# Tax question: How much will I owe

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question-how-much-will-i-owe/190744>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 24, 2003, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question-how-much-will-i-owe/190744 "2003-07-24T22:48:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question-how-much-will-i-owe/190744/1 "2003-07-24T22:48:38Z")

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Here’s a simple one.

Single. No children, no nothing. Basically your standard baseline individual tax filer.

Earnings this year will be $28,000. How much federal income tax can I expect to pay on this? 10%? 20%? 30%? $2000? $5000?

I ask because I’ve opted to have my employer withold the absolute _minimum_ (like $20/mo.) from my paycheck. I’ll just pay what I owe at the end of the year. [yes I know thats risky, but hey] I’d like to know a ballpark figure of what to set aside.

Thanks for your help.

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**Author:** ![tanookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@tanookie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanookie)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question-how-much-will-i-owe/190744/2 "2003-07-24T22:56:41Z")

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Well there are still some variables that would affect what you owe. Do you live in a state that has an income tax? pay rent or mortgage? can someone claim you as a dependant? I know there are more questions but those are just the few I thought of to get things started.

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**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question-how-much-will-i-owe/190744/3 "2003-07-24T22:56:41Z")

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Using the [IRS Withholding Calculator](http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96196,00.html), I come up with $2684 tax due, assuming $0 withheld.

But don’t take my word for it, do the numbers yourself.