AGI Calculator (Adjusted Gross Income)

Adjusted Gross Income sits at the center of nearly every tax return, and pinning it down matters because it gates so many credits and deductions. Your AGI determines whether you qualify for benefits like the Child Tax Credit, worth up to $2,200 per qualifying child in 2026 and phasing out above $200,000 of AGI ($400,000 for joint filers), and the Student Loan Interest Deduction. Push that figure lower and you often unlock both a smaller tax bill and a wider set of breaks.

To reach AGI, start with total gross income and subtract every above-the-line deduction. These come off first, ahead of the standard or itemized deductions that get applied later in the process. Frequent above-the-line items include traditional IRA contributions of up to $7,000 for 2026, or $8,000 if you are age 50 or over, student loan interest up to $2,500, and certain educator expenses up to $300.

People routinely mix up AGI with taxable income, but AGI is only a waypoint, with further deductions, standard or itemized, layered on afterward to produce taxable income. Hold onto clean records of every income source and possible above-the-line deduction across the whole year. Limits and rules shift between tax years, so lean on official IRS publications or a tax professional when your situation calls for personalized advice.