I’m married filing jointly with my spouse. Our combined income was $75k. Yet the blended tax rate is showing 17.1% when I should be between the 10% and 12% brackets. Why?

[rachelileenen]

Turbo tax won’t allow me to edit the percentage but it’s wrong.

[Vanessa A · Accepted solution]

The blended rate is not the same as your federal tax rate.  You cannot change the rate that is applied to your return as it is based off of the IRS tables.  If you look at page 11 of the IRS Tax and Earned Income Tax Table, you will see that the taxes on taxable income of $75,000 is $8,539.  However, that was your gross income, and you are married filing jointly, then your taxable income would be reduced to $45,900 for a tax of $5,047.

Your blended tax rate is your total tax divided by your total income.  These numbers do not always make sense, however, they do not have an actual affect on your return.  It is for comparison or information purposes, but it is not used by the IRS or the state.