Standard Deduction vs. Itemized

Tax law changes affected both options beginning in 2018

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Think of tax deductions as little (and sometimes not-so-little) gifts from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Their value is subtracted from your taxable income, then your tax bill is calculated based on what's left.

For example, if you earned $80,000 and claimed $15,000 worth of deductions as a single filer, that would reduce your taxable income to $65,000. That change from the deduction could bump you down to a lower tax bracket.

The IRS gives you a couple of options for deductions. You can claim the standard deduction for your filing status, or you can itemize your deductions, but you can't do both. Then there are "above the line" deductions, and you can take these in addition to the standard or itemized deductions.

Key Takeaways

  • The standard deduction in tax year 2022 ranges from $12,950 to $25,900 depending on your filing status. In 2023, that range is up to $13,850 to $27,700.
  • Itemizing your deductions might benefit you if the amount of your deductions exceeds your standard deduction.
  • You can itemize a variety of expenditures including medical expenses, certain taxes paid, mortgage interest, and charitable contributions.

The Standard Deduction

The amount of the standard deduction you’re entitled to depends on your filing status. The tax year 2022 adjustments described below (in the middle column) generally apply to tax returns filed at the beginning of 2023.

Filing status 2021 tax year 2022 tax year 2023 tax year
Single $12,550 $12,950 $13,850
Married, filing jointly $25,100 $25,900 $27,700
Married, filing separately $12,550 $12,950 $13,850
Head of household $18,800 $19,400 $20,800

Since the standard deduction is indexed for inflation, it creeps up incrementally every year. Indexing different components of the tax code prevents you from being pushed into a different income tax bracket because of inflation rather than an income increase.

Special Rules for Dependents, the Elderly, and the Blind

People older than 65 and those who are legally blind are entitled to an additional deduction on top of the standard deduction.

These additional amounts for the 2022 tax year are:

  • $1,750 if filing as single or head of household
  • $1,400 if married and either you or your spouse is blind or older than 65
  • $2,800 if married and both you and your spouse are blind or older than 65

Note

These numbers don't apply if someone else can claim you as a dependent. In that case, your standard deduction is the larger of $1,150, or your earned income plus $400 in the 2022 tax year. It can't exceed the standard deduction amount for a single filer. 

For 2023, those numbers changed to:

  • $1,850 if filing as single or head of household
  • $1,500 if married and either you or your spouse is blind or older than 65
  • $3,00 if married and both you and your spouse are blind or older than 65

Itemized Deductions

Itemized deductions allow you to convert otherwise taxable income into nontaxable income if you spend money on certain tax-privileged items. If you choose to itemize, tally up your various deductions item by item on Schedule A, then enter the total on your Form 1040 and file Schedule A with your tax return.

Some of the itemized deductions available include:

  • Medical expenses: Medical, dental, prescription drugs, and other health care costs, including some insurance premiums, that exceeded 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI) are allowable.
  • Taxes paid: You can claim state and local income taxes or sales taxes, real estate (property) taxes, or personal property taxes, up to $10,000. This cap drops to $5,000 for married taxpayers who file separate returns.
  • Charitable contributions: You can claim contributions and donations made to qualified organizations up to 60% of your AGI. Most excess charitable contributions can be carried over to future years' tax returns.
  • Gambling losses: As long as what you lost does not exceed the total amount of gambling winnings you report, you can deduct it using Schedule A.

Note

Many eligible deductions changed as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, beginning in tax year 2018. For example, deductions for things like moving expenses, job-hunting expenses, and unreimbursed employee expenses were eliminated, as were the deduction for alimony payments, tax preparation fees, and home office expenses. Home equity loan interest became nondeductible, along with deductions for casualty losses not covered by insurance.

Changes With the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

The debate between itemizing or claiming the standard deduction became more complicated after the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in December 2017. The TCJA eliminated some itemized deductions, including those involving work-related expenses, and it restricted others. On the other hand, the standard deduction was essentially doubled.

Where you once could take advantage of a casualty and theft itemized deduction, now theft and casualty losses are limited to those that occur within a federally declared disaster area.

Above-the-Line Deductions

"Above-the-line" adjustments to income include educator expenses, contributions to certain qualified retirement plans, and student loan interest. These are subtracted from your income right off the bat to determine your AGI. You can claim them in addition to the standard deduction or the total of your itemized deductions, which then come off your AGI.

Choosing Itemized or Standard

Standard Deductions Itemized Deductions
Flat amount you can deduct from your taxable income More specific amount you can deduct from your taxable income
Based on your filing status, dependents, and year Based on more personal circumstances/expenses
Easier to calculate, but could mean you miss out on savings More difficult to calculate, but could save you money

The IRS advises that many people may find it more beneficial to take the standard deduction instead of itemizing.

Note

Your total itemized deductions in all categories might add up to only a handful of extra dollars over the standard deduction amount for your filing status—if they exceed the standard deduction amount at all. However, if that's not the case, you’ll save more in taxes if you invest the time and effort into itemizing.

In the end, it comes down to your personal tax situation and which option reduces your taxable income the most. You'll need to run the numbers to find out whether the amount you can itemize exceeds the standard deduction. Working with an accountant or using trusted tax software can help.

And here's a caveat: If you and your spouse file separate returns, you both must take the standard deduction or you both must itemize. Your returns have to match in this respect.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Should I file itemized or standard?

It depends. If the total dollar amount of your itemized deductions is less than your standard deduction, it may not make sense to itemize. If you anticipate your itemized deductions will be slightly higher than your standard deduction, the time it takes to itemize may not be worth it. The IRS notes that taxpayers with considerable expenses from uninsured medical and dental care or paid mortgage interest may benefit from itemizing.

What is the difference between itemized and standard?

Itemized deductions are deductions you calculate on your own using the various deductions the IRS offers. The standard deduction, on the other hand, is a set number the IRS publishes every year. In many cases, taxpayers can get a bigger deduction using the standard rather than itemized method.

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