How much federal tax will I owe?

Your federal tax liability depends on your filing status, taxable income, and deductions. Breakeven projects it from your paychecks and W-4 using the 2026 IRS tax brackets and standard deduction (Revenue Procedure 2025-32). Enter your paychecks on the calculator to see your projected annual liability, the tax already withheld year to date, and the gap between them.

How much should I withhold from my paycheck?

The right amount is whatever withholds exactly your projected annual tax liability — no more, no less. If Breakeven projects a gap, it recommends an additional amount per paycheck to enter in Step 4(c) of your W-4 to close it. That Step 4(c) amount is the simplest W-4 lever to adjust without refiling the full form from scratch.

Why did I owe taxes this year?

The most common cause is under-withholding: your employer's payroll system computed your withholding from a W-4 that did not reflect your full tax picture — for example, a second job, a working spouse, or a bonus that pushed you into a higher bracket. Breakeven shows exactly how much you were under-withheld and recommends a W-4 change that would have closed the gap.

Yes. Breakeven is a free in-browser calculator. There are no accounts, no subscriptions, and no data sent to a server. The site is supported by ads shown on the calculator page.

Is Breakeven tax advice?

No. Breakeven does arithmetic based on IRS Publication 15-T (2026) and Revenue Procedure 2025-32. It is a planning tool, not tax advice. Always verify material decisions with the IRS tax withholding estimator or a qualified tax professional before filing a W-4.

What is Step 4(c) on Form W-4?

Step 4(c) is the line on Form W-4 where you enter an extra dollar amount to withhold from each paycheck, on top of the withholding already calculated from your filing status and steps 1 through 3. It is the simplest lever for fine-tuning your withholding without refiling the rest of the form — useful when you have a second job, a working spouse, or a bonus that would otherwise under-withhold.

How often should I update my W-4?

Update your W-4 any time a major fact about your tax picture changes: a new job, a spouse starting or stopping work, a marriage or divorce, a new dependent, a significant raise, or a large bonus. Otherwise, a mid-year check during the spring is usually enough — it gives you time to adjust withholding for the remaining pay periods and avoid a surprise in April.

Does getting a refund mean I did something wrong?

A refund is not a mistake, but it is an interest-free loan to the federal government. If you are getting a large refund every year, you could instead keep that money in each paycheck by reducing your withholding — for example, increasing the dependents credit on Step 3 or removing extra withholding on Step 4(c). Breakeven shows the projected gap so you can choose how close to zero you want to land.

What is the difference between tax withheld and tax owed?

Tax withheld is what your employer deducts from your paycheck and sends to the IRS on your behalf throughout the year. Tax owed is your total federal income tax liability for the year, based on your taxable income, filing status, and deductions. When you file a return in April, the two are compared: withholding greater than liability means a refund, and withholding less than liability means a balance due.

2026 Paycheck Tax Withholding Calculator — How Much Will You Owe?

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Paychecks (0 of 26)

Pay frequency

Taxable pay

Fed withheld

↑ Start here

Grab your latest paystub. Enter the federal taxable wages on the left, the federal income tax withheld on the right, then tap +.

Current W-4 on file (optional)

Step 3 — Dependents credit ($)

Step 4(a) — Other income

Step 4(b) — Deductions

Step 4(c) — Extra withholding per paycheck

Projection

Add a paycheck to see your projection

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