Disclosure: We scrutinize our research, ratings and reviews using strict editorial integrity. In full transparency, this site may receive compensation from partners listed through affiliate partnerships, though this does not affect our ratings. Learn more about how we make money by visiting our advertiser disclosure.

Now that summer is over and we’re approaching the end of the year, it’s time to start thinking about your next tax return. (I know … I don’t want to do it, either.) But as you start your year-end tax planning, it’s good to familiarize yourself with a few basic tax provisions that will have an impact on your overall tax bill. Which federal tax bracket you’re in is one. Your filing status is another. And don’t forget the most popular tax deduction of them all—your standard deduction.

About 90% of all taxpayers claim the standard deduction on their federal tax return (as opposed to itemizing deductions)—and it got a lot bigger this year. This gift from Uncle Sam can trim your tax bill by hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars. So, before you jump into tax planning mode, you’ll want to know how much your standard deduction will be for the 2023 tax year.

The standard deduction isn’t the same for everyone. How much you can claim is primarily based on your filing status. However, your age, dependency status, and even your eyesight can also impact your standard deduction amount. So can being the victim of a natural disaster.

So, quite a bit can go into determining your standard deduction amount. But don’t worry … I’ll spell it all out for you so you can understand now how much you can save when you file your 2023 tax return next year. You can also get a head start on determining if you’re better off taking the standard deduction or itemizing.

Related: States That Tax Social Security Benefits

How the Standard Deduction Works


eraser taxes

 

When working on your income taxes, the first thing you need to do is calculate your federal adjusted gross income, or AGI. That figure includes all your taxable income, minus any “above-the-line” tax deductions you’re entitled to claim (i.e., deductions taken from your gross income to arrive at your adjusted gross income).

The next step is to subtract either your standard deduction or itemized deductions from your adjusted gross income to arrive at your taxable income. When deciding between the standard deduction and itemized deductions, pick whichever one is higher. (Small business owners and certain other people might also be allowed to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income.) Once you know your taxable income, calculate the tax due for that dollar amount. If you can claim any tax credits or made previous tax payments, they are subtracted from the tax due.

The higher your standard deduction (or itemized deductions), the lower your taxable income. The lower your taxable income, the lower your tax bill. And if your standard tax deduction is large enough to bring your taxable income down to a lower tax bracket, the impact can be even greater.

Related: Education Tax Credits and Deductions for 2023

Standard Deduction Amounts


Standard Deduction amounts calculator

Now that you understand the importance of the standard deduction, let’s take a look at the actual standard deduction amounts for the 2023 tax year. We’ll also provide the 2022 standard deduction amounts for people who haven’t yet filed their 2022 return (e.g., because they got a tax filing extension).

Standard deductions are different from year to year because the IRS adjusts them annually to account for inflation. And with the recent surge in inflation rates, the standard deduction amounts jumped considerably more from 2022 to 2023 than what we’re used to seeing.

If you’re using a commercial tax software product like TurboTax or H&R Block to file your federal income taxes, the program will automatically include the standard deduction on your return—unless, of course, you itemize your deductions. (If you’re looking for the right tax software for you, check out our review of the best tax software products available.)

Our DIY Tax Software Pick
Great for People Seeking In-Person Tax Help
4.7
4.6
DIY Options: Free: $0. Deluxe: $39. Premier: $69. Self-Employed: $89.* TurboTax Live Assisted and TurboTax Live Full Service also available.**
DIY Options: Free: $0. Deluxe: $29.75. Premium: $46.75. Self-Employed: $72.25.* Online Assist, In-Person Assistance, and Drop-Off also available.**
Our DIY Tax Software Pick
4.7
DIY Options: Free: $0. Deluxe: $39. Premier: $69. Self-Employed: $89.* TurboTax Live Assisted and TurboTax Live Full Service also available.**
Great for People Seeking In-Person Tax Help
4.6
DIY Options: Free: $0. Deluxe: $29.75. Premium: $46.75. Self-Employed: $72.25.* Online Assist, In-Person Assistance, and Drop-Off also available.**

2023 Standard Deductions

For most people, tax returns for the 2023 tax year will be due April 15, 2024. The basic standard deduction, which most people will use for their 2023 return, is based on your filing status, as shown in the table below.

Filing Status2023 Standard Deduction
Single$13,850
Married Filing Jointly$27,700
Married Filing Separately$13,850
Head of Household$20,800
Qualifying Surviving Spouse$27,700

Standard deductions for dependents

If you can be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return, your 2023 standard deduction is generally limited to the greater of:

  • $1,250
  • Your earned income plus $400 (but not more than the applicable basic standard deduction amount)

Earned income includes salaries, wages, tips, professional fees, and other compensation for work. It also includes any part of a taxable scholarship or fellowship grant.

Additional standard deductions for age and/or blindness

If you’re at least 65 years old or considered legally blind at the end of 2023, you’re entitled to an additional standard deduction for the 2023 tax year in the following dollar amount:

  • $1,500 for married couples filing jointly, married taxpayers filing separately, and surviving spouses
  • $1,850 for single and head-of-household filers

For married couples who file jointly, both spouses get an additional standard deduction for being at least 65 years old or blind. If you or your spouse is both 65 or older and blind, then the additional deduction for that person is doubled.

If you’re married but filing a separate return, your spouse is eligible for the additional standard deduction on your return only if he or she has no income, isn’t filing a return, and can’t be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return for the tax year. The additional deduction is also doubled for separate filers for either qualifying spouse who is both 65 or older and blind.

You can use the table below to determine your 2023 standard deduction if you or your spouse will be either 65 or older or blind by the end of 2023.

Filing Status65 and/or Blind2023 Standard Deduction
Single65 or Blind$15,700
65 and Blind$17,550
Married Filing JointlyOne Spouse 65 or Blind$29,200
One Spouse 65 and Blind$30,700
One Spouse 65 or Blind; Other Spouse 65 or Blind$30,700
One Spouse 65 and Blind; Other Spouse 65 or Blind$32,200
Both Spouses 65 and Blind$33,700
Married Filing SeparatelyOne Spouse 65 or Blind$15,350
One Spouse 65 and Blind$16,850
One Spouse 65 or Blind; Other Spouse 65 or Blind$16,850
One Spouse 65 and Blind; Other Spouse 65 or Blind$18,350
Both Spouses 65 and Blind$19,850
Head of Household65 or Blind$22,650
65 and Blind$24,500
Qualifying Surviving Spouse65 or Blind$29,200
65 and Blind$30,700

YATI Tax Tip: If you’re not totally blind (i.e., only partially blind) and claim the additional standard deduction for blindness, the IRS requires a statement from an eye doctor certifying that you (1) can’t see better than 20/200 in the better eye with glasses or contact lenses, or (2) your field of vision is 20 degrees or less. The statement should also note if your vision isn’t likely to improve beyond these limits. If your vision can be corrected beyond these limits only by contact lenses that you can wear only briefly because of pain, infection, or ulcers, you can use the standard deduction for blindness if you otherwise qualify.

Related: 30 Tax Statistics and Facts That Might Surprise You

2022 Standard Deductions

If you haven’t filed your 2022 tax return yet, or you just want to compare your next standard deduction to your last one, here are the basic standard deduction amounts for 2022:

Filing Status2022 Standard Deduction
Single$12,950
Married Filing Jointly$25,900
Married Filing Separately$12,950
Head of Household$19,400
Qualifying Surviving Spouse$25,900

For dependents, the 2022 standard deduction is limited to the greater of:

  • $1,150
  • Earned income plus $400 (again, not more than the applicable basic standard deduction amount)

If you were at least 65 years old or blind at the end of 2022, the additional standard deduction for the 2022 tax year is:

  • $1,400 for married couples filing jointly, married taxpayers filing separately, and surviving spouses
  • $1,750 for single and head-of-household filers

So, for 2022, the additional standard deductions for people who were either 65 or older or blind at the end of last year are as shown in the following table.

Filing Status65 and/or Blind2022 Standard Deduction
Single65 or Blind$14,700
65 and Blind$16,450
Married Filing JointlyOne Spouse 65 or Blind$27,300
One Spouse 65 and Blind$28,700
One Spouse 65 or Blind; Other Spouse 65 or Blind$28,700
One Spouse 65 and Blind; Other Spouse 65 or Blind$30,100
Both Spouses 65 and Blind$31,500
Married Filing SeparatelyOne Spouse 65 or Blind$14,350
One Spouse 65 and Blind$15,750
One Spouse 65 or Blind; Other Spouse 65 or Blind$15,750
One Spouse 65 and Blind; Other Spouse 65 or Blind$17,150
Both Spouses 65 and Blind$18,550
Head of Household65 or Blind$21,150
65 and Blind$22,900
Qualifying Surviving Spouse65 or Blind$27,300
65 and Blind$28,700

Related: Capital Gains Tax: What Is It, Rates, Home Sales + More

Higher Standard Deduction for Qualified Disaster Loss


Standard Deduction disaster ruined house

You can claim a larger standard deduction if you have a net “qualified disaster loss” for the tax year, which is a casualty or theft loss of personal property stemming from:

  • A major disaster declared by the president in 2016
  • Hurricane Harvey
  • Tropical Storm Harvey
  • Hurricane Irma
  • Hurricane Maria
  • The California wildfires in 2017 and January 2018
  • A major disaster declared by the president that occurred in 2018 and before Dec. 21, 2019, and continued no later than January 19, 2020 (except those attributable to the California wildfires in January 2018 that received prior relief)
  • A major disaster that was declared by the president between Jan. 1, 2020, and Feb. 25, 2021, with an incident period from Dec. 28, 2019, to Dec. 27, 2020 (not including losses attributable to any major disaster declared only by reason of COVID-19)

Although these natural disasters all happened in previous tax years, you might not be able to increase your standard deduction until well after the disaster if there’s an insurance claim for reimbursement in the year of the loss. That’s because the loss is not deductible until you know with “reasonable certainty” whether you’ll actually be reimbursed for your loss. If you aren’t sure whether the loss (or even part of the loss) will be reimbursed, then wait until the tax year when you become reasonably certain that it won’t be reimbursed to claim the increased standard deduction.

Use Form 4684 to calculate your net qualified disaster loss. However, you don’t report the standard deduction increase with your other standard deduction amounts. Instead, report the loss as “Net Qualified Disaster Loss” on Schedule A (Form 1040). Also report your standard deduction amount as “Standard Deduction Claimed With Qualified Disaster Loss” on Schedule A.

Related: Retirement Saver’s Credit: What Is It, How Much, Who’s Eligible + More

Standard Deduction vs. Itemized Deductions


Standard Deduction itemized deductions form

As we mentioned earlier, when deciding to use the standard deduction or itemize, you can pick whichever one is higher—assuming you’re allowed to take the standard deduction (more on that in a bit).

While wealthier Americans are the ones who typically itemize deductions, ordinary people can also qualify for common itemized deductions that, in total, are greater than their standard deduction. For example, you might want to itemize if you:

  • Had large medical expenses that weren’t covered by insurance
  • Paid high state and local taxes (up to $10,000)
  • Had large uninsured casualty or theft losses
  • Made large charitable contributions
  • Paid home mortgage interest

The bottom line: If your total itemized deductions exceed your total standard deduction, then you’ll likely want to itemize your deductions.

Your state taxes might also influence your decision. In some states, if you pick the standard deduction for federal income tax purposes, you must also use the state standard deduction on your state income tax return. However, if the overall benefit of itemizing deductions on both returns is greater than the overall benefit of claiming the standard deduction, then you should itemize deductions when filing your federal taxes.

Who Can’t Claim the Standard Deduction?

You can’t take the standard deduction if:

  • You’re married but file separately, and your spouse itemizes deductions on his or her return
  • You’re filing a tax return for a short tax year because of a change in your annual accounting period
  • You’re a nonresident or dual-status alien during the tax year

A nonresident alien who is married to a U.S. citizen or resident alien at the end of the tax year can choose to be treated as a U.S. resident and, therefore, claim the standard deduction.

If you’re not permitted to take the standard deduction, you can still claim any itemized deduction for which you qualify.

Related: Earned Income Tax Credit: How Much, Eligibility + More

Other Deductions Available If You Claim the Standard Deduction


 

 

calculating accounting taxes pen
Hello Brother

If you take the standard deduction, you can’t claim any itemized deduction found on Schedule A. So no itemized deduction for medical expenses, state and local taxes, charitable contributions, home mortgage interest, and the like.

However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other tax deductions you can take. In fact, our federal income tax system offers a long list of additional write-offs to lower your taxes if you choose the standard deduction over itemized deductions. These are commonly referred to as “above-the-line” deductions, since they are taken above the line for adjusted gross income on the federal 1040 form.

While not an exhaustive list, some of the more common above-the-line deductions are those for:

  • Classroom expenses for teachers and other educators
  • Health savings account (HSA) contributions
  • Health insurance for self-employed people
  • IRA contributions (although not for Roth IRAs)
  • Student loan interest
  • Moving expenses for members of the military
  • Alimony paid under a divorce or separation agreement entered into on before 2019
  • SEP, SIMPLE, and qualified plan contributions for employees (and for yourself if you’re a sole proprietor)
  • Jury duty pay handed over to your employer (e.g., if the employer paid your salary while on jury duty)

Related: How Are Social Security Benefits Taxed?

Will the Standard Deduction Change In the Future?


2024 to 2028 on cards in sand

Starting in 2018, the standard deduction was nearly doubled by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. However, the dramatic increase is only temporary—it’s scheduled to expire on Jan. 1, 2026.

The higher standard deduction amounts could be extended by Congress, but extension of legislation is a politically charged issue. Right now, it would be difficult to get an extension through Congress and signed by President Biden. So, whether the increased standard deduction will continue or it reverts back to pre-2018 levels will likely depend on who controls Congress and the White House after the 2024 election.

Related: Estimated Tax Payment Deadlines

Prior-Year Standard Deductions


Standard Deduction itemized prior year tax return form

As described earlier, the standard deduction varies from year to year because it’s adjusted annually for inflation—and it jumped considerably more than usual from 2022 to 2023.

As a result, if you’re behind on filing your taxes for years before 2022, filing an amended return, or just plain curious, the 2022 and 2023 standard deductions spelled out above aren’t going to be of much use.

So, for anyone looking for prior-year information, the basic and additional standard deductions for 2016 to 2021 are provided below. (Note: Before 2022, the “qualifying surviving spouse” filing status was known as the “qualifying widow(er)” filing status.)

2021 Standard Deductions

Filing Status2021 Basic Standard Deduction2021 Additional Standard Deduction (65 or Blind)
Single$12,550$1,700
Married Filing Jointly$25,100$1,350
Married Filing Separately$12,550$1,350
Head of Household$18,800$1,700
Qualifying Widow(er)$25,100$1,350

2020 Standard Deductions

Filing Status2020 Basic Standard Deduction2020 Additional Standard Deduction (65 or Blind)
Single$12,400$1,650
Married Filing Jointly$24,800$1,300
Married Filing Separately$12,400$1,300
Head of Household$18,650$1,650
Qualifying Widow(er)$24,800$1,300

2019 Standard Deductions

Filing Status2019 Basic Standard Deduction2019 Additional Standard Deduction (65 or Blind)
Single$12,200$1,650
Married Filing Jointly$24,400$1,300
Married Filing Separately$12,200$1,300
Head of Household$18,350$1,650
Qualifying Widow(er)$24,400$1,300

2018 Standard Deductions

Filing Status2018 Basic Standard Deduction2018 Additional Standard Deduction (65 or Blind)
Single$12,000$1,600
Married Filing Jointly$24,000$1,300
Married Filing Separately$12,000$1,300
Head of Household$18,000$1,600
Qualifying Widow(er)$24,000$1,300

2017 Standard Deductions

Filing Status2017 Basic Standard Deduction2017 Additional Standard Deduction (65 or Blind)
Single$6,350$1,550
Married Filing Jointly$12,700$1,250
Married Filing Separately$6,350$1,250
Head of Household$9,350$1,550
Qualifying Widow(er)$12,700$1,250

2016 Standard Deductions

Filing Status2016 Basic Standard Deduction2016 Additional Standard Deduction (65 or Blind)
Single$6,300$1,550
Married Filing Jointly$12,600$1,250
Married Filing Separately$6,300$1,250
Head of Household$9,300$1,550
Qualifying Widow(er)$12,600$1,250

Related:

Rocky has been covering federal and state tax developments for 25 years. During that time, he has provided tax information and guidance to millions of tax professionals and ordinary Americans. As Senior Tax Editor for WealthUp, Rocky spends most of his time writing and editing online tax content.

Before coming to WealthUp, Rocky was a Senior Tax Editor for Kiplinger, where he wrote and edited tax content for Kiplinger.com, Kiplinger’s Retirement Report and The Kiplinger Tax Letter. Prior to his time at Kiplinger, Rocky was a Senior Writer/Analyst for Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting. In that role, he managed a portfolio of print and digital state income tax research products, led the development of various new print and online products, authored white papers and other special publications, coordinated with authors of a state tax treatise, and acted as media contact for the state income tax group (where he was quoted as an expert by USA Today, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, Reuters, Accounting Today, and other national media outlets). Before that, Rocky was an Executive Editor at Kleinrock Publishing, which provided tax research products for tax professionals. At Kleinrock, he directed the development, maintenance, and enhancement of all state tax and payroll law publications, including electronic research products, monthly newsletters, and handbooks.

Rocky has a law degree from the University of Connecticut and a B.A. in History from Salisbury University.