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Federal Tax Brackets and Rates 2018

Federal Tax Brackets and Rates 2018

For a business owner, it is essential to understand the procedure of income tax to decrease tax bills and increase profits. In numerous states, a tax bracket method is utilized to calculate taxes at different levels of rates and incomes. Therefore, it is essential for everyone to understand tax brackets and rates. It proves helpful for you to make a better budget to manage your expenses and increase after-tax revenues.

Your tax bracket and status can affect your tax bills. It is an essential implication for student loans and other obligations. It is critical to know the federal tax rate to complete your taxes and get necessary deductions accurately.  

Federal Tax Brackets

The tax rates and income brackets may vary every year. Income brackets and tax structure may change in every year because of tax reforms. If you want to avoid any trouble, you must check your tax brackets. The IRS offers a different portion of taxes for your income at different rates as per your annual income. A person with high income will pay higher rates.

Seven tax brackets are available, and each taxpayer falls in any of these brackets as per his/her income:

  • 10 percent
  • 15 percent
  • 25 percent
  • 28 percent
  • 33 percent
  • 35 percent
  • 39.6 percent

Filing Tax Rates 2018

IRS releases yearly inflation adjustments in the months of fall for those people that may fall in any one of tax brackets. Recent tax brackets are as under:


The implication of Tax Brackets

There is no flat rate to tax the income of a person. Each person taxed at a particular rate until the limit of a bracket and income after this limit is taxed as per the subsequent bracket. The marginal tax rates apply to income slices instead of a whole chunk. The tax rate that a person pay on his/her last income slice is his/her actual tax bracket.

For instance, if you are single and made $12,000, you will pay a 10 percent tax rate on $9,325 of income and remaining $2,675 will be taxed at 15% bracket. You paid 15 percent on the last section of income, so it is your actual tax bracket.

Progressive tax brackets and rates system means that each person pays similar rate on his/her same income, but the rates will rise with the increase of your income over particular thresholds. There is no need to worry about calculations and math because tax preparer software can do this job for you.

Financial Aid and Centralized Tax Brackets

The centralized tax rates may disturb your monetary aid. Your source of income to pay school expenses can change your annual taxes.

Scholarships and Grants

Grants and scholarships are tax-free incomes until you spend this money on essential expenses like school supplies, fees, and tuition. These grants may not boost the level of your income and affect your tax bracket.

Numerous people use grants and scholarships for educational expenses, such as board and rented room. It is acceptable to use this money for educational purposes, but if you use for other purposes, this income will be a taxable income. If you obtain thousands in financial aid, it can push you into a higher income tax bracket, and you may owe a handsome sum of money at the time of tax.  

Student Loans

Federal students must repay their borrowed money that they receive as a loan for their education. This income is not taxable regardless of the way you utilize this money.

Moreover, if you are a part of work-study plans to pay your college fee, the IRS will view your work as your part-time regular job. It means any money that you earn from this job will be regarded as income. This taxable money can affect your income tax brackets and rates.

Loan Forgiveness

Any loan discharged via PSLF (Public Service (a facility) Loan Forgiveness) are tax-free incomes so don’t worry about the change in tax rates and brackets. Moreover, IDR (income-driven reimbursement (repayment) plans are different from PSLF. Under IDR, your loan will discharge after 20 – 25 years of payment, but this discharged amount is taxable. It can increase your tax bill.  


For instance, if your average student debt is $37,172 and your income is $20,000. You are eligible for IDR plans. If you choose to make payment with your earnings (PAYE: pay (repayment) as you earn), you may make 240 payments before discharging your loan. Under PAYE, you may get $34,063 forgiven.


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