How can I lower my tax bracket?

You can lower your tax bracket—and thus your taxes—by reducing your taxable income. You can do this by contributing to a retirement account either by an employer-sponsored 401(k) plan or through your own individual retirement account (IRA).

Are tax brackets based on gross income?

Tax brackets are based on your taxable income, which will be lower than your gross income—your full pay—thanks to adjustments you can make through deductions.

What puts me in a higher tax bracket?

The more you make, the higher your tax bracket. A lower income puts you in lower income tax rates, while earning a higher income can put you into brackets with higher tax rates.

2022 – 2023 Tax brackets and federal income tax rates

Q: How do I find my tax bracket?

You can find your tax bracket by determining the tax rates for your filing status (single, married filing jointly, qualifying surviving spouse, married filing separately, and head of household). Then, locate the chart for your filing status and find where your taxable income falls, as each bracket has its own tax rate.

Jo Willetts, EA

Director, Tax Resources

Published on: May 12, 2023

Share on social

Generally speaking, you pay a set percentage of your income to the IRS. The exact percentage you will pay depends on which tax brackets you fall into. The IRS splits tax rates into 7 different groups, determined by your taxable income and filing status. For example, a married couple filing jointly could be in a different tax bracket than those married and filing separately. Keep reading to understand where you fit in.

What are the 7 tax brackets?

The tax bracket you fall into determines the percentage of your income you pay to the IRS. The current federal income tax brackets are 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%. Your tax bracket is determined by your taxable income that year, and by your filing status, such as single, married and filing jointly or separately, or head of household.

Are 2023 tax brackets different than 2022?

The 7 federal income tax brackets for 2023 are the same as 2022. However, there’s good news. Due to 2022 and 2023 inflation, the IRS significantly updated the income thresholds for each of the 7 tax brackets to help prevent you from paying higher taxes because your cost of living has also increased. This adjustment could mean you’ll pay less tax because you could be in a lower tax bracket than you were last year. See the helpful 2023 charts below.

2023 single filer tax brackets

Tax rate	Taxable income bracket	Tax owed
10%	$0 to $11,000	10% of taxable income
12%	$11,001 to $44,725	$1,100 plus 12% of the amount over $11,000
22%	$44,726 to $95,375	$5,147 plus 22% of the amount over $44,725
24%	$95,376 to $182,100	$16,290 plus 24% of the amount over $95,375
32%	$182,101 to $231,250	$37,104 plus 32% of the amount over $182,100
35%	$231,251 to $578,125	$52,832 plus 35% of the amount over $231,250
37%	$578,126 or more	$174,238.25 plus 37% of the amount over $578,125

2023 married, filing separately tax brackets

Tax rate	Taxable income bracket	Tax owed
10%	$0 to $11,000	10% of taxable income
12%	$11,001 to $44,725	$1,100 plus 12% of the amount over $11,000
22%	$44,726 to $95,375	$5,147 plus 22% of the amount over $44,725
24%	$95,376 to $182,100	$16,290 plus 24% of the amount over $95,375
32%	$182,101 to $231,250	$37,104 plus 32% of the amount over $182,100
35%	$231,251 to $346,875	$52,832 plus 35% of the amount over $231,250
37%	$346,876 or more	$93,300.75 plus 37% of the amount over $346,875

2023 married, filing jointly tax brackets

Tax rate	Taxable income bracket	Tax owed
10%	$0 to $22,000	10% of taxable income
12%	$22,001 to $89,450	$2,200 plus 12% of the amount over $22,000
22%	$89,451 to $190,750	$10,294 plus 22% of the amount over $89,450
24%	$190,751 to $364,200	$32,580 plus 24% of the amount over $190,750
32%	$364,201 to $462,500	$74,208 plus 32% of the amount over $364,200
35%	$462,501 to $693,750	$105,664 plus 35% of the amount over $462,500
37%	$693,751 or more	$186,601.50 plus 37% of the amount over $693,750

2023 head of household tax brackets

Tax rate	Taxable income bracket	Tax owed
10%	$0 to $15,700	10% of taxable income
12%	$15,701 to $59,850	$1,570 plus 12% of the amount over $15,700
22%	$59,851 to $95,350	$6,868 plus 22% of the amount over $59,850
24%	$95,351 to $182,100	$14,678 plus 24% of the amount over $95,350
32%	$182,101 to $231,250	$35,498 plus 32% of the amount over $182,100
35%	$231,251 to $578,100	$51,226 plus 35% of the amount over $231,250
37%	$578,101 or more	$172,623.50 plus 37% of the amount over $578,100

2022 single filer tax brackets

Tax rate	Taxable income bracket	Tax owed
10%	$0 to $10,275	10% of taxable income
12%	$10,276 to $41,775	$1,027.50 plus 12% of the amount over $10,275
22%	$41,776 to $89,075	$4,807.50 plus 22% of the amount over $41,775
24%	$89,076 to $170,050	$15,213.50 plus 24% of the amount over $89,075
32%	$170,051 to $215,950	$34,647.50 plus 32% of the amount over $170,050
35%	$215,951 to $539,900	$49,335.50 plus 35% of the amount over $215,950
37%	$539,901 or more	$162,718 plus 37% of the amount over $539,900

2022 married, filing separately tax brackets

Tax rate	Taxable income bracket	Tax owed
10%	$0 to $10,275	10% of taxable income
12%	$10,276 to $41,775	$1,027.50 plus 12% of the amount over $10,275
22%	$41,776 to $89,075	$4,807.50 plus 22% of the amount over $41,776
24%	$89,076 to $170,050	$15,213.50 plus 24% of the amount over $89,075
32%	$170,051 to $215,950	$34,647.50 plus 32% of the amount over $170,050
35%	$215,951 to $323,925	$49,335.50 plus 35% of the amount over $215,950
37%	$323,926 or more	$87,126.75 plus 37% of the amount over $323,925

2022 married, filing jointly tax brackets

Tax rate	Taxable income bracket	Tax owed
10%	$0 to $20,550	10% of taxable income
12%	$20,551 to $83,550	$2,055 plus 12% of the amount over $20,550
22%	$83,551 to $178,150	$9,615 plus 22% of the amount over $83,550
24%	$178,151 to $340,100	$30,427 plus 24% of the amount over $178,150
32%	$340,101 to $431,900	$69,295 plus 32% of the amount over $340,100
35%	$431,901 to $647,850	$98,671 plus 35% of the amount over $431,900
37%	$647,851 or more	$174,253.50 plus 37% of the amount over $647,850

2022 head of household tax brackets

Tax rate	Taxable income bracket	Tax owed
10%	$0 to $14,650	10% of taxable income
12%	$14,651 to $55,900	$1,465 plus 12% of the amount over $14,650
22%	$55,901 to $89,050	$6,415 plus 22% of the amount over $55,900
24%	$89,051 to $170,050	$13,708 plus 24% of the amount over $89,050
32%	$170,051 to $215,950	$33,148 plus 32% of the amount over $170,050
35%	$215,951 to $539,900	$47,836 plus 35% of the amount over $215,950
37%	$539,901 or more	$161,218.50 plus 37% of the amount over $539,900

Still need help understanding which tax bracket you’re in?

Taxes are hard, so never tax alone. To be sure your taxes are done right, see your local Tax Pro and leave the guessing games about taxable income and brackets and inflation to us, the experts. No matter the year, we’re here for you.

Frequently asked questions

When an increase in income puts you into a higher tax bracket, you only pay the higher tax rate on the part of your income that falls into that tax bracket. You do not pay a higher tax rate on all your income. Based on taxable income amounts, being in a higher tax bracket can mean you made more money and had a larger paycheck each payday which can mean a resounding YES, it is better to be in a higher tax bracket.

You can do this by finding the tax rates for your filing status (single, married filing jointly, qualifying surviving spouse, married filing separately, and head of household), then find the chart for your filing status. Once you find the correct chart, find where your taxable income falls since each bracket has its own tax rate.

About the Author

Jo Willetts, Director of Tax Resources at Jackson Hewitt, has more than 35 years of experience in the tax industry. As an Enrolled Agent, Jo has attained the highest level of certification for a tax professional. She began her career at Jackson Hewitt as a Tax Pro, working her way up to General Manager of a franchise store. In her current role, Jo provides expert knowledge company-wide to ensure that tax information distributed through all Jackson Hewitt channels is current and accurate.

Jackson Hewitt Editorial Policy