If I move into a higher tax bracket, do I lose money by earning more?

No — this is the single most common tax myth. Brackets are marginal, meaning only the dollars above each threshold are taxed at the higher rate; the rest of your income keeps its lower rates. If a $5,000 raise pushes part of your income from the 22% bracket into the 24% bracket, only the portion above the threshold is taxed at 24%, and you still take home most of that raise. You never end up with less after-tax money by earning a bit more. The only real "cliff" effects come from losing income-based credits or subsidies (like ACA premium help or certain phaseouts), not from the brackets themselves. So always take the raise. To see exactly how an extra dollar is taxed at your income, model it at wealthserene.com/tools/tax-strategies.