Tax Calculator

Calculate sales tax on any purchase, find the pre-tax price, or estimate your federal income tax — instantly and free.

Price $
Tax rate %
—Tax amount
—Total price
—Pre-tax price
Total price (with tax) $
Tax rate %
—Pre-tax price
—Tax amount
Annual income $
Filing status
—Estimated federal tax
—Effective tax rate
—After-tax income
—Marginal tax rate

Common tax calculation scenarios

Taxes affect nearly every financial decision. Here are the most common situations where knowing your tax amount matters.

🛒
Online shopping

Calculate the true cost of a purchase before checkout, including your local sales tax rate.

🏠
Real estate

Estimate property transfer taxes and calculate the pre-tax price of a home listing.

💼
Freelance income

Estimate federal tax on self-employment income to set aside the right amount quarterly.

🚗
Vehicle purchases

Find the total out-of-pocket cost of a car by adding sales tax to the sticker price.

💰
Salary negotiation

Estimate your take-home pay after federal income tax before accepting a job offer.

🧾
Business invoicing

Calculate the correct tax amount to add to client invoices for VAT or sales tax compliance.

US state sales tax rates (2024)

Sales tax rates vary by state. The table below shows the base statewide rate — note that combined rates including local taxes are often higher.

State State rate Avg. combined rate
California7.25%8.85%
Texas6.25%8.20%
New York4.00%8.52%
Florida6.00%7.02%
Illinois6.25%8.86%
Washington6.50%9.38%
Colorado2.90%7.77%
Oregon0%0%
Montana0%0%
New Hampshire0%0%

Frequently asked questions

How do you calculate sales tax?

Multiply the price by the tax rate divided by 100: Tax = Price × (Rate ÷ 100).

Example: $50 item at 8% tax: $50 × 0.08 = $4.00 tax. Total = $50 + $4 = $54.00.

How do you find the price before tax?

Divide the total (tax-inclusive) price by (1 + tax rate): Pre-tax = Total ÷ (1 + Rate/100).

Example: Total is $54 with 8% tax: $54 ÷ 1.08 = $50.00.

What is the difference between marginal and effective tax rate?

Your marginal tax rate is the rate applied to your last dollar of income — the highest bracket you fall into. Your effective tax rate is the average rate across all your income, calculated by dividing total tax paid by total income.

Example: If your marginal rate is 22% but your effective rate is 14%, you're only actually paying 14 cents in tax for every dollar earned overall.

What states have no sales tax?

Five US states have no statewide sales tax: Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Alaska. However, Alaska allows local jurisdictions to impose sales taxes, so some Alaskan cities do charge sales tax.

What is VAT and how does it differ from sales tax?

VAT (Value Added Tax) is collected at every stage of production and distribution, with each business paying tax on the value they add. Sales tax is collected only at the final point of sale to the consumer. Both result in a similar final price to the consumer, but VAT is used in most countries outside the US, while sales tax is the US system.


About this calculator

This tax calculator has three modes: calculate sales tax on a purchase, reverse-calculate the pre-tax price from a total, and estimate US federal income tax using current 2024 tax brackets. The income tax estimate is for federal tax only and does not include state income tax, FICA, or deductions.

For professional tax advice, consult a qualified tax professional or CPA. This tool is for estimation purposes only.