Virginia Income Tax Calculator 2026

How Virginia Income Tax Calculator Works

Calculate your Virginia income tax (up to 5.75%) plus federal tax. See combined brackets, effective rate, and take-home pay. Enter your values into the form above and the calculator processes them instantly in your browser — no data is sent to any server.

Virginia Income Tax: Graduated Brackets Up to 5.75%

Virginia uses a progressive income tax system with 4 brackets. Rates range from 2.0% to 5.75%, with higher income taxed at higher rates. Virginia has not significantly changed its tax brackets in decades, making bracket creep a factor for many residents.

Like federal taxes, Virginia's system is marginal — only the income within each bracket is taxed at that bracket's rate. Combined with federal taxes (10%–37%), Virginia residents can face a total marginal rate of up to 42.75% on their highest dollars of income.

Virginia Tax Brackets for 2026 (Single Filer)

The Virginia income tax brackets for single filers are:

• 2.0% on income from $0 to $3,000
• 3.0% on income from $3,000 to $5,000
• 5.0% on income from $5,000 to $17,000
• 5.75% on income over $17,000

Your marginal rate is the rate on your last dollar of income. Your effective rate (total tax divided by total income) is always lower because of the progressive structure.

Tips to Lower Your Virginia Tax

Maximize pre-tax retirement contributions to reduce both federal and Virginia taxable income. The 2026 401(k) limit is $24,500 ($32,500 with catch-up for age 50+). If Virginia conforms to federal deductions, your standard deduction and itemized expenses also reduce your state tax liability.

Tips for Getting Accurate Results

For the most accurate results, use up-to-date numbers from official sources. Double-check your inputs before calculating — small errors in the starting values can lead to significantly different outputs. If you are comparing scenarios, keep all variables the same except the one you are testing. Save or screenshot your results for future reference. This calculator uses standard formulas and is designed to give you a reliable quick estimate, though professional advice may be needed for complex situations.

Virginia Income Tax Calculator vs Federal — DC and Maryland Cross-Border Comparison

A common DMV-area question: should I live in Virginia, DC or Maryland for the lowest state income tax? At $100,000 single income, this Virginia income tax calculator produces roughly $5,180 in state tax (5.18% effective). DC's top rate hits 10.75% on income over $1M but the 100K bracket lands at 6.5% — about $6,100. Maryland combines 5.75% state plus county piggyback rates (Montgomery 3.2%, Prince George's 3.2%, Howard 3.2%) for an 8.95% combined rate — roughly $7,800 on the same income per Comptroller of Maryland. Virginia wins for income tax in the DMV. The trade-off: Virginia property tax (~$2,700 on a $400K home in Fairfax) sits higher than DC ($3,400 on the same value due to the homestead deduction) and roughly equal to PG County MD. For commuters, Virginia is the only DMV state with no commuter-county piggyback. Always layer property tax and rent into the residency decision — this calculator shows the income-tax leg of that comparison.

Worked Example: Virginia Income Tax on $75,000 vs $150,000 in 2026

Consider two single Virginia filers in 2026. $75,000 income: state tax stacks 2% on first $3K ($60) + 3% on next $2K ($60) + 5% on next $12K ($600) + 5.75% on the remaining $58K ($3,335) = roughly $4,055 Virginia state tax, an effective state rate of about 5.4%. Federal tax (single, standard deduction $15,000) is approximately $8,400 — combined federal+state of about $12,455 leaves ~$62,545 take-home before FICA. $150,000 income: state tax = $60 + $60 + $600 + 5.75% on $133K ($7,648) = roughly $8,368 VA tax (~5.6% effective). Federal jumps to about $25,500 (24% marginal bracket). Combined federal+state ~$33,868 — take-home roughly $116,132 before FICA. The $75K to $150K doubling only adds $4,313 to VA state tax (because the 5.75% top bracket already applies at modest income) — the federal jump is far larger.

Virginia Tax Deductions Most Filers Miss (2026)

Virginia has several state-specific deductions that don't show up on federal returns and aren't well advertised. According to the Virginia Department of Taxation: (1) Age Deduction — taxpayers 65+ deduct up to $12,000 per person from Virginia AGI, phased out at higher incomes; (2) Virginia529 / ABLEnow contributions deductible up to $4,000 per account per year (unlimited carryforward); (3) Federal Government & Military Pension subtraction — up to $20,000 of military retirement pay is deducted from Virginia AGI for 2026 returns (phased in under the 2022 retired military tax exemption); (4) Disability Income subtraction up to $20,000 if under 65 and disabled.

Localities note: Virginia does not impose municipal or county income taxes (unlike PA, OH, MD, NY) — your only state income tax is the Virginia state rate up to 5.75%. Northern Virginia (NOVA) and Hampton Roads pay an additional 0.7%/1.0% regional sales tax for transportation, but no extra income tax. Updated 2026-07-13.

Virginia Income Tax Calculator for Military and Federal Retirees

Virginia is home to the largest concentration of federal workers and military retirees in the country outside DC — and the tax code reflects it. Under 2022 legislation phased in through 2025, Virginia now excludes up to $40,000 of military retirement pay from state income tax for retirees 55+ (the deduction rose from $10K in 2022 to the full $40K starting tax year 2025) per the Virginia Department of Taxation. Combined with the $12,000 Age Deduction for 65+ filers and full Social Security exemption (Virginia does not tax any portion of SS benefits), a 65-year-old military retiree with $60,000 pension + $30,000 SS + $20,000 IRA withdrawals can pay Virginia state tax on as little as $8,000 of income — under $460 total. Federal civilian pensions (FERS/CSRS) do not get the military subtraction but are still exempt from local city/county taxes since Virginia levies no municipal income tax.

Virginia vs Maryland & DC for the NoVA / DMV Commuter

For workers straddling the DC metro (the "DMV"), tax residency matters more than commute distance. Virginia caps at 5.75% with a $8,000 standard deduction (single) and no local income tax. Maryland imposes a state rate up to 5.75% plus a mandatory county income tax of 2.25%–3.20% — total marginal reaches ~8.95% in Montgomery and Prince George's counties per the Comptroller of Maryland. DC tops at 10.75% (Washington, DC personal income tax under the DC Office of Tax and Revenue) with no reciprocity for out-of-state workers earning DC-sourced wages. A $150K earner living in Arlington VA saves roughly $4,700/year vs the same salary in Montgomery MD, and $7,500/year vs a DC-resident earner. Federal employees on Capitol Hill often live in Arlington or Alexandria specifically for this arbitrage. Cross-check with the Virginia paycheck calculator to see the net take-home.

Last updated 2026-07-13. Sources: Virginia Dept of Taxation, Comptroller of Maryland, DC OTR.