How Marginal Tax Rates are Used
Individuals can use the tax rate schedules in a number of ways to help plan their finances. You can use these tax rates to figure out how much tax you will pay on extra income you earn. For a taxpayer in the 25% tax bracket, extra income will be taxed at that rate until the taxpayer reaches the next tax bracket of 28%. Alternatively, you can use these tax rates to figure out how much tax you will save by increasing your deductions. A taxpayer in the 28% tax bracket, for example, will save 28 cents in federal tax for every dollar spent on a tax-deductible expense, such as mortgage interest or charity.Be aware that marginal tax rates interact with other tax rates, including the alternative minimum tax, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax rates. In particular, the alternative minimum tax can push income into a higher tax rate or eliminate the tax savings of deductions.
