Standard Deduction 2026: New Amounts and When to Itemize Instead

The 2026 standard deduction amounts

The standard deduction for 2026 is $16,100 for single filers and married filing separately, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for head of household. These are increases from the 2025 amounts of $15,750, $31,500, and $23,625 respectively.

The standard deduction is the amount the IRS lets you subtract from your income before calculating your tax bill, without requiring you to document specific expenses. Most taxpayers take the standard deduction because their itemized deductions do not exceed it.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act also introduced a new $6,000 senior deduction for taxpayers who are 65 or older. This applies for tax years 2025 through 2028 and is available in addition to the standard deduction. A single filer who is 65 or older can effectively deduct $22,100 before calculating taxes.

When itemizing beats the standard deduction

Itemizing makes sense when your total deductible expenses exceed the standard deduction for your filing status. The most common itemized deductions are state and local taxes (now up to $40,000 under the new SALT cap), mortgage interest, and charitable contributions.

For a married couple paying $18,000 in property and state income taxes, $14,000 in mortgage interest, and $3,000 in charitable contributions, total itemized deductions would be $35,000 — above the $32,200 standard deduction. Itemizing would save them money.

For a single renter with no mortgage and modest charitable giving, itemized deductions are unlikely to exceed $16,100. The standard deduction is almost certainly the better choice.

The decision is not permanent — you can choose differently each year. It is worth running the numbers every year, especially if your situation changes: you buy a home, pay off your mortgage, move to a higher-tax state, or make a large charitable contribution.

How the higher standard deduction affects freelancers and self-employed workers

Self-employed workers have a unique situation. They can claim business deductions on Schedule C regardless of whether they take the standard deduction or itemize. Schedule C deductions — home office, mileage, equipment, software, health insurance premiums, retirement contributions — are separate from the standard deduction decision.

This means a freelancer can take the standard deduction on their personal return and still deduct all legitimate business expenses on Schedule C. The two are not in conflict.

Where the standard deduction matters for self-employed workers is in the personal deduction category: mortgage interest, property taxes, charitable contributions, and medical expenses. If those personal deductions exceed the standard deduction, itemizing makes sense. If not, the standard deduction is simpler and often just as good.

The new $6,000 senior deduction explained

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act created a new $6,000 deduction for taxpayers who are 65 or older. This is separate from the existing additional standard deduction for seniors ($1,950 for single filers, $1,550 per spouse for joint filers in 2026).

The $6,000 senior deduction phases out for higher earners. It begins to phase out at $75,000 MAGI for single filers and $150,000 for married filing jointly. Above those thresholds, the deduction is reduced.

For a retired couple filing jointly with $120,000 in income, the $6,000 senior deduction could save roughly $720 in federal income tax at the 12% rate. Combined with the existing additional standard deduction for seniors, the total tax benefit for older taxpayers is meaningful.

RoboTax can connect to your accounts and surface your income and deduction records so a tax professional can review whether itemizing or taking the standard deduction makes more sense for your situation. If you have not had a qualified professional look at your deductions recently, this is a good year to start.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and further reading

These resources are included for educational context. RoboTax is not tax, legal, or financial advice, and this content should be reviewed with a qualified tax professional before being used for filing decisions.