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Bracket headroom

The amount of additional ordinary income that can fit before the next modeled bracket boundary.

In one sentence

Bracket headroom measures room inside a selected modeled income-tax band.

Model

selected ceiling − current taxable ordinary income = headroom

Worked example

A planner can add Roth-conversion income until taxable ordinary income reaches a selected bracket ceiling.

What to notice

Follow this mechanism in a related lesson, where the same calculator engine exposes every intermediate value.

Common misconception

Bracket headroom is not a recommendation; other taxes, credits, premiums, and state rules can change the decision.

IRS 2025 rate schedules

See it in motion

Related course lessons