Financial glossary
Standard Deduction
In plain English
A filing-status-based amount that reduces taxable income when it is used instead of itemizing eligible deductions.
Standard deduction
The standard deduction is a fixed amount that reduces income before regular federal income-tax brackets are applied. Its amount depends mainly on filing status, tax year, and certain age, blindness, and dependency rules.
For 2026, the basic standard deduction is $16,100 for single and married-filing-separately returns, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for head of household. Additional amounts and special limits can apply.
Taxpayers generally compare the standard deduction with allowable itemized deductions. Itemizing can be beneficial when the permitted itemized total is larger, but eligibility and limitations must be determined from the actual return rules.
The federal income tax calculator compares the entered itemized amount with the official basic standard deduction and shows which one the estimate used.
Related calculators
- 2026 Federal Income Tax CalculatorEstimate 2026 federal income tax using current brackets, filing status, deductions, and credits. See taxable income, marginal rate, and effective rate.
- 2026 Tax Refund EstimatorEstimate a 2026 federal refund or amount owed from projected tax liability, withholding, payments, deductions, and nonrefundable credits.
- 2026 Take-Home Pay CalculatorEstimate 2026 take-home pay using federal tax brackets, standard deductions, Social Security, Medicare, pre-tax deductions, and a state-rate input.