Brazilian Income Tax Calculator

The IRRF is calculated based on your monthly gross salary after deducting INSS (social security contributions) and allowable deductions such as dependent allowances and pension contributions. The resulting taxable income is then applied to the progressive tax brackets established by the Receita Federal (Brazilian Federal Revenue Service). Each bracket has a corresponding rate, and the tax is calculated incrementally. For example, income within the first bracket is taxed at 0%, while income in higher brackets is taxed at progressively higher rates. Employers are responsible for withholding this amount monthly.

IRRF (Imposto de Renda Retido na Fonte) is the income tax withheld monthly by your employer based on your gross salary. It serves as an advance payment toward your annual income tax liability. IRPF (Imposto de Renda Pessoa Física), on the other hand, is the annual income tax declaration where you reconcile your total income, deductions, and tax payments for the year. If your IRRF exceeds your calculated IRPF, you may be entitled to a refund. Conversely, if your IRRF is insufficient, you’ll need to pay the difference.

Each dependent qualifies for a fixed monthly deduction (e.g., R$ 227.00 per month in 2024) that reduces your taxable income. This deduction applies to children under 21, students under 24, and other dependents such as parents or grandparents if you provide more than 50% of their support. Proper documentation is required to claim dependents, and the deduction can significantly lower both your IRRF and IRPF calculations, ultimately reducing your overall tax liability.

Education expenses are deductible up to a maximum of R$ 3,561.50 per person annually in 2024. This includes tuition fees for schools, universities, and technical courses but excludes costs like books, uniforms, and transportation. If you have multiple dependents, each dependent’s education expenses can be claimed separately, up to the cap. For taxpayers with higher education-related costs, considering professional development courses that qualify as fully deductible business expenses may be a better strategy.

INSS contributions are deducted from your gross salary before calculating your taxable income. These contributions are mandatory and vary based on your salary range, with a progressive rate structure. The deduction effectively lowers your taxable income, reducing the amount of income subject to IRRF and IRPF. For high earners, maximising INSS contributions through salary-based income can be a strategy to reduce overall tax liability.

The effective tax rate is the percentage of your total income that you pay in taxes after accounting for deductions, exemptions, and progressive tax brackets. It provides a more accurate picture of your overall tax burden. The marginal tax rate, on the other hand, is the rate applied to your last dollar of taxable income within the highest applicable tax bracket. While the marginal rate may seem high, your effective rate is typically much lower due to deductions and the progressive nature of Brazilian tax brackets.

Yes, contributions to a PGBL (Plano Gerador de Benefício Livre) private pension plan are deductible up to 12% of your gross annual income. These contributions lower your taxable income, reducing both IRRF and IRPF. However, this benefit applies only if you use the complete declaration model, not the simplified one. Additionally, withdrawals from the plan are taxed, so careful planning is necessary to maximise long-term tax savings.

Common mistakes include failing to claim all allowable deductions (e.g., dependents, medical expenses, and pension contributions), not keeping proper documentation for deductible expenses, and incorrectly categorising income. Another frequent error is choosing the simplified deduction model without comparing it to the complete declaration model, which could result in a higher tax liability. Using a calculator that incorporates current tax tables and deduction limits can help avoid these pitfalls.