Tax Refund Estimator Calculator

About this calculator

Your tax refund or balance due is simply the difference between what you have already paid toward your tax bill during the year — mainly withholding from your paychecks, plus any tax credits you qualify for — and your actual total tax liability once the year closes: if withholding and credits exceed what you owe, you get a refund; if they fall short, you owe the difference.

Most employees check this every spring during filing season, but it is also useful earlier in the year to catch a withholding mismatch before it becomes a surprise — someone who changed jobs, got a raise, or picked up freelance income mid-year can end up under-withheld without adjusting their W-4, turning an expected refund into an unexpected bill.

This calculator takes your withholding, estimated tax owed, and any credits, and returns your projected refund or balance due.