Under United States tax law, the standard deduction is a dollar amount that non-itemizers may subtract from their income before income tax (but not other kinds of tax, such as payroll tax) is applied. Taxpayers may choose either itemized deductions or the standard deduction, but usually choose whichever results in the lesser amount of tax payable.Samuel A. Donaldson, Federal Income Taxation of Individuals: Cases, Problems and Materials, 2nd Edition (St. Paul: Thomson/West, 2007), 27, 29. The standard deduction is available to individuals who are US citizens or resident aliens. The standard deduction is based on filing status and typically increases each year, based on inflation measurements from the previous year. It is not available to nonresident aliens residing in the United States (with few exceptions, for example, students from India on F1 visa status can use the standard deduction). Additional amounts are available for persons who are blind and/or are at least 65 years of age.I.R.C. §§ 63(c)(3), 63(f)(1)(A), 63(f)(2)
The standard deduction is distinct from the personal exemption, which was set to $0 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 for tax years 2018–2025.
Federal standard deduction
The applicable federal (individual states will have different amounts for state income tax) basic standard deduction amounts for recent tax years are as follows:
Filing status Year Single Married filing separately Married filing jointly Qualifying surviving spouseHead of household 2025 $15,750 $31,500 $23,625 2024$14,600$29,200$21,9002023$13,850$27,700$20,8002022$12,950$25,900$19,4002021$12,550$25,100$18,800 2020 $12,400 $24,800 $18,650 2019 $12,200 $24,400 $18,350 2018 $12,000 $24,000 $18,000 2017 $6,350 $12,700 $9,350 2016 $6,300 $12,600 $9,300 2015 $9,250 2014 $6,200 $12,400 $9,100 2013 $6,100 $12,200 $8,950 2012 $5,950 $11,900 $8,700 2011 $5,800 $11,600 $8,500 2010 $5,700 $11,400 $8,400 2009 $8,350 2008Revenue Procedure 2007-66 $5,450 $10,900 $8,000 2007Consumer Price Index Adjustments for 2007, Revenue Procedure 2006-53, 2006-48 I.R.B. 996. $5,350 $10,700 $7,850 2006 $5,150 $10,300 $7,550
Other standard deductions in certain cases
The standard deduction may be higher than the basic standard deduction if any of the following conditions are met:
The taxpayer is 65 years of age or older.I.R.C. §§ 63(c)(3), 63(f)(1)(A) The taxpayer's spouse is 65 years of age or older.I.R.C. §§ 63(c)(3), 63(f)(1)(B) The taxpayer is blind (generally defined as not having corrected vision of at least 20/200 or as having extreme "limitation in the fields of vision").I.R.C. §§ 63(c)(3), 63(f)(2)(A), 63(f)(4) The taxpayer's spouse is blind (see definition above).I.R.C. §§ 63(c)(3), 63(f)(2)(B), 63(f)(4)
For each applicable condition, a taxpayer adds $1,500 to his/her standard deductions (for 2023). However, the additional deduction is $1,850 for unmarried individuals who are not qualifying surviving spouses.I.R.S. publication 17 page 141
For dependents, the standard deduction is equal to earned income (that is, compensation for services, such as wages, salaries, or tips) plus a certain amount ($400 in 2023). A dependent's standard deduction cannot be more than the basic standard deduction for non-dependents, or less than a certain minimum ($1,250 in 2023).
Consider the following examples:
Taxpayer Standard deduction in 2023 70-year-old single individual $13,850 + $1,850 = $15,700 40-year-old single individual who is blind $13,850 + $1,850 = $15,700 Married couple, ages 78 and 80, one of whom is blind $27,700 + $1,500 + $1,500 + $1,500 = $32,200 Dependent who earns $200 in 2023 $1,250 (minimum standard deduction for dependents) Dependent who earns $6,000 in 2023 $6,000 + $400 = $6,400 Dependent who earns $18,000 in 2023 $13,850 (maximum standard deduction for single filing status in 2023)
References
1040 Instruction Booklet for year 2005, Page 36.
External links Internal Revenue Service Website