $77,401 to $165,000 | $38,701 to $82,500 |
| 24% | $82,501 to $157,500 | $82,501 to $157,500 | $165,001 to $315,000 | $82,501 to $157,500 |
| 32% | $157,501 to $200,000 | $157,501 to $200,000 | $315,001 to $400,000 | $157,501 to $200,000 |
| 35% | $200,001 to $500,000 | $200,001 to $500,000 | $400,001 to $600,000 | $200,001 to $300,000 |
| 37% | $500,001 or more |
$500,001 or more |
$600,001 or more |
$300,001 or more |
2018 tax rates and income brackets
Issued by IRS before consideration of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. DO NOT USE FOR FILING
| Tax Rate | Single | Head of Household | Married Filing Jointly or Surviving Spouse |
Married Filing Separately |
| 10% | Up to $9,525 | Up to $13,600 | Up to $19,050 | Up to $9,525 |
| 15% | $9,526 to $38,700 | $13,601 to $51,850 | $19,051 to $77,400 |
$9,526 to $38,700 |
| 25% | $38,701 to $93,700 | $51,851 to $133,850 | $77,401 to $156,150 | $38,701 to $78,075 |
| 28% | $93,701 to $195,450 | $133,851 to $216,700 | $156,151 to $237,950 | $78,076 to $118,975 |
| 33% | $195,451 to $424,950 | $216,701 to $424,950 | $237,951 to $424,950 | $118,976 to $212,475 |
| 35% | $424,951 to $426,700 | $424,951 to $453,350 | $424,951 to $480,050 | $212,476 to $240,025 |
| 39.6% | $426,701 or more |
$453,351 or more |
$480,051 or more |
$240,026 or more |
2017 tax rates and income brackets
| Tax Rate | Single | Head of Household | Married Filing Jointly or Surviving Spouse |
Married Filing Separately |
| 10% | Up to $9,325 | Up to $13,350 | Up to $18,650 | Up to $9,325 |
| 15% | $9,326 to $37,650 | $13,351 to $50,800 | $18,651 to $75,900 |
$9,326 to $37,950 |
| 25% | $37,951 to $91,900 | $50,801 to $131,200 | $75,901 to $153,100 | $37,951 to $76,550 |
| 28% | $91,901 to $191,650 | $131,201 to $212,500 | $153,101 to $233,350 | $76,551 to $116,675 |
| 33% | $191,651 to $416,700 | $212,501 to $416,700 | $233,351 to $416,700 | $116,676 to $208,350 |
| 35% | $416,701 to $418,400 | $416,701 to $444,550 | $416,701 to $470,700 | $208,351 to $235,350 |
| 39.6% | $418,401 or more |
$444,501 or more |
$470,701 or more |
$235,351 or more |
2016 tax rates and income brackets
| Tax Rate | Single | Head of Household | Married Filing Jointly or Surviving Spouse |
Married Filing Separately |
| 10% | Up to $9,275 | Up to $13,250 | Up to $18,550 | Up to $9,275 |
| 15% | $9,276 to $37,650 | $13,251 to $50,400 | $18,551 to $75,300 |
$9,276 to $37,650 |
| 25% | $37,651 to $91,150 | $50,401 to $130,150 | $75,301 to $151,900 | $37,651 to $75,950 |
| 28% | $91,151 to $190,150 | $130,151 to $210,800 | $151,901 to $231,450 | $75,951 to $115,725 |
| 33% | $190,151 to $413,350 | $210,801 to $413,350 | $231,451 to $413,350 | $115,726 to $206,675 |
| 35% | $413,351 to $415,050 | $413,351 to $441,000 | $413,351 to $466,950 | $206,676 to $233,475 |
| 39.6% | $415,051 or more |
$441,001 or more |
$466,951 or more |
$233,476 or more |
2015 tax rates and income brackets
| Tax Rate | Single | Head of Household | Married Filing Jointly or Surviving Spouse |
Married Filing Separately |
| 10% | Up to $9,225 | Up to $13,150 | Up to $18,450 | Up to $9,225 |
| 15% | $9,226 to $37,450 |
$13,151 to $50,200 |
$18,451 to $74,900 |
$9,226 to $37,450 |
| 25% | $37,451 to $90,750 |
$50,201 to $129,600 |
$74,901 to $151,200 |
$37,451 to $75,600 |
| 28% | $90,751 to $189,300 |
$129,601 to $209,850 |
$151,201 to $230,450 |
$75,601 to $115,225 |
| 33% | $189,301 to $411,500 |
$209,851 to $411,500 |
$230,451 to $411,500 |
$115,226 to $205,750 |
| 35% | $411,501 to $413,200 |
$411,501 to $439,000 |
$411,501 to $464,850 |
$205,751 to $232,425 |
| 39.6% | $413,201 or more | $439,001 or more | $464,851 or more | $232,426 or more |
2014 tax rates and income brackets
| Tax Rate | Single | Head of Household | Married Filing Jointly or Surviving Spouse |
Married Filing Separately |
| 10% | Up to $9,075 | Up to $12,950 | Up to $18,150 | Up to $9,075 |
| 15% | $9,076 to $36,900 |
$12,951 to $49,400 |
$18,151 to $73,800 |
$9,076 to $36,900 |
| 25% | $36,901 to $89,350 |
$49,401 to $127,550 |
$73,801 to $148,850 |
$36,901 to $74,425 |
| 28% | $89,351 to $186,350 |
$127,551 to $206,600 |
$148,851 to $226,850 |
$74,426 to $113,425 |
| 33% | $186,351 to $405,100 |
$206,601 to $405,100 |
$226,851 to $405,100 |
$113,426 to $202,550 |
| 35% | $405,101 to $406,750 |
$405,101 to $432,200 |
$405,101 to $457,600 |
$202,551 to $228,800 |
| 39.6% | $406,751 or more | $432,201 or more | $457,601 or more | $228,801 or more |
2013 tax rates and income brackets
| Tax Rate | Single | Head of Household | Married Filing Jointly or Surviving Spouse |
Married Filing Separately |
| 10% | Up to $8,925 | Up to $12,750 | Up to $17,850 | Up to $8,925 |
| 15% | $8,926 to $36,250 |
$12,751 to $48,600 |
$17,851 to $72,500 |
$8,926 to $36,250 |
| 25% | $36,251 to $87,850 |
$48,601 to $125,450 |
$72,501 to $146,400 |
$36,251 to $73,200 |
| 28% | $87,851 to $183,250 |
$125,451 to $203,150 |
$146,401 to $223,050 |
$73,201 to $111,525 |
| 33% | $183,251 to $398,350 |
$203,151 to $398,350 |
$223,051 to $398,350 |
$111,526 to $199,175 |
| 35% | $398,351 to $400,000 |
$398,351 |
$398,351 to $450,000 |
$199,176 to $225,000 |
| 39.6% | $400,001 or more | $425,001 or more | $450,001 or more | $225,001 or more |
2012 tax rates and income brackets
| Tax Rate | Single | Head of Household | Married Filing Jointly or Surviving Spouse |
Married Filing Separately |
| 10% | Up to $8,700 | Up to $12,400 | Up to $17,400 | Up to $8,700 |
| 15% | $8,701 to $35,350 |
$12,401 to $47,350 |
$17,401 to $70,700 |
$8,701 to $35,350 |
| 25% | $35,351 to $85,650 |
$47,351 to $122,300 |
$70,701 to $142,700 |
$35,351 to $71,350 |
| 28% | $85,651 to $178,650 |
$122,301 to $198,050 |
$142,701 to $217,450 |
$71,351 to $108,725 |
| 33% | $178,651 to $388,350 |
$198,051 to $388,350 |
$217,451 to $388,350 |
$108,726 to $194,175 |
| 35% | $388,351 or more | $388,351 or more | $388,351 or more | $194,175 or more |
2011 tax rates and income brackets
| Tax Rate | Single | Head of Household | Married Filing Jointly or Surviving Spouse |
Married Filing Separately |
| 10% | Up to $8,500 | Up to $12,150 | Up to $17,000 | Up to $8,500 |
| 15% | $8,501 to $34,500 |
$12,151 to $46,250 |
$17,001 to $69,000 |
$8,501 to $34,500 |
| 25% | $34,501 to $83,600 |
$46,251 to $119,400 |
$69,001 to $139,350 |
$34,501 to $69,675 |
| 28% | $83,601 to $174,400 |
$119,401 to $193,350 |
$139,351 to $212,300 |
$69,676 to $106,150 |
| 33% | $174,401 to $379,150 |
$193,351 to $379,150 |
$212,301 to $379,150 |
$106,151 to $189,575 |
| 35% | $379,151 or more | $379,151 or more | $379,151 or more | $189,576 or more |
2010 tax rates and income brackets
| Tax Rate | Single | Head of Household | Married Filing Jointly or Surviving Spouse |
Married Filing Separately |
| 10% | Up to $8,375 | Up to $11,950 | Up to $16,750 | Up to $8,375 |
| 15% | $8,376 to $34,000 |
$11,951 to $45,550 |
$16,751 to $68,000 |
$8,376 to $34,000 |
| 25% | $34,001 to $82,400 |
$45,551 to $117,650 |
$68,001 to $137,300 |
$34,001 to $68,650 |
| 28% | $82,401 to $171,850 |
$117,651 to $190,550 |
$137,301 to $209,250 |
$68,651 to $104,625 |
| 33% | $171,851 to $373,650 |
$190,551 to $373,650 |
$209,251 to $373,650 |
$104,626 to $186,825 |
| 35% | $373,651 or more | $373,651 or more | $373,651 or more | $186,826 or more |
For prior tax years, check out the historical inflation adjustments
archived by the Internal Revenue Service.