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United States Financial Suite

Run your 2026 numbers against the real IRS figures: federal income tax, the new OBBBA deductions for tips and overtime, 401(k) and IRA planning, mortgages, and capital gains, free and without signup.

Investments

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Project long-term compound growth, dividend income, and portfolio returns, including dollar-cost averaging against lump-sum investing.

Retirement

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Plan 2026 contributions against the $24,500 401(k) limit (plus $8,000 catch-up, or $11,250 at ages 60-63) and the $7,500 IRA limit, and compare pre-tax against Roth growth.

Compare Financial Products

Compare investments, retirement accounts, tax regimes, insurance types, and mortgages side-by-side with interactive calculators and real-time projections.

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United States Finance Terms

Explore localized financial terms, definitions, and concepts specific to United States. Search and understand key finance vocabulary for better planning.

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How US tax and retirement math actually works in 2026

Every US calculator on this site runs the same math the IRS applies: 2026 brackets and deductions, FICA payroll rates, and the statutory retirement limits.

Federal income tax, FICA, and self-employment tax

Taxable income is gross income minus the standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 joint for 2026) or itemized deductions, then run through the progressive brackets from 10% to 37%. Payroll adds FICA: 6.2% Social Security up to the $184,500 wage base and 1.45% Medicare on everything, plus 0.9% Additional Medicare above $200,000. Self-employed workers pay both halves, 15.3% on 92.35% of net earnings, with half of it deductible against income tax.

Mortgage payments and borrowing capacity

US mortgages compound monthly: payment = P × r(1+r)^n / ((1+r)^n − 1). Lenders test affordability with two ratios: front-end DTI (housing costs against gross income, typically capped near 28%) and back-end DTI (all debt payments, capped at 36% to 43% for qualified mortgages). Property tax, homeowners insurance, and PMI (required below 20% down) sit on top of principal and interest in the real monthly outlay.

Retirement accounts and capital gains

Pre-tax 401(k) and traditional IRA dollars cut today's taxable income but are taxed as ordinary income at withdrawal; Roth dollars are taxed now and grow tax-free. The 2026 limits are $24,500 (401k) and $7,500 (IRA), with catch-ups from age 50. On the taxable side, gains held over a year get the preferential 0%/15%/20% ladder, while anything sold within a year is taxed like wages, often the single most expensive timing mistake retail investors make.

Research-Backed ToolsBuilt by Galvin Mendonca, Finance Researcher
All figures from primary government sources. Last updated July 2026.

Frequently asked questions about United States finance

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