In 2024, the standard deduction is $14,600 for single filers and married persons filing separately, $21,900 for a head of household, and $29,200 for a married couple filing jointly and surviving spouses. Taxpayers who are 65 or older and/or blind are eligible for an additional standard deduction.
Seniors over age 65 may claim an additional standard deduction of $1,950 for single filers and $1,550 for joint filers. The personal exemption for 2024 remains at $0 (eliminating the personal exemption was part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA).
In 2026, personal exemptions would return and be valued at $5,300. The standard deduction would shrink, and be valued at $8,350 for single filers, $16,700 for joint filers, and $12,250 for head of household filers, compared to $15,450, $30,850, and $23,150, respectively, if the TCJA instead continued.
Taxpayers who are 65 or older can take an additional standard deduction, which is also adjusted for inflation. For tax year 2025, that amount is $2,000 for single filers and $1,600 for others. Visit the IRS website for more adjustments to tax provisions in 2025.
As a cost offset for doubling the standard deduction, personal exemptions were eliminated with TCJA and are slated to return in 2026. The current estimate for 2026 is a $5,300 deduction per individual, spouse, and dependent.
To get the most out of your benefit you need to plan carefully, however, since you could owe income taxes on as much as 85% of your Social Security. $45,864: Maximum Social Security benefit for someone retiring at full retirement age in 2024. 85%: Maximum portion of Social Security benefits subject to income taxes.
For 2024, there's an offset of $700 for taxpayers with a taxable income under $37,500, with a pro-rata payment up to $66,667.
Additional standard deduction – You're allowed an additional deduction if you're age 65 or older at the end of the tax year. You're considered to be 65 on the day before your 65th birthday (for tax year 2024, you're considered to be 65 if you were born before January 2, 1960).
Higher standard deduction
The filing status you choose will have implications for your income tax bracket and for your standard deduction. For tax year 2024, the standard deduction is $14,600 for single filers, $29,200 for married couples filing jointly, and $21,900 for heads of households.
After an inflation adjustment, the 2024 standard deduction increases to $14,600 for single filers and married couples filing separately and to $21,900 for single heads of household, who are generally unmarried with one or more dependents. For married couples filing jointly, the standard deduction rises to $29,200.
These amounts are provided in the chart below. Note: If you are at least 65 or blind, you can claim an additional 2024 standard deduction of $1,950 (also $1,950 if using the single or head of household filing status). If you're both 65 and blind, the additional deduction amount is doubled.
At What Age Can You Stop Filing Taxes? Taxes aren't determined by age, so you will never age out of paying taxes. People who are 65 or older at the end of 2024 have to file a return for tax year 2024 (which is due in 2025) if their gross income is $16,550 or higher.
The standard deduction for 2024 is $14,600 for single filers and married people filing separately, $21,900 for heads of household, and $29,200 for joint filers and surviving spouses. $14,600.
The 2024 standard deduction for head of household is $21,900. People who are 65 or older can take an additional standard deduction of $1,950 for single and head of household filers and $1,550 for married filing jointly, married filing separately, and qualifying spouse filers.
If you owe money to a federal or state agency, the federal government may use part or all of your federal tax refund to repay the debt. This is called a tax refund offset. If your tax refund is lower than you calculated, it may be due to a tax refund offset for an unpaid debt such as child support.
Have you heard about the Social Security $16,728 yearly bonus? There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.
If your spouse dies, do you get both Social Security benefits? You cannot claim your deceased spouse's benefits in addition to your own retirement benefits. Social Security only will pay one—survivor or retirement. If you qualify for both survivor and retirement benefits, you will receive whichever amount is higher.
Additional Standard Deduction for Taxpayers 65+ in 2025
Single Filers and Heads of Household: The additional deduction for those aged 65 or older will increase from $1,950 (2024) to $2,000 in 2025.
You may be eligible for a California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) up to $3,644 for tax year 2024 as a working family or individual earning up to $30,950 per year. You must claim the credit on the 2024 FTB 3514 form, California Earned Income Tax Credit, or if you e-file follow your software's instructions.
Increased Standard Deduction
Once you're 65 or older, the standard deduction increases. For the 2024 tax year (filed in 2025): Single or married filing separately: $15,00. Married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er): $30,000.