How to estimate your tax refund
Follow the four steps below, or let the calculator do them for you. It starts with a worked example you can overwrite.
Enter your wages to see your estimate.
Federal income tax for tax year 2026, the return you file in 2027.
How the result is reached
| Step | Amount |
|---|
What would change it
| If you had | Result | Change |
|---|
Each row changes one input and keeps the rest the same.
An estimate for tax year 2026, not tax advice
Your real refund depends on your full return, so use this to plan, not to file.Not modeled in this estimate
This tool covers W-2 wages and other taxable income on a federal return. It uses the standard deduction and leaves out:
- Credits other than the child tax credit: earned income credit, credit for other dependents, retirement savings, education, child and dependent care, and energy credits.
- Itemized deductions, the extra standard deduction at 65 or older or if blind, and the 2025 to 2028 deductions for seniors, tips, overtime, and auto loan interest.
- Self-employment income and tax, rental income, Schedule K-1 income, taxable Social Security, and the qualified business income deduction.
- Alternative minimum tax and net investment income tax.
- State and local income tax. This is a federal estimate only.
If any of these apply to you, your refund can be higher or lower than shown.
Verified on October 8, 2026. Sources: IRS, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments) (brackets, standard deductions, credit limits); 26 U.S.C. 24 (phase-out, refundable earned-income threshold); amounts from Rev. Proc. 2025-32 section 4.05 (child tax credit).
How to use it
- Pick your filing status: single, married filing jointly, head of household, or married filing separately.
- Enter your wages from W-2 box 1 and any other taxable income, such as interest or unemployment.
- Enter the federal tax withheld (W-2 box 2, all forms added together) and any estimated payments you made.
- Enter the number of children under 17 who have a Social Security number.
- Read your refund or balance owed, the steps that lead to it, and what would change it. Copy the result or a link.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to estimate my refund?
Your wages from W-2 box 1, the federal tax withheld from box 2, any other taxable income, and the number of children under 17. Add the figures from every W-2 you received.
How accurate is a refund estimate?
It is close when your return is simple. Credits and deductions that the calculator does not model, such as the earned income credit or itemized deductions, can move the real result.
Four steps to estimate a refund
- Add your income: wages from W-2 box 1 plus other taxable income. In the example that is $60,000.
- Subtract the standard deduction ($16,100 for a single filer) to get $43,900 of taxable income.
- Apply the tax brackets to that amount to get $5,020 of tax, then subtract credits such as the child tax credit.
- Compare the tax with what you already paid in. Federal withholding of $6,000 minus $5,020 of tax is a $980 refund.
Where to find each number
Wages are in box 1 of your W-2 and federal tax withheld is in box 2. If you have several W-2s, add each box together. A negative result means you owe the difference instead. The tax refund calculator does all four steps as you type.
Updated on October 8, 2026