Federal income tax brackets · Tax year 2020 (filed) · FILED · DED-FLOOR · THRESH-BASE
2020 Federal Income Tax Brackets
All seven marginal rates, 10% to 37% - across every filing status, with the $12,400 single standard deduction, straight from the IRS Revenue Procedure for 2020.
- 7
- Marginal brackets
- 22%
- Top rate at $75k (single)
- $518,400
- 37% rate begins (single)
- $12,400
- Standard deduction
FILED DED-FLOOR THRESH-BASE
2020 taxpayer favorability score
A composite verdict from the IRS-published standard deduction, lowest-bracket width, and inflation-adjustment pace across all tracked years, not a measure of who owes less tax.
The bottom line
A single filer with $75,000 of taxable income in 2020 owes about $12,290 in federal income tax, an effective rate of 16.4%, even though their top bracket is 22%.
- 22%
- marginal (top) rate
- 16.4%
- effective rate at $75k
- 7
- rates, 10%–37%
- $12,400
- single standard deduction
Married Filing Jointly thresholds run roughly double, the top 37% band does not begin until $622,050 of taxable income.
Where 2020 sits among all 7 published years
Single standard-deduction inventory across every IRS year on PlainTaxData. Tax year 2020 is marked; deduction size tracks inflation, not quality.
Tax year 2020 vs all years by Single standard deduction
Where this year's Single standard deduction sits among every published tax year
12,400 7th of 7 the lowest of 7 tax years
Tax years, banded by Single standard deduction ($)
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more tax years. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source IRS Revenue Procedures (standard deduction) · 2020
The 2020 brackets at a glance (Single)
FILED · DED-FLOOR · THRESH-BASE: seven rates drawn to scale for tax year 2020 .
- 10% $0 – $10k
- 12% $10k – $40k
- 22% $40k – $86k
- 24% $86k – $163k
- 32% $163k – $207k
- 35% $207k – $518k
- 37% $518k and above
Single
| Tax Rate | Taxable Income Range | Max Tax in Bracket |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $9,875 | up to $988 |
| 12% | $9,875 – $40,125 | up to $3,630 |
| 22% | $40,125 – $85,525 | up to $9,988 |
| 24% | $85,525 – $163,300 | up to $18,666 |
| 32% | $163,300 – $207,350 | up to $14,096 |
| 35% | $207,350 – $518,400 | up to $108,868 |
| 37% | $518,400 – and above | - |
Standard deduction (Single): $12,400 | Additional 65+: +$1,650
Married Filing Jointly
| Tax Rate | Taxable Income Range | Max Tax in Bracket |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $19,750 | up to $1,975 |
| 12% | $19,750 – $80,250 | up to $7,260 |
| 22% | $80,250 – $171,050 | up to $19,976 |
| 24% | $171,050 – $326,600 | up to $37,332 |
| 32% | $326,600 – $414,700 | up to $28,192 |
| 35% | $414,700 – $622,050 | up to $72,573 |
| 37% | $622,050 – and above | - |
Standard deduction (Married Filing Jointly): $24,800 | Additional 65+: +$1,300
Married Filing Separately
| Tax Rate | Taxable Income Range | Max Tax in Bracket |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $9,875 | up to $988 |
| 12% | $9,875 – $40,125 | up to $3,630 |
| 22% | $40,125 – $85,525 | up to $9,988 |
| 24% | $85,525 – $163,300 | up to $18,666 |
| 32% | $163,300 – $207,350 | up to $14,096 |
| 35% | $207,350 – $311,025 | up to $36,286 |
| 37% | $311,025 – and above | - |
Standard deduction (Married Filing Separately): $12,400
Head of Household
| Tax Rate | Taxable Income Range | Max Tax in Bracket |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $14,100 | up to $1,410 |
| 12% | $14,100 – $53,700 | up to $4,752 |
| 22% | $53,700 – $85,500 | up to $6,996 |
| 24% | $85,500 – $163,300 | up to $18,672 |
| 32% | $163,300 – $207,350 | up to $14,096 |
| 35% | $207,350 – $518,400 | up to $108,868 |
| 37% | $518,400 – and above | - |
Standard deduction (Head of Household): $18,650 | Additional 65+: +$1,650
At $75,000 taxable (Single, 2020), marginal 22% / effective 16.4% on the DED-FLOOR · THRESH-BASE plate — early-window years show the same seven rates with a thinner deduction ($12,400). Marginal vs. effective rate guide →
How the $12,290 total breaks down by bracket
$12,290
Worked example: $75,000 taxable income (Single, 2020)
Effective rate: 16.4% | Marginal rate: 22%
Frequently asked questions
What is the standard deduction for 2020?
The 2020 standard deduction is $12,400 for Single filers, $24,800 for Married Filing Jointly, $12,400 for Married Filing Separately, and $18,650 for Head of Household.
How do I calculate my 2020 tax?
Apply each tax rate only to the income within that bracket. For example, a Single filer with $75,000 of taxable income in 2020 would owe approximately $12,290 in federal income tax (before credits), for an effective rate of 16.4%.
What is the difference between marginal and effective tax rate in 2020?
For $75,000 of taxable income in 2020, the marginal rate is 22% but the effective rate is only 16.4%, a 5.6-point gap (see the Marginal vs. Effective Rate guide below for why).
2020: starting point of this published series
PlainTaxData's seven-year IRS record begins with 2020. The Single standard deduction is $12,400, the additional amount for an eligible Single filer age 65 or older is $1,650, and the 37% rate starts at $518,400 of taxable income.
There is no prior in-corpus year here, so this page is a reference baseline rather than a year-over-year comparison. Informational only - not tax advice.
Tax years with similar deduction scale or threshold inflation
For 2020 (FILED · DED-FLOOR · THRESH-BASE), the useful neighbors are other low-deduction schedules near $12,400, not the CURRENT peak plate — threshold context no YoY threshold pair in-corpus. Attribute peers only; chronology is the strip above.
Similar Single standard deduction
Nearest tax years by ABS(deduction) ($12,400 Single here).
- 2021 · FILED · DED-LOW · THRESH-LIFT · $12,550 Single deduction (Δ $150 vs 2020)
- 2022 · FILED · DED-LOW · THRESH-STEEP · $12,950 Single deduction (Δ $550 vs 2020)
- 2023 · FILED · DED-MID · THRESH-SURGE · $13,850 Single deduction (Δ $1,450 vs 2020)
- 2024 · FILED · DED-HIGH · THRESH-SURGE · $14,600 Single deduction (Δ $2,200 vs 2020)
- 2025 · FILED · DED-HIGH · THRESH-STEEP · $15,750 Single deduction (Δ $3,350 vs 2020)
- 2026 · CURRENT · DED-PEAK · THRESH-LIFT · $16,100 Single deduction (Δ $3,700 vs 2020)
Read with 2020
Nearest Single-deduction peers and the largest-distance pole for 2020 (FILED · DED-FLOOR · THRESH-BASE), replacing the fixed Related strip.
2021 · DED-LOW
ABS(single deduction) peer at $12,550 (Δ $150 vs 2020); higher deduction · FILED · THRESH-LIFT vs this page's DED-FLOOR · THRESH-BASE.
2022 · DED-LOW
ABS(single deduction) peer at $12,950 (Δ $550 vs 2020); higher deduction · FILED · THRESH-STEEP vs this page's DED-FLOOR · THRESH-BASE.
2023 · DED-MID
ABS(single deduction) peer at $13,850 (Δ $1,450 vs 2020); higher deduction · FILED · THRESH-SURGE vs this page's DED-FLOOR · THRESH-BASE.
2026 (DED-PEAK pole)
Largest ABS(deduction) distance: $16,100 vs $12,400 (Δ $3,700). Pole stamps CURRENT · THRESH-LIFT against FILED · DED-FLOOR.
Marginal vs effective
Source drill for 2020 (FILED · DED-FLOOR · THRESH-BASE): matching guide after the deduction peers - replaces the fixed Related strip.
What to do with this
FILED · DED-FLOOR: your marginal rate sets the next deduction's value; your effective rate sets the bill.
- Estimate your own 2020 federal tax with the $12,400 Single standard deduction applied. Federal tax calculator
- Check deductions, retirement limits, and credits for this schedule plate. Deductions & limits
Figures use IRS-published 2020 thresholds and assume the standard deduction with no additional credits. State tax, AMT, and refundable-credit phase-outs are not modelled.
IRS Revenue Procedure thresholds for tax year 2020 · Single standard deduction $12,400 (FILED · DED-FLOOR · THRESH-BASE) · Methodology · irs.gov/irb. Informational only; not tax advice.