Free tax calculator
Tax refund estimator
Compare your estimated federal tax against what you have already paid in, to see whether you are heading for a refund or a balance due. A directional check — not a return.
Refund or balance due
Enter your income and what you have already paid in to see an estimate.
Figures being finalized. Some tax bracket thresholds for the year and filing status you selected are still being verified against the published IRS revenue procedure. The result below may shift slightly.
This is the roughest tool here. It assumes the standard deduction and leaves out nearly every credit — child tax credit, earned income credit, education and energy credits — as well as itemised deductions, retirement and HSA contributions, and the qualified business income deduction. Any one of those can move a real refund by thousands.
| Total income | — |
|---|---|
| Standard deduction | — |
| Taxable income | — |
| Federal income tax | — |
| Self-employment tax | — |
| Additional Medicare tax | — |
| Total federal tax | — |
| Less credits | — |
| Tax after credits | — |
| Already paid in | — |
| Refund (or balance due) | — |
Federal only. A negative figure on the last line is a balance due. Excludes most credits, itemised deductions, the QBI deduction, and all state and local tax.
Federal + state
| Federal tax | — |
|---|---|
| State tax | — |
| Combined | — |
| Combined effective rate | — |
Estimate only — not tax advice. These figures are a general educational estimate based on federal tax data and the numbers you entered. They are not a tax return, not tax advice, and not a guarantee of your actual tax. They exclude many credits, deductions, phase-outs, state and local taxes, and situation-specific rules. Using this tool does not create a client relationship. For numbers you can rely on, book a free consultation.
How this works
What a refund actually is
A refund is not a bonus, a reward, or money the government gives you. It is the return of your own money — the difference between what you paid in during the year and what you actually owed. The whole calculation is that simple: total tax, minus what you have already handed over.
Everything difficult sits inside “total tax.” For a straightforward W-2 employee taking the standard deduction, the estimate above will get reasonably close. The further you are from that picture, the further this will drift — and the drift is usually in your favour, because the things it omits mostly reduce tax.
Consider what is not modelled here. The child tax credit is worth up to $2,000 per qualifying child and is partly refundable. The earned income credit can be worth several thousand to lower-income working households. Education credits, energy credits, retirement and HSA contributions, student loan interest, and the qualified business income deduction all move the number. Any single one of these can swing a real refund by more than this tool’s entire margin of error.
Self-employment income is the swing in the other direction. Because 1099 work carries no withholding and brings roughly 15.3% of self-employment tax with it, a comfortable refund from a salaried job can vanish entirely once a side business is added. If you have both, the total is what matters — not each in isolation.
And it is worth questioning the goal. A large refund every year means you have been over-withheld every year: an interest-free loan to the Treasury, repaid months later. Adjusting your Form W-4 moves that money into your paychecks where it can do something. The target most planners aim for is a small number in either direction — close to zero means your withholding is doing its job.
To check the withholding side, use the paycheck calculator. For a return prepared and reviewed properly, see tax preparation or book a free consultation. Adding your state gives a federal and state refund estimate side by side, though state withholding is not netted off here.
Questions
Refunds, answered
Want the real number, prepared properly?
Most of what moves a refund is in the detail. Book a free consultation and we’ll look at your actual documents.
Important disclaimer Read Hide
This calculator is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not tax, legal, accounting, or financial advice, and must not be relied upon as such.
No professional relationship. Using this calculator does not create a CPA-client, advisory, or any professional relationship between you and IMAAR Associates CPA, PLLC. A professional relationship is established only through a signed engagement letter.
Estimates only; no warranty of accuracy. Results are approximations based solely on the limited information you enter and on general federal tax figures for the selected year (sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2024-40 for 2025 and Rev. Proc. 2025-32 for 2026). Tax law is complex and changes frequently. The calculator does not account for all credits, deductions, phase-outs, alternative minimum tax, the qualified business income (QBI) deduction, net investment income tax, state or local taxes, or facts specific to your situation. IMAAR Associates CPA, PLLC makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of any result.
No reliance; hold harmless. You should not make any financial, tax, or business decision based on this calculator alone. Any reliance you place on it is strictly at your own risk. To the fullest extent permitted by law, IMAAR Associates CPA, PLLC disclaims all liability for any loss or consequence arising from use of this tool.
State results are simplified estimates. State tax law includes local taxes, credits, and special rules this tool does not model, and some 2026 figures may not yet be finalized by your state. Verify with your state’s Department of Revenue or a professional before relying on any state figure.
For advice you can rely on, book a free consultation with a Washington State Licensed CPA.
Figures: IRS Rev. Proc. 2024-40 (2025) and 2025-32 (2026). Federal figures only — state and local taxes are not included. All calculations run in your browser. Nothing you enter is collected, transmitted, or stored.