If I make around 52k as a single person with no children, how much taxes would I pay or owe?

I'm thinking about taking on another job that would bump my total income to roughly $52k for the year. I'm single, no kids, and I'm worried about whether I'd end up owing money when filing my taxes next year. Right now I'm making about $38k at my main job with standard withholding, but this side opportunity would add like $14k more. I don't want a nasty surprise come tax time where I suddenly owe a bunch. Does anyone know approximately how much federal tax I'd end up paying on $52k total income? And more importantly, would I likely owe more at the end of the year with this additional income? I don't have any special deductions besides the standard deduction. Thanks for any help!

0 coins

21 comments

Tony Brooks

•8M

Based on your situation, I can give you a general idea of what to expect. For a single filer with $52k income in 2025 and taking the standard deduction (projected to be around $14,000), your taxable income would be approximately $38k. This puts you in the 12% federal tax bracket for most of your income. The first ~$11,600 would be taxed at 10%, and the rest at 12%. Your total federal income tax would be roughly $4,400-$4,700 depending on various factors. The important thing is making sure you have enough withholding from both jobs. The issue with having two jobs is that each employer calculates withholding as if that's your only income, which can lead to underwithholding. I'd recommend using the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator online to make sure you're having enough taken out from both jobs combined.

0 coins

Tony Brooks

•8M

For your W-4 adjustments, I'd recommend setting up extra withholding at your main job, especially if the second job is irregular or contract work. You can add an additional dollar amount on line 4(c) of your W-4. Calculate approximately how much extra you'll owe on that $14k (roughly $1,700-$2,000) and divide by the number of remaining pay periods. Regarding state taxes, Illinois currently has a flat income tax rate of 4.95%, which makes calculations a bit simpler than states with brackets. You'll pay this rate on your taxable income after any state exemptions. Like federal taxes, make sure your state withholding covers both incomes combined.

0 coins

Yara Campbell

•8M

I was in a nearly identical situation last year. Making around $49k with multiple income sources. I got worried about tax implications so I tried using https://taxr.ai and it really helped me understand my specific tax situation. You upload your pay stubs, answer some questions about your tax situation, and it gives you personalized projections about what you'll owe and whether your current withholding is on track. For my situation, it showed I'd be slightly underwithholding with my second job and gave me exact numbers for adjusting my W-4. Saved me from a surprise tax bill of around $1,200 that I definitely wasn't planning for!

0 coins

Yara Campbell

•8M

Yes, it definitely works for 1099 income. It actually has special features for self-employment income and helps calculate your quarterly estimated payments if needed. It takes into account self-employment tax too (the extra 15.3% for Social Security and Medicare), which a lot of people forget about. The prediction was surprisingly accurate for me. I think it was within about $75 of my actual tax bill when I filed. What impressed me was that it caught some deductions I qualified for that I hadn't considered, like part of my internet costs for my side gig.

0 coins

Isaac Wright

•8M

Just wanted to follow up - I tried out that taxr.ai site after seeing this thread. Omg it was super helpful! I uploaded my main job's paystubs and entered info about my freelance work, and it showed I was heading for a $3,200 tax bill next April! 😳 It broke down exactly how much I need to set aside each month for taxes (both income and self-employment). Really opened my eyes that I was seriously underestimating what I'd owe. Now I've adjusted my budget and I'm making quarterly payments. Definitely check it out if you're adding a second income source!

0 coins

Tami Morgan

•8M

If you're worried about your tax situation and need to talk to the IRS directly (which I highly recommend for your situation), use https://claimyr.com to skip the insane wait times. I spent THREE DAYS trying to get through to the IRS about a similar multiple-income situation last year before finding this. Basically, they hold your place in line and call you when an IRS agent is ready to talk. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with walked me through exactly how to adjust my withholding to account for my second job. Turns out I had been doing it completely wrong and would have owed over $2,000!

0 coins

Tami Morgan

•8M

It actually uses a combination of automated calling technology and queueing systems to secure your place in line. Instead of you having to stay on hold for hours, their system does it for you and calls you when an agent is available. So yes, you get through to a real IRS person - the same ones you'd talk to if you waited on hold yourself. They don't have "special access" - they're just handling the tedious waiting process. Think of it like having someone stand in line for you at the DMV and texting you when it's almost your turn. It saved me literally hours of frustration.

0 coins

Haley Bennett

•8M

OK so I need to admit I was totally wrong about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself since I had an issue with my stimulus payment that I'd been avoiding dealing with for months. Got a call back in about 45 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line. Completely shocked. She resolved my issue in like 10 minutes once I actually got to talk to her. Would have taken me multiple attempts and probably 2-3 hours of hold time to do it myself. Definitely using this again when I need to sort out my tax situation with my new job.

0 coins

Douglas Foster

•8M

A Roth IRA works differently from a tax perspective. Contributions to a Roth IRA are made with after-tax money, so they don't reduce your taxable income for the current year. The big benefit comes later, when you withdraw in retirement - those withdrawals are completely tax-free. If you want to reduce your current year's taxable income, you'd want a Traditional IRA instead. For 2025, you can contribute up to $6,500 (or $7,500 if you're 50+) to a Traditional IRA, and those contributions may be tax-deductible depending on your income and whether you have a retirement plan at work.

0 coins

Grace Johnson

•3M

I'm in a super similar situation - just picked up a second job that'll bring me from $35k to around $51k total. One thing I learned the hard way is to make sure you understand the difference between how much tax you'll owe versus how much gets withheld from your paychecks. Your employers will each withhold taxes as if their job is your only income, which usually means you'll be underwithholding overall. I had to go back and adjust my W-4 at my main job to have an extra $150 per month taken out to avoid owing at tax time. Also don't forget about state taxes if you're in a state that has them! And if either job offers benefits like health insurance or retirement contributions, those can help reduce your taxable income too. Good luck with the new opportunity!

0 coins