--- title: "2027 Tax Brackets, Standard Deduction and Social Security Changes (US)" url: https://decisionscalc.com/articles/us-tax-changes-2027/ description: "Every 2027 number that changes: federal tax brackets, standard deduction, child tax credit, Social Security COLA 3.6% and wage base, HSA limits, estate and gift exclusions, with what it means for your tax bill." updated: 2026-11-10 publisher: DecisionsCalc note: General information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures name their source and the date they were read. --- Tax and Social Security · United States # 2027 tax brackets, standard deduction and Social Security: every number that changes The IRS published the tax year 2027 inflation adjustments on November 5, 2026 (IR-2026-133, Rev. Proc. 2026-35), and Social Security announced its 2027 cost-of-living adjustment on October 14, 2026. They apply to income earned in 2027, reported on returns filed in 2028. **The short version:** brackets and the standard deduction rise with inflation, so with the same pay a single filer on $75,000 pays about **$281** less federal income tax and a married couple on $150,000 about **$561** less. Social Security benefits rise **3.6%** from January 2027, and the wage base subject to Social Security tax rises to **$192,300**. ## Federal income tax brackets, 2026 and 2027 | Rate | Single 2026 | Single 2027 | Joint 2026 | Joint 2027 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 10% | up to $12,400 | up to $12,800 | up to $24,800 | up to $25,600 | | 12% | over $12,400 | over $12,800 | over $24,800 | over $25,600 | | 22% | over $50,400 | over $52,025 | over $100,800 | over $104,050 | | 24% | over $105,700 | over $109,125 | over $211,400 | over $218,250 | | 32% | over $201,775 | over $208,325 | over $403,550 | over $416,650 | | 35% | over $256,225 | over $264,550 | over $512,450 | over $529,100 | | 37% | over $640,600 | over $661,375 | over $768,700 | over $793,650 | Taxable income, after the standard deduction or itemized deductions. Head of household brackets are in Rev. Proc. 2026-35. ## What it does to a tax bill | Example (wages, standard deduction) | Federal income tax 2026 | 2027 | Less tax | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Single, $40,000 | $2,620 | $2,552 | **$68** | | Single, $75,000 | $7,670 | $7,390 | **$281** | | Married filing jointly, $150,000 | $15,340 | $14,779 | **$561** | ** Before credits (the child tax credit is $2,300 per child in 2027), and before the senior deduction and other deductions. Same wages both years. ## Deductions and credits - **Standard deduction**: single $16,100 → $16,600; married filing jointly $32,200 → $33,200; head of household $24,150 → $24,925. - **Child tax credit**: up to $2,300 per child (from $2,200), with up to $1,800 refundable (from $1,700). - **Earned income tax credit**: up to $8,496 with three or more qualifying children (from $8,231). - **Adoption credit**: up to $18,250 of expenses (from $17,670), with up to $5,280 refundable. - **AMT exemption**: $93,000 single (phase-out from $515,950), $144,700 joint (from $1,031,900). - **Health FSA**: $3,500 salary reduction limit (+$100), $700 carryover. **Transit and parking**: $350 a month each. - **Unchanged**: personal exemptions stay at $0; the Lifetime Learning Credit still phases out between $80,000 and $90,000 ($160,000 to $180,000 joint). ## Social Security and Medicare in 2027 - **COLA 3.6%** from January 2027 payments; SSA estimates the average retired worker gets $2,170 a month (from $2,095) and an aged couple both receiving benefits $3,355 (from $3,238). - **Wage base**: Social Security tax (6.2% employee, 12.4% self-employed) applies to earnings up to $192,300 (from $184,500); Medicare tax has no limit. - **Earnings test**: under full retirement age, $1 is withheld for every $2 earned above $25,560 ($2,130 a month); in the year you reach full retirement age, $1 for every $3 above $67,920. - **Maximum benefit** at full retirement age: $4,188 a month. A quarter of coverage takes $1,970 of earnings. - **SSI**: $1,029 a month for an individual, $1,544 for a couple; resource limits stay $2,000 and $3,000. - When to claim: [Social Security claiming guide](https://decisionscalc.com/articles/social-security-when-to-claim/) · pension offers: [lump sum or monthly calculator](https://decisionscalc.com/tools/pension-lump-sum-vs-monthly-calculator/). ## Health savings, gifts and estates - **HSA** (Rev. Proc. 2026-24): $4,500 self-only, $9,000 family; a high-deductible plan needs a deductible of at least $1,750 ($3,500 family) and out-of-pocket costs of no more than $8,700 ($17,400). - **Gift tax annual exclusion**: $20,000 per person (from $19,000); $201,000 to a spouse who is not a US citizen. - **Estate tax exclusion**: $15,480,000 for deaths in 2027 (from $15,000,000). - **Foreign earned income exclusion**: $137,300 (from $132,900). - **401(k) and IRA limits for 2027**: not announced yet (2026: $24,500 and $7,500). We will add them when the IRS publishes them. - Childcare costs: [dependent care FSA or credit calculator](https://decisionscalc.com/tools/dependent-care-fsa-vs-credit-calculator/). ## Frequently asked questions **What are the 2027 federal tax brackets?** For 2027 (returns filed in 2028), single filers pay 10% up to $12,800 of taxable income, 12% to $52,025, 22% to $109,125, 24% to $208,325, 32% to $264,550, 35% to $661,375 and 37% above. For married couples filing jointly the thresholds are $25,600, $104,050, $218,250, $416,650, $529,100 and $793,650 (IRS IR-2026-133, Rev. Proc. 2026-35). **What is the 2027 standard deduction?** Single and married filing separately $16,600 (up $500), married filing jointly $33,200 (up $1,000) and head of household $24,925 (up $775). **How much will my federal tax go down in 2027?** With the same wages, a single filer on $75,000 pays about $281 less federal income tax in 2027 ($7,670 in 2026, $7,390 in 2027, standard deduction only) and a married couple on $150,000 about $561 less. The brackets and deduction rise with inflation, so this mostly offsets price rises. **How much is the 2027 Social Security COLA?** Social Security benefits rise 3.6% from January 2027 payments (SSI from the December 31, 2026 payment). SSA estimates the average retired worker’s benefit goes from $2,095 to $2,170 a month. Earnings up to $192,300 are subject to Social Security tax in 2027 (from $184,500). **What are the 2027 401(k) and IRA limits?** Not yet announced at the time of writing: the IRS usually publishes them in November. For 2026 the 401(k) limit is $24,500 and the IRA limit $7,500. We will add the 2027 figures when the IRS releases them. HSA limits for 2027 are out: $4,500 self-only and $9,000 family. ## Sources - [IRS IR-2026-133](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-releases-tax-inflation-adjustments-for-tax-year-2027-taxpayers-continue-to-benefit-from-the-working-families-tax-cuts) (November 5, 2026) and [Rev. Proc. 2026-35](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-26-35.pdf) - [IRS Rev. Proc. 2026-24](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-26-24.pdf) (2027 HSA limits) - [SSA: 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustment fact sheet](https://www.ssa.gov/news/en/cola/factsheets/2027.html) (October 14, 2026) - [IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-25-32.pdf) (2026 brackets and standard deduction) - [IRS: 2026 401(k) and IRA limits](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/401k-limit-increases-to-24500-for-2026-ira-limit-increases-to-7500) Read on the linked pages on November 10, 2026. Federal figures only; state income tax is separate. General information, not tax advice. ** DecisionsCalc An independent publisher with no advertisers or sponsors. Every figure is traced to an official source and dated, and an automated check flags figures that are due for review. See [how we research and check](https://decisionscalc.com/editorial-standards/) and our [methodology](https://decisionscalc.com/methodology/). Spotted a mistake? [Tell us](https://decisionscalc.com/about/#contact). Cite this article DecisionsCalc. (2026). 2027 Tax Brackets, Standard Deduction and Social Security Changes (US). DecisionsCalc. https://decisionscalc.com/articles/us-tax-changes-2027/ Share this guide: 𝕏 Twitter LinkedIn ## More guides like this ## Get an email when US rules change Tax bands, allowances and benefit rates change every year. We email you when a rule our US calculators use changes, usually a few times a year. Confirm by email; unsubscribe in one click. 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