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Standard Deduction

Standard Deduction: 2021

  • Married filing Joint return: $25,100
  • Qualifying widow/widower: $25,100
  • Head of household: $18,800
  • Single: $12,550
  • Married filing separately: $12,550
  • Dependents - minimum deduction: $1,100
  • Additional Deduction if Age 65 or Older, or Blind.
    Note:     If you turned 65 on January 1, 2022, you are considered to be 65 as of December 31, 2021 for purposes of claiming this deduction. The larger deduction for blindness is allowed regardless of age.
    • Married-per-spouse, filing jointly or separately:
      • $1,350 ($2,700 for age and blindness)
    • Qualifying widow/widower:
      • $1,350 ($2,600 for age and blindness)
    • Single or head of household:
      • $1,700 ($3,400 for age and blindness)

Standard Deduction: 2020

  • Married filing Joint return: $24,800
  • Qualifying widow/widower: $24,800
  • Head of household: $18,650
  • Single: $12,400
  • Married filing separately: $12,400
  • Dependents - minimum deduction: $1,100
  • Additional Deduction if Age 65 or Older, or Blind. If you turned 65 on January 1, 2021, you are considered to be 65 as of December 31, 2020 for purposes of claiming this deduction. The larger deduction for blindness is allowed regardless of age.
    • Married-per-spouse, filing jointly or separately:
      • $1,300 ($2,600 for age and blindness)
    • Qualifying widow/widower:
      • $1,300 ($2,600 for age and blindness)
    • Single or head of household:
      • $1,650 ($3,300 for age and blindness)

Standard Deduction: 2019

  • Married filing Joint return: $24,400
  • Qualifying widow(er): $24,400
  • Head of household: $18,350
  • Single: $12,200
  • Married filing separately: $12,200
  • Dependents - minimum deduction: $1,100
  • Additional Deduction if Age 65 or Older, or Blind. If you turned 65 on January 1, 2020, you are considered to be 65 as of December 31, 2019 for purposes of claiming this deduction. The larger deduction for blindness is allowed regardless of age.
    • Married-per-spouse, filing jointly or separately:
      • $1,300 ($2,600 for age and blindness)
    • Qualifying widow(er):
      • $1,300 ($2,600 for age and blindness)
    • Single or head of household:
      • $1,650 ($3,300 for age and blindness)

If you turned 65 on January 1, you are considered to be 65 as of December 31 of the previous tax year. For example, if you turned 65 on January 1, 2020, you are considered to be 65 as of December 31, 2019 and would be eligible to claim the additional standard deduction that applies to age.

Complete Blindness:

To be eligible for the additional standard deduction for blindness, you must be completely blind as of December 31. The larger deduction for blindness is allowed regardless of age.

Partial Blindness:

To claim the additional standard deduction if you are partially blind as of December 31, you will need to get a letter from your eye doctor certifying that you cannot see better than 20/200 in your better eye with lenses or that your filed of vision is 20 degrees or less. If your eye doctor believes your vision will never improve beyond these limits, this fact should be stated in the letter.

Standard Deduction: 2018

  • Married filing Joint return: $24,000
  • Qualifying widow(er): $24,000
  • Head of household: $18,000
  • Single: $12,000
  • Married filing separately: $12,000
  • Dependents - minimum deduction: $1,050
  • Additional Deduction if Age 65 or Older, or Blind. If you turned 65 on January 1, 2019, you are considered to be 65 as of December 31, 2018 for purposes of claiming this deduction. The larger deduction for blindness is allowed regardless of age.
    • Married-per-spouse, filing jointly or separately:
      • $1,300 ($2,600 for age and blindness)
    • Qualifying widow(er):
      • $1,300 ($2,600 for age and blindness)
    • Single or head of household:
      • $1,600 ($3,200 for age and blindness)

Standard Deduction: 2017

  • Married Filing Joint Return:$12,700
  • Qualifying Widow(er): $12,600
  • Head of Household: $9,350
  • Single: $6,350
  • Married Filing Separately: $6,350
  • Dependents - minimum deduction: $1,050

Additional Deduction if Age 65 or Older or Blind 2016 (born before January 2, 1952):

NOTE: If you turned 65 on January 1, you are considered to be 65 as of December 31 of the prior year for income tax reporting purposes.

  • Married filing jointly or married filing separately:
    • $1,250 for each spouse who is 65 or older ($2,500 if both spouses are 65 or older)
    • $1,250 for each spouse who is blind, even if under age 65 ($2,500 if both spouses are blind)
    • $2,500 for each spouse who is both 65 or older and blind ($5,000 if both spouses are 65 or older and both spouses are blind)
  • Qualifying Widow(er):
    • $1,250 ($2,500 if 65 or older and blind)
  • Single or head of household:
    • $1,550 ($3,100 if 65 or older and blind)

Standard Deduction: 2016

  • Married Filing Joint Return:$12,600
  • Qualifying Widow(er): $12,600
  • Head of Household: $9,300
  • Single: $6,300
  • Married Filing Separately: $6,300
  • Dependents - minimum deduction: $1,050

Additional Deduction if Age 65 or Older or Blind 2016 (born before January 2, 1952):

NOTE: If you turned 65 on January 1, you are considered to be 65 as of December 31 of the prior year for income tax reporting purposes.

  • Married filing jointly or married filing separately:
    • $1,250 for each spouse who is 65 or older ($2,500 if both spouses are 65 or older)
    • $1,250 for each spouse who is blind, even if under age 65 ($2,500 if both spouses are blind)
    • $2,500 for each spouse who is both 65 or older and blind ($5,000 if both spouses are 65 or older and both spouses are blind)
  • Qualifying Widow(er):
    • $1,250 ($2,500 if 65 or older and blind)
  • Single or head of household:
    • $1,550 ($3,100 if 65 or older and blind)

Standard Deduction: 2015

  • Married Filing Joint Return:$12,600
  • Qualifying Widow(er): $12,600
  • Head of Household: $9,250
  • Single: $6,300
  • Married Filing Separately: $6,300
  • Dependents - minimum deduction: $1,050

Additional Deduction if Age 65 or Older or Blind 2015 (born before January 2, 1951):

NOTE: If you turned 65 on January 1, you are considered to be 65 as of December 31 of the prior year for income tax reporting purposes.

  • Married filing jointly or married filing separately:
    • $1,250 for each spouse who is 65 or older ($2,500 if both spouses are 65 or older)
    • $1,250 for each spouse who is blind, even if under age 65 ($2,500 if both spouses are blind)
    • $2,500 for each spouse who is both 65 or older and blind ($5,000 if both spouses are 65 or older and both spouses are blind)
  • Qualifying Widow(er):
    • $1,250 ($2,500 if 65 or older and blind)
  • Single or head of household:
    • $1,550 ($3,100 if 65 or older and blind)

Standard Deduction: 2014

  • Married Filing Joint Return:$12,400
  • Qualifying Widow(er): $12,400
  • Head of Household: $9,100
  • Single: $6,200
  • Married Filing Separately: $6,200
  • Dependents - minimum deduction: $1,000

Additional Deduction if Age 65 or Older or Blind 2014 (born before January 2, 1950):

NOTE: If you turned 65 on January 1, you are considered to be 65 as of December 31 of the prior year for income tax reporting purposes.

  • Married filing jointly or married filing separately:
    • $1,200 for each spouse who is 65 or older ($2,400 if both spouses are 65 or older)
    • $1,200 for each spouse who is blind, even if under age 65 ($2,400 if both spouses are blind)
    • $2,400 for each spouse who is both 65 or older and blind ($4,800 if both spouses are 65 or older and both spouses are blind)
  • Qualifying Widow(er):
    • $1,200 ($2,400 if 65 or older and blind)
  • Single or head of household:
    • $1,500 ($3,000 if 65 or older and blind)

Standard Deduction: 2013

  • Married Filing Joint Return:$12,200
  • Qualifying Widow(er): $12,200
  • Head of Household: $8,950
  • Single: $6,100
  • Married Filing Separately: $6,100
  • Dependents - minimum deduction: $1,000

Additional Deduction if Age 65 or Older or Blind 2013 (born before January 2, 1949):

  • Married filing jointly or married filing separately:
    • $1,200 for each spouse who is 65 or older ($2,400 if both spouses are 65 or older)
    • $1,200 for each spouse who is blind, even if under age 65 ($2,400 if both spouses are blind)
    • $2,400 for each spouse who is both 65 or older and blind ($4,800 if both spouses are 65 or older and both spouses are blind)
  • Qualifying Widow(er):
    • $1,200 ($2,400 if 65 or older and blind)
  • Single or head of household:
    • $1,500 ($3,000 if 65 or older and blind)

Standard Deduction: 2012

  • Single: $5,950
  • Head of Household: $8,700
  • Married Filing Joint Return: $11,900
  • Married Filing Separately: $5,950
  • Qualifying Widow(er): $11,900
  • Dependents - minimum deduction: $950

Additional Deduction if Age 65 or Older or Blind 2012 (born before January 2, 1948):

  • Married filing jointly, married filing separately, or qualifying widow(er):
    • $1,150 for each spouse who is 65 or older ($2,300 if both spouses are 65 or older)
    • $1,150 for each spouse who is blind, even if under age 65 ($2,300 if both spouses are blind)
    • $2,300 for each spouse who is both 65 or older and blind ($4,600 if both spouses are 65 or older and both spouses are blind)
  • Single or head of household:
    • $1,450 ($2,900 if 65 or older and blind)

Standard Deduction: 2011

  • Single: $5,800
  • Head of Household: $8,500
  • Married Filing Joint Return: $11,600
  • Married Filing Separately: $5,800
  • Qualifying Widow(er): $11,600
  • Dependents - minimum deduction: $950

Additional Deduction if Age 65 or Older or Blind 2011 (born before January 2, 1947):

  • Married filing jointly, married filing separately, or qualifying widow(er):
    • $1,150 for each spouse who is 65 or older ($2,300 if both spouses are 65 or older)
    • $1,150 for each spouse who is blind, even if under age 65 ($2,300 if both spouses are blind)
    • $2,300 for each spouse who is both 65 or older and blind ($4,600 if both spouses are 65 or older and both spouses are blind)
  • Single or head of household:
    • $1,450 ($2,900 if 65 and blind)
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