Tax refund calculator for married filing separately
This version starts with a separate return, $100,000 in wages, and $15,000 withheld. Enter only your own income and withholding.
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 separately in 2026?
It is $16,100 for tax year 2026, the same as for a single filer. On $100,000 of wages that leaves $83,900 of taxable income.
Do I enter my spouse's income?
No. On a separate return you report only your own income and your own withholding, so enter just your W-2 figures.
Filing separately on $100,000 of wages
A married person filing separately takes a $16,100 standard deduction. On $100,000 of wages that leaves $83,900 of taxable income and $13,170 of tax, with the top dollars taxed in the 22% bracket. With $15,000 withheld, the estimate is a $1,830 refund.
Children on a separate return
A child under 17 still brings the $2,200 credit when you qualify to claim it. One child here would bring the tax after credit down to $10,970 and the refund up to $4,030.
This estimate leaves out limits and credits that change when spouses file separately, so compare with a joint return before you choose. The tax refund calculator can run both.
Updated on October 8, 2026