The 2026 Standard Deduction Amounts
| Filing Status | 2026 Standard Deduction |
|---|---|
| Single | $15,000 |
| Married Filing Jointly | $30,000 |
| Head of Household | $22,500 |
| 65+ or Blind (add per person) | +$1,550 (single) / +$1,250 (joint) |
The standard deduction is the baseline: take it without any documentation or receipts.
What Can You Deduct If You Itemize?
Itemizing replaces the standard deduction with a line-by-line sum of qualifying expenses. The most common itemized deductions in 2026:
State and Local Taxes (SALT) — capped at $10,000 combined for state income tax + property tax + sales tax. Relevant for high-tax states (California, New York, New Jersey).
Mortgage Interest — deductible on up to $750,000 of qualified loan balance. On a $600,000 mortgage at 7%, that is roughly $40,000 in deductible interest in year one.
Charitable Contributions — cash donations to 501(c)(3) organisations, up to 60% of AGI.
Medical Expenses — only the portion exceeding 7.5% of your AGI. On a $100,000 income, only expenses above $7,500 are deductible.
When Itemizing Beats the Standard Deduction
The math is simple: itemize only if your total qualifying deductions exceed the standard deduction.
Example: Single homeowner in a high-tax state
| Deduction | Amount |
|---|---|
| SALT (capped) | $10,000 |
| Mortgage interest | $22,000 |
| Charitable donations | $5,000 |
| Total itemized | $37,000 |
| Standard deduction | $15,000 |
| Advantage to itemize | $22,000 |
At a 22% marginal rate, this choice saves an additional $4,840 in federal tax.
Example: Renter in a no-income-tax state
| Deduction | Amount |
|---|---|
| SALT (no state income tax, low property tax) | $2,000 |
| No mortgage interest | $0 |
| Total itemized | $2,000 |
| Standard deduction | $15,000 |
| Take the standard | +$13,000 more |
Who Almost Always Takes the Standard Deduction
Since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act roughly doubled the standard deduction, approximately 90% of filers now take it. You likely will too if you:
- Do not own a home
- Live in a low- or no-income-tax state
- Have modest charitable giving
- Have little or no qualifying medical expenses
Who Should Run the Numbers to Itemize
You are likely a candidate for itemizing if you:
- Own a home with a large mortgage balance (especially in high-interest-rate years)
- Pay significant property taxes AND high state income tax (though SALT cap limits this)
- Made substantial charitable donations (over 10% of income)
- Had large unreimbursed medical expenses (cancer treatment, surgery, long-term care)
The Easiest Way to Decide
Add up your SALT, mortgage interest, and charitable donations. If the total is below your standard deduction, take the standard — no further analysis needed. If it is close or above, compute itemized deductions precisely before filing.
Use our Tax Refund Estimator to model both scenarios based on your specific income and deductions.