Tax refund calculator for married filing jointly
This version starts with a joint return, $120,000 of combined wages, and $9,000 withheld. Enter your household totals to see your own result.
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 is the standard deduction for married filing jointly in 2026?
It is $32,200 for tax year 2026. On $120,000 of combined wages that leaves $87,800 of taxable income and $10,040 of federal tax.
Why might a married couple owe tax even with withholding?
Each employer can withhold as if its paycheck were the only income. If the two amounts added together fall short of the joint tax, such as $9,000 against $10,040, the couple owes $1,040.
A joint return on $120,000 of wages
Married couples filing jointly take a $32,200 standard deduction. On $120,000 of combined wages that leaves $87,800 of taxable income and $10,040 of federal tax. With $9,000 withheld, the couple would owe $1,040.
Why couples often owe at tax time
Two jobs can each withhold as if they were the only income, which can leave the total short. Adding the withholding from both W-2s, then comparing it to the tax above, shows the gap before you file. One child under 17 would cut the tax to $7,840 and turn the result into a $1,160 refund.
Try your own numbers in the tax refund calculator.
Updated on October 8, 2026