IRS Announces 2022 Tax Rates, Standard Deduction Amounts And More

The Internal Revenue Service has announced annual inflation adjustments for tax year 2022, meaning new tax-rate schedules and tax tables and cost-of-living adjustments for various tax breaks. Most numbers are up more than in recent years because of higher inflation. Note: These numbers, for the tax year beginning January 1, 2022, are what you’ll use to prepare your 2022 tax returns in 2023. (You can find the numbers and tables to prepare your 2021 tax returns here.)

If you don’t expect your income or life to change significantly—by getting married or starting a gig job, for example—you can use the new numbers to estimate your 2022 federal tax liability. If you’re expecting major changes, make sure you check your tax withholding and/or make quarterly estimated tax payments. 

All the details on tax rates are in Revenue Procedure 2021-45. We have highlights below. We also cover the new higher retirement accounts limits for 2022. 

There’s one big caveat to these 2022 numbers: Democrats are still trying to pass the now $1.85 trillion Build Back Better Act, and the latest (November 3) legislative text includes income tax surcharges on the rich as well as an $80,000 cap—up from $10,000—for state and local tax deductions. Earlier versions included cutting the estate-tax exemption in half and increasing capital gains taxes. So stay tuned.