Editorial policy

Tax calculators are Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) content. We hold them to a higher bar than typical web tools.

Sources

• Federal income-tax brackets and rules: IRS Rev. Proc. annual publications and IRS Publications 15-T (supplemental wages), 505 (estimated tax), and 525 (taxable income).
• State income-tax brackets: Tax Foundation’s annual state-bracket summary, cross-checked with each state’s Department of Revenue published rates.
• FICA: Social Security Administration’s annual contribution-and-benefit base announcement.

Calculator review process

Every new calculator goes through:

1. A unit test pass requiring 100% line + branch coverage on the math module.
2. Independent review by a licensed CPA before public launch. The CPA spot-checks the formula, sources cited, and edge cases.
3. A “show the math” section in the UI so any reader can verify what the tool did with their inputs.

Annual updates

Every January we update brackets, FICA wage base, state rates, and any rule changes. Last updated dates are shown on every calculator and article.

Affiliate disclosure

Some links on this site are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you when you sign up for a product through them. We only feature products that genuinely solve the problem the calculator identifies. Affiliate relationships never alter the calculator output.