2020 Federal Tax Brackets

Complete IRS bracket schedule and standard deduction for tax year 2020 — single, married filing jointly, head of household, and married filing separately.

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Single
$12,400
Standard deduction
Married Filing Jointly
$24,800
Standard deduction
Head of Household
$18,650
Standard deduction
Married Filing Separately
$12,400
Standard deduction

2020 Tax Brackets — Single

Marginal rate Taxable income Tax owed at top of bracket
10% $0 – $9,875 $988
12% $9,876 – $40,125 $4,618
22% $40,126 – $85,525 $14,606
24% $85,526 – $163,300 $33,272
32% $163,301 – $207,350 $47,368
35% $207,351 – $518,400 $156,235
37% Over $518,401 —

2020 Tax Brackets — Married Filing Jointly

Marginal rate Taxable income Tax owed at top of bracket
10% $0 – $19,750 $1,975
12% $19,751 – $80,250 $9,235
22% $80,251 – $171,050 $29,211
24% $171,051 – $326,600 $66,543
32% $326,601 – $414,700 $94,735
35% $414,701 – $622,050 $167,308
37% Over $622,051 —

2020 Tax Brackets — Head of Household

Marginal rate Taxable income Tax owed at top of bracket
10% $0 – $14,100 $1,410
12% $14,101 – $53,700 $6,162
22% $53,701 – $85,500 $13,158
24% $85,501 – $163,300 $31,830
32% $163,301 – $207,350 $45,926
35% $207,351 – $518,400 $154,794
37% Over $518,401 —

2020 Tax Brackets — Married Filing Separately

Marginal rate Taxable income Tax owed at top of bracket
10% $0 – $9,875 $988
12% $9,876 – $40,125 $4,618
22% $40,126 – $85,525 $14,606
24% $85,526 – $163,300 $33,272
32% $163,301 – $207,350 $47,368
35% $207,351 – $311,025 $83,654
37% Over $311,026 —
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Worked example: $85,000 single filer in 2020

Gross income $85,000 minus the 2020 single standard deduction ($12,400) = $72,600 taxable.

10% on $9,875 = $988
12% on $30,250 = $3,630
22% on $32,475 = $7,145
Total federal tax: $11,762
Effective rate: 13.84%

Notes for 2020

2020 was year 3 of the TCJA bracket structure. The CARES Act (March 2020) created COVID-era stimulus and a one-time $300 above-the-line charitable deduction for non-itemizers, but did not change brackets.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the top marginal federal tax rate in 2020?
2020 kept the 37% top marginal rate established by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Brackets were inflation-indexed from the prior year.
What was the 2020 standard deduction?
For tax year 2020, the standard deduction was $12,400 for single filers, $24,800 for married filing jointly, $18,650 for head of household, and $12,400 for married filing separately.
Are 2020 tax brackets still relevant?
2020 brackets apply to income earned during 2020 (filed by April of the following year). They're useful for amended returns, late filings, prior-year tax planning, and historical comparisons. The current-year brackets are different — see the 2026 tax brackets page for this year's rates.
How do marginal tax brackets actually work?
Federal tax brackets are marginal: only the income above each threshold is taxed at that rate. A single filer with $100,000 of taxable income doesn't pay 22% on all of it. They pay 10% on the first portion, then 12%, then 22% on the remainder. Effective tax rate (total tax ÷ total income) is always lower than the headline marginal rate.

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Educational content only. 2020 tax brackets apply to income earned during 2020, generally filed in April 2021. For amended returns or current-year planning, consult a qualified CPA or tax advisor.