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2009 Marginal Tax Brackets

Your marginal tax bracket determines how much of the earnings from savings and investments you get to keep after taxes. Below are the four individual tax rate schedules for 2009:

Individual Tax Rate Schedules for 2009
Filing Status Taxable Income ($) Marginal Tax Bracket Rate (%)
 
Married Filing Jointly 0 to 16,700 10
16,701 to 67,900 15
67,901 to 137,050 25
137,051 to 208,850 28
208,851 to 372,950 33
372,951 and higher 35
 
Head of Household 0 to 11,950 10
11,951 to 45,500 15
45,501 to 117,450 25
117,451 to 190,200 28
190,201 to 372,950 33
375,951 and higher 35
 
Single 0 to 8,350 10
8,351 to 33,950 15
33,951 to 82,250 25
82,251 to 171,550 28
171,551 to 372,950 33
372,951 and higher 35
 
Married Filing Separately 0 to 8,350 10
8,351 to 33,950 15
33,951 to 68,525 25
68,526 to 104,425 28
104,426 to 186,475 33
186,476 and higher 35

Tax-Exempt and Taxable Yields Compared*
Tax-Exempt Yield (%) Taxable Equivalent Yield (%) for Tax Rate of:
15% Tax Bracket 25% Tax Bracket 28% Tax Bracket 33% Tax Bracket 35% Tax Bracket
2.0 2.35 2.66 2.77 2.98 3.08
2.5 2.94 3.33 3.47 3.73 3.85
3.0 3.53 4.00 4.17 4.48 4.62
3.5 4.18 4.66 4.86 5.22 5.38
4.0 4.71 5.33 5.55 5.97 6.15
4.5 5.29 6.00 6.25 6.71 6.92
5.0 5.88 6.66 6.94 7.46 7.69
5.5 6.47 7.33 7.63 8.20 8.46
6.0 7.06 8.00 8.33 8.95 9.23
6.5 7.65 8.66 9.02 9.70 10.00
7.0 8.24 9.33 9.72 10.44 10.77
*Federal income tax rates only. Does not include state income tax.

If you cannot find a specific rate on the chart you can compare yields by using the following formula:

Taxable equivalent yield = tax-free yield ÷ (100% - marginal tax bracket %)

Example: Assume you are in the 25% tax bracket, and have an account with a 4.5% tax-free yield. To get the equivalent taxable yield, divide 4.5% by 75% (100% - 25%). The taxable yield is 6.%.