Sweepstakes tax calculator
Last reviewed September 2026 · researched from primary sources. Not legal or tax advice — see our Disclaimer.
Estimate the federal and state tax on a prize before you accept it. Prize winnings are ordinary income, so the calculator adds the prize on top of your other income to work out the extra tax it creates.
How to use it
- Prize value (ARV) — the approximate retail value from the official rules, or the amount on your 1099-MISC.
- Other taxable income — your household’s income for the year without the prize. This decides which federal brackets the prize falls into.
- Filing status and state — used for the federal brackets and an approximate state rate.
- Federal tax already withheld — for a cash prize over $5,000, 24% is often withheld; enter it here to see what is left to pay.
What it does not do
It uses approximate 2026 federal brackets and a single approximate state rate. It ignores deductions, credits, other income adjustments, local income tax, and the interaction with things like Social Security taxation or phase-outs. For a non-cash prize with no withholding, it will not tell you whether you now owe estimated quarterly payments. Treat the result as a planning figure, not a filing number, and confirm with a tax professional.
Key facts
- Prize income taxed at your marginal rate
- Method prize stacked on your other income
- Brackets approximate 2026 federal
- State approximate flat rate
- Not included deductions, credits, local tax
For the full explanation of how prize tax works, see Do you pay taxes on sweepstakes winnings? and taxes on non-cash prizes.