The IRS has confirmed the standard deduction amounts Americans will use when they file their 2025 taxes in early 2026, and the numbers edge up again.
For single filers, the standard deduction rises to $15,750.
Married couples filing jointly get $31,500.
The increases are modest—$750 more for joint filers, $375 for singles—but they add up.
The standard deduction is the no-questions-asked portion of income the government lets you keep untaxed.
You don't need receipts, mortgage statements, or a shoebox of charitable donation slips.
Here's the catch most people miss: the standard deduction isn't automatically the right choice.
Roughly 90% of taxpayers take it because it's simpler and, for most, larger than what they'd get by itemizing.
But if you paid a lot of mortgage interest, gave generously to charity, or live in a high-tax state, running the math both ways could save you real money.
The gap between the two paths has narrowed for many households since the 2017 tax law nearly doubled the standard deduction.
That's why itemizing dropped off a cliff—from about 30% of filers to under 10%.
For most middle-income families, the standard deduction wins without a fight.
There's a bonus perk for people 65 and older, plus those who are blind.
An extra deduction stacks on top of the base amount.
For 2026, single filers 65+ can add $2,000, while married filers 65+ can add $1,600 per qualifying spouse.
A retired couple where both are 65 or older could shield $34,700 of income before owing a dime in federal tax.
If you're self-employed, a gig worker, or someone with a side hustle, don't confuse this with the standard deduction.
Business owners can still subtract legitimate expenses on top of the standard deduction—things like mileage, home office costs, and supplies.
That's a separate calculation and one worth getting right.
One more thing worth knowing: the standard deduction does nothing for your state return in most states.
States set their own rules, and some are far less generous.
If you live in a state with an income tax, check whether your state offers its own standard deduction or ties to the federal number.
If you're close to the itemizing threshold, bunching deductions—say, making two years of charitable gifts in one calendar year—can push you over the line and let you itemize one year, then take the standard deduction the next.
It's a legitimate strategy tax pros use all the time.
For most readers, the takeaway is unglamorous but useful: confirm your filing status, check whether you qualify for the age or blindness additions, and don't assume the bigger number on your return is the one you deserve.
A few minutes with tax software—or a conversation with a preparer—can reveal whether itemizing beats the standard deduction in your specific situation.
The annual bump is small, but it's a quiet reminder that the deduction keeps pace with inflation.
Final Thoughts
In a year when grocery bills and rent have eaten into budgets, every untaxed dollar counts.