The government might be shut down, but Uncle Sam is giving Americans a heads-up for next year. This week, the Internal Revenue Service announced tax brackets for 2026, as well as a higher standard deduction. The result might mean surprise tax savings for some Americans.

• The standard deduction next year will be $16.1K for single taxpayers, up 2.2% from this year’s $15,750; married couples filing jointly ($32.2K) and head of household ($24.15K) will also see increases.
• Income tax brackets are getting a steeper adjustment, rising ~4% across the board — for example, the 10% tax bracket capped out at $23,850 in 2025; it’ll be at $24,800 in 2026.

A small consolation: This year’s adjustment is smaller than the 5.4% increase in tax brackets in 2024 and the 7% jump in 2023, which came amid high inflation in the economy. The changes mean you’ll need to make more money — or match the rate of the “Chained Consumer Price Index” — to see a bigger tax bill. For some Americans who aren’t getting a 4% raise from their job, this could result in some very modest tax savings, even as the cost of living continues to rise.