Exam News
The 2026 Tax Figures REG and TCP Candidates Need to Memorize (Jul 2026)
The 2026 standard deduction, tax brackets, AMT exemptions, QBI thresholds, and SALT cap all changed, some by routine indexing and some by OBBBA. Here are the exact numbers testable on REG and TCP from July 1, 2026.
Published July 15, 20267 min readVerified as of July 15, 2026
Where These Numbers Come From
The IRS published the 2026 inflation-adjusted figures in Revenue Procedure 2025-32 in October 2025, and several of them were changed further by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act rather than by routine indexing. All of these figures become testable on REG and TCP starting July 1, 2026, alongside the OBBBA provisions. If you are sitting REG or TCP on or after that date, these are the values your review course will test you on. The standard deduction is the clearest OBBBA change: the IRS explicitly labels the 2026 increase an OBBBA amendment, not an inflation adjustment.
Standard Deduction and Tax Brackets
The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for head of household. The seven tax rates (10, 12, 22, 24, 32, 35, and 37 percent) were made permanent by OBBBA, and the dollar thresholds moved up with inflation. Here are the 2026 married-filing-jointly brackets. For single filers the top 37 percent rate starts at $640,600.
- 10%: $0 to $24,800 (MFJ)
- 12%: $24,800 to $100,800
- 22%: $100,800 to $211,400
- 24%: $211,400 to $403,550
- 32%: $403,550 to $512,450
- 35%: $512,450 to $768,700
- 37%: over $768,700
AMT, QBI, and Retirement Limits
The alternative minimum tax exemption for 2026 is $90,100 for single filers and $140,200 for married filing jointly, with phaseouts beginning at $500,000 and $1,000,000 respectively. The Section 199A qualified business income threshold is $201,750 for single filers and $403,500 for married filing jointly, above which the phase-in of the wage-and-property limits begins. On the retirement side, the 401(k) elective deferral limit rose to $24,500 with an $8,000 catch-up for those 50 and older, the IRA limit rose to $7,500, and the HSA limits are $4,400 for self-only and $8,750 for family coverage.
Limited-time offer
Ends in 10 daysUp to 35% off Becker Pro
Up to 35% off Pro and Pro+ — Pro $2,499 (MSRP $3,845), Pro+ $2,698 (MSRP $4,044). Pass Guarantee mass promotion: 8/1-8/17, extended through 8/24, no promo codes needed. Auto-applied via affiliate link. Becker has scheduled a Labor Day promotion at the same prices from 8/25 through 9/8, extended to 9/14.
Claim Becker deal →(Affiliate link)
The SALT Cap Jumped to $40,400
The state and local tax deduction cap is the change most likely to surprise candidates who studied before July 2026. OBBBA raised the SALT cap from $10,000 to $40,000 for 2025, and it rises to $40,400 for 2026 ($20,200 for married filing separately). The cap increases one percent per year through 2029, then reverts to $10,000 in 2030. There is a phasedown for high earners: the cap is reduced by 30 percent of modified adjusted gross income over $505,000 for 2026, with a floor of $10,000. This figure is statutory under Internal Revenue Code Section 164(b)(6) as amended by OBBBA, not part of Revenue Procedure 2025-32.
Estate and Gift Figures
OBBBA raised the estate and gift basic exclusion amount to $15,000,000 for decedents dying in 2026, up from $13,990,000 for 2025. This was a statutory jump, not routine indexing. The annual gift tax exclusion holds at $19,000 for 2026, and the exclusion for gifts to a non-citizen spouse is $194,000. The foreign earned income exclusion rose to $132,900.
What This Means for Candidates
The practical rule is the same one that applies to every OBBBA change: the July 1, 2026 cutoff decides which set of numbers you are tested on. Sit REG or TCP before July 1 and you use the pre-2026 figures your materials already carry. Sit on or after July 1 and you need the numbers above. Memorize the standard deduction, the SALT cap, and the estate exclusion first, since those are the OBBBA-driven changes examiners are most likely to test. For the full list of what changed, see our OBBBA tax changes overview and the guide to what is testable on REG and TCP.
Sources
- 1.IRS — IRS Releases Tax Inflation Adjustments for Tax Year 2026 (including OBBBA amendments)(accessed Jul 15, 2026)
- 2.IRS — Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (2026 inflation-adjusted amounts)(accessed Jul 15, 2026)
- 3.IRS — 401(k) Limit Increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA Limit Increases to $7,500(accessed Jul 15, 2026)
- 4.IRS — Revenue Procedure 2025-19 (2026 HSA inflation-adjusted amounts)(accessed Jul 15, 2026)
Brennan Kolar
Founder, Atlas CPA Index
Brennan Kolar is the founder of Atlas CPA Index, an independent CPA review comparison platform covering all 55 U.S. jurisdictions. With over 10 years of experience with CPA review, he built Atlas to help candidates find the right review course based on how they actually learn, not which provider has the biggest ad budget.
Learn more about the author