Virginia 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction updates

(VIRGINIA) Virginia’s state income tax rates and brackets for tax year 2026 stay the same, so most people won’t see a new top rate, but they will see a larger standard deduction when they file. That matters for many immigrants and international families because withholding and refund expectations often rise or fall on small rule changes.

Virginia keeps four progressive brackets that apply to every filing status, based on Virginia taxable income (based on federal AGI). For income earned in 2026, you file in 2027, and Virginia has already updated its withholding tables to match the 2026 numbers.

The 2026 Virginia tax brackets you’re working with

These are the Virginia state income tax rates and brackets for 2026 on Virginia taxable income:

• $0 – $3,000: 2%
• $3,001 – $5,000: 3%
• $5,001 – $17,000: 5%
• $17,001+: 5.75%

Because Virginia uses progressive taxation, you don’t pay 5.75% on all your income once you cross $17,001. You pay each rate only on the slice of taxable income that falls inside each bracket.

Virginia’s own example shows how the math works at $25,000 of taxable income: the tax is 2% on the first $3,000, 3% on the next $2,000, 5% on the next $12,000, and 5.75% on the remaining $8,000.

Practical filing timeline for immigrants and new Virginia workers

Think of the 2026 Virginia income tax “journey” as a short set of checkpoints that run from your first paycheck through your 2027 filing.

Step-by-step checklist

1. Step 1 (when you start earning in 2026): set expectations using the brackets.
   Use the 2026 brackets to estimate how Virginia will tax your Virginia taxable income. This gives you a reality check on whether your paycheck withholding seems aligned with what you’ll owe.

2. Step 2 (throughout 2026): track your income that feeds federal AGI.
   Virginia taxable income is based on federal AGI, so your 2026 recordkeeping should focus on the documents that roll into that number. For many immigrants, this is also when life changes happen fast, like a new job, a spouse arriving, or a change in authorized work.

3. Step 3 (late 2026 or early 2027): apply Virginia’s deduction and exemption amounts.
   Virginia did not change its rates or bracket thresholds for 2026, but it did change the standard deduction amounts that reduce taxable income. Personal exemptions stay the same.

• Standard deduction: $8,750 for single/head of household filers (up from $8,500)
• Standard deduction: $17,500 for married filing jointly (up from $17,000)
• Personal exemption: $930 for single/head of household/married filing separately
• Personal exemption: $1,860 for married filing jointly

1. Step 4 (during 2026 paychecks): watch withholding tables and paycheck impacts.
   Virginia updated its withholding tables for 2026. That update is meant to reflect the unchanged rates and brackets, plus the higher standard deduction amounts. A small table change can still shift take-home pay and refund size, so it’s worth checking your paystubs for consistency across the year.

2. Step 5 (filing season in 2027): file your Virginia return using the 2026 numbers.
   Income earned in 2026 is filed in 2027. When you prepare your return, the same 2026 bracket structure will apply, and your taxable income will reflect the 2026 standard deduction and personal exemption amounts listed above.

For Virginia’s official guidance on individual income tax, including current-year filing resources, start with the Virginia Department of Taxation’s Individual Income Tax page: Virginia Tax – Individual Income Tax.

What “unchanged rates” really means for real households

When people hear “no change” in state income tax rates, they often assume nothing in their situation will move. In practice, immigrants and mixed-status families often feel tax changes through mechanics, not headlines.

A higher standard deduction lowers Virginia taxable income for many filers. That can reduce the amount of income exposed to the higher brackets, or it can shift part of taxable income out of the top 5.75% slice. The bracket thresholds stay fixed, but the income you measure against those thresholds can shrink.

That’s one reason withholding tables matter. If withholding changes but your personal situation changes too, the two can push in opposite directions. A new job, a second job, or a spouse starting work can raise income during 2026 even while the standard deduction rises.

Key takeaway: Stable rates do not always mean stable take-home pay or refund amounts — small deduction or withholding changes can materially affect outcomes, especially for households with changing work or family status.

A simple way to sanity-check your bracket exposure

You don’t need advanced math to read the Virginia brackets correctly. Use this checklist to avoid the most common misunderstanding — assuming the top rate applies to all income.

• Identify your Virginia taxable income figure for 2026, after deduction and exemptions.
• Place each portion of that taxable income into the correct bracket slices.
• Apply 2%, 3%, 5%, and 5.75% only to the slices that belong there.
• Compare that estimate to what was withheld during 2026.

This kind of check is especially useful for immigrants who had a mid-year arrival, a job switch, or a gap in work authorization. Those events can compress income into a shorter window and make withholding feel “too high” or “too low” compared with expectations.

Why immigration status changes often collide with Virginia taxes

Many immigrants experience major paperwork transitions in the same year they start earning Virginia income. A new work-authorized status, a change in employer, or a family member joining the household can reshape filing decisions and withholding behavior.

Virginia’s 2026 system is at least stable on rates and brackets. The moving pieces are mainly the standard deduction increase and how payroll withholding reflects it. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, tax and immigration timelines often overlap, so families benefit from mapping pay, withholding, and filing dates on one calendar.

For immigrants in the United States 🇺🇸, the safest approach is to treat Virginia tax planning as a year-long process, not a one-week filing sprint. Keep your 2026 records consistent, learn the four brackets by heart, and use the 2026 deduction and exemption numbers when you file in 2027.