{
  "id": "california-income-tax",
  "version": "9f033ab2801d",
  "status": "published",
  "name": "California Income Tax Calculator",
  "question": "How much is California income tax?",
  "summary": "Estimates 2026 California income tax from federal AGI, filing status, and dependents.",
  "category": "finance",
  "subcategory": "tax-and-pay",
  "url": "https://www.acalculator.org/finance/california-income-tax-calculator",
  "markdown": "https://www.acalculator.org/finance/california-income-tax-calculator.md",
  "kind": "function",
  "method": "Taxable income = AGI − larger of standard or itemized deduction − exemptions; tax = state rates on taxable income − credits.",
  "assumptions": [
    "An estimate for a full-year resident, 2025 rates, not tax advice.",
    "Starts from federal AGI; California additions and subtractions are not modelled.",
    "Not modelled for California: Brackets and credits are 2025 (FTB has not published 2026 schedules); the standard deduction is the 2026 amount. Includes the 1% behavioral health services tax over $1,000,000. Exemption credit phase-out above $252,203 AGI not modelled.",
    "Not modelled: part-year and nonresident returns, other state credits, and state AMT."
  ],
  "inputs": {
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
      "status": {
        "title": "Filing status",
        "description": "Your federal filing status.",
        "type": "string",
        "enum": [
          "single",
          "mfj",
          "mfs",
          "hoh",
          "qss"
        ]
      },
      "income": {
        "title": "Federal adjusted gross income",
        "description": "Your federal AGI (Form 1040 line 11).",
        "type": "number",
        "x-unit": "USD",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 1000000000
      },
      "deps": {
        "title": "Dependents",
        "description": "Dependents you claim, not yourself or your spouse.",
        "type": "integer",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 20
      },
      "itemized": {
        "title": "State itemized deductions",
        "description": "Used if above the standard deduction.",
        "type": "number",
        "x-unit": "USD",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 1000000000
      }
    }
  },
  "outputs": {
    "total": {
      "label": "California income tax",
      "description": "State tax after credits, plus any local tax.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "stateTax": {
      "label": "State income tax",
      "description": "State tax after credits.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "effectiveRate": {
      "label": "Effective rate",
      "description": "Tax as a percent of AGI.",
      "format": "percent"
    },
    "marginalRate": {
      "label": "State marginal rate",
      "description": "State rate on the next dollar.",
      "format": "percent"
    },
    "taxableIncome": {
      "label": "State taxable income",
      "description": "AGI less deduction and exemptions.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "deduction": {
      "label": "Deduction",
      "description": "Standard or itemized, whichever is larger.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "exemptions": {
      "label": "Exemptions",
      "description": "Personal and dependent exemptions.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "credits": {
      "label": "Credits",
      "description": "State credits used.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "notice": {
      "label": "Note",
      "description": "Rates year note.",
      "format": "text"
    }
  },
  "defaultAnswer": {
    "inputs": {
      "status": "single",
      "income": 75000,
      "deps": 0
    },
    "outputs": {
      "total": 2774.5699999999997,
      "stateTax": 2774.5699999999997,
      "effectiveRate": 3.6994266666666666,
      "marginalRate": 8,
      "taxableIncome": 69294,
      "deduction": 5706,
      "exemptions": 0,
      "credits": 153,
      "notice": "Uses 2025 rates: California has not published 2026 rates"
    },
    "text": "On $75,000.00 of AGI, filing Single, California income tax is $2,774.57 (3.7% effective)."
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "given": {
        "status": "single",
        "income": 50000,
        "deps": 0
      },
      "expect": {
        "taxableIncome": 44294,
        "stateTax": 1039.53,
        "total": 1039.53
      },
      "source": "FTB, 2025 Form 540 booklet (rate schedules X, Y, Z, exemption credits), https://www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/2025/2025-540-booklet.pdf (worked from it at AGI $50,000, single); Python 3 check"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "status": "mfj",
        "income": 100000,
        "deps": 2
      },
      "expect": {
        "taxableIncome": 88588,
        "stateTax": 1129.06,
        "total": 1129.06
      },
      "source": "Python 3 check"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "status": "hoh",
        "income": 200000,
        "deps": 1
      },
      "expect": {
        "taxableIncome": 188588,
        "stateTax": 11321.064,
        "total": 11321.064
      },
      "source": "Python 3 check"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "status": "mfj",
        "income": 136412,
        "deps": 1
      },
      "expect": {
        "stateTax": 3987.1
      },
      "source": "California FTB 2025 Form 540 booklet example: taxable $125,000 gives $4,768.10, less $306 and $475 exemption credits; Python 3 check"
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    "FTB, 2025 Form 540 booklet (rate schedules X, Y, Z, exemption credits), https://www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/2025/2025-540-booklet.pdf; 2026 Form 540-ES instructions (2026 standard deduction), https://www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/2026/2026-540-es-instructions.pdf; EDD DE 202 (2026 SDI 1.3%, no wage limit), https://edd.ca.gov/siteassets/files/pdf_pub_ctr/de202.pdf"
  ],
  "related": [
    "state-income-tax",
    "income-tax",
    "effective-tax-rate",
    "sales-tax"
  ],
  "changelog": []
}