Standard Deductions for 2024–2025

For most filers, you’ll be filing your 2024 taxes between January 27 and April 15, 2025. Deductions can be extremely helpful in decreasing the amount of taxes you’re required to pay.

Key tax facts to know

• 2024 taxes are filed in 2025
• Filing deadline is April 15, 2025
• File an extension by April 15, 2025
• Extended tax filing deadline is October 15, 2025

What is a tax deduction?

A deduction is an amount you subtract from your taxable income — which, in turn, may put you in a lower tax bracket or reduce the amount of income tax you owe.

There are two main types of deductions for personal filers:

• Standard deduction. A set amount subtracted from your taxable income based on your filing status, typically ranging from $14,600 to $29,200 for most filers under 65.
• Itemized deductions. This option lets you deduct specific expenses such as charitable donations, medical payments or mortgage interest.

What are the 2024 standard deductions?

Here are the standard deduction amounts for 2024 tax filings in 2025:

• Single or married filing separately: $14,600
• Head of household: $21,900
• Married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse: $29,200

For taxpayers who are 65 and older or are Blind, there are additional standard deductions:

• Single or head of household: $1,950
• Married or qualifying surviving spouse: $1,550

If you are claimed as a dependent by someone else, you can also get a standard deduction:

• $1,300, or your earned income plus $450 (total can’t be more than the basic standard deduction for your filing status)

Standard vs. itemized deductions

You can’t choose to take the standard deduction and itemize deductions at the same time — you must choose one or the other.

In most cases, filers choose the one that decreases their taxable income the most. For example, if you’re a single filer who qualifies for $20,000 in tax deductions by itemizing them, compared to the standard deduction of $14,600, then itemizing them makes more sense.

As a general rule, if you had a lot of expenses in 2024 and have a mortgage, an itemized deduction is likely to be more effective in reducing your taxable income. However, we recommend talking to a tax professional who can help locate and add up the itemized deductions you may qualify to see which option is best for your situation.

Standard deduction benefits

With a standard deduction, you just get a flat amount deducted from your taxable income depending on your filing status, which may put you in a lower tax bracket and reduce the amount of income taxed at higher rates.

Standard deductions are great for those who want a simple tax return and don’t have the paperwork to support itemized deductions. Taking the standard deduction can be much easier and quicker than itemizing because you aren’t required to keep your receipts, fill out additional forms to prove your deductions and so on.

Itemized deduction benefits

Unlike a standard deduction, itemized deductions let you subtract specific expenses from your taxable income, such as mortgage interest payments, medical bills, charitable donations, property taxes, disaster losses and more.⁽¹⁾

If you believe you can reduce your taxable income more than you’d get with a standard deduction, and you’ve got the paperwork to back it up, just remember it’ll take more work than taking the standard option.

To itemize your deductions, you’ll need to complete Schedule A and attach it to Form 1040. Completing this form requires other forms, such as Form 1098, to report mortgage interest. In other words, you may end up needing a variety of forms and receipts to support your claimed itemized deductions.⁽²⁾

Did standard deductions increase in 2025?

Yes. The IRS released tax inflation adjustments for the 2025 tax year, which included increasing the standard deduction amounts. Just remember these increases will apply to 2025 taxes to be filed in 2026.⁽³⁾

The single and married filing separately standard deduction went from $14,600 in 2024 to $15,000 in 2025. The standard deduction for head of household filers increased by $600, and married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse deduction increased by $800.

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Bottom line

If you didn’t have a lot of expenses in 2024, then going with the standard deduction might be the right move. On the flip side, if you think you could qualify for a lot of deductions that would add up to more than your standard option, then itemizing them can make more sense.

If you’re unsure whether to go with the standard deduction or to itemize your deductions, talk to a tax professional or tax preparer service. The IRS has a lot of educational resources to check out as well.

See our list of the best tax software options if you want to file your taxes online and at home.

Written by

Cassidy Horton

Writer

Cassidy Horton is a freelance personal finance copywriter and past contributing writer for Finder. Her writing and banking expertise have been featured in Forbes Advisor, Money, The Balance, Money Under 30, Insure.com, and other top digital publishers. She holds a BS in public relations and an MBA from Georgia Southern University. See full bio