Standard Deduction vs. Itemized Deductions: What's the Difference?

What is the standard deduction?

The standard deduction is the standard dollar amount you’re allowed to take on your tax return to reduce your overall taxable income. The amount of the deduction is usually adjusted each year for inflation and varies based on your filing status and age.

For 2024, the standard deduction is $14,600 for single filers or married filing separately, $21,900 for heads of households, and $29,200 for those married filing jointly.

For 2025, the standard deduction is $15,000 for single filers or married filing separately, $22,500 for heads of households, and $30,000 for those married filing jointly.

You may also be able to claim a higher standard deduction amount if you’re 65 or older and/or blind (see IRS Topic 551: “Standard Deduction” for more information).

Keep in mind that you cannot take the standard deduction if you choose to itemize your deductions. According to IRS rules, the following taxpayers also cannot claim the standard deduction:

• A married individual filing as “married filing separately” whose spouse itemizes their deduction.
• An individual who files a return for less than a 12-month period due to a change in his or her annual accounting period.
• An individual who was a nonresident alien or dual-status alien during the tax year (certain exceptions apply).
• An estate or trust, common trust fund, or partnership.

Most taxpayers typically choose to take the standard deduction

Many tax filers are eligible to take the standard deduction. Claiming the deduction does not require any additional tax forms; it’s usually an option you can select on your Form 1040 – this can be a real time-saver during tax season. 

Also, as mentioned earlier, taxpayers who are blind and/or age 65 or older may qualify for an additional standard deduction amount. For instance, for the 2024 tax year, the additional standard deduction amounts for those who are 65 and older or blind are: $1,950 for single or head of household and $1,550 for married or qualifying surviving spouse.

If you have questions about whether you’re eligible to claim the additional deduction, consult a tax professional. The IRS also provides an interactive tax assistant tool to help you determine the amount of your standard deduction.

When the standard deduction might not be a good option

While taking the standard deduction may be convenient, it might not be your best option if itemizing your deductions would result in a larger deduction.

You can refer to Schedule A (Form 1040) to see more itemized deductions. 

Choosing to itemize your deductions can mean more work in terms of tracking and organizing your qualifying expenses. Yet the work may be worth it if the total of your itemized deductions ends up being larger than the standard deduction. (Remember, this could help further lower your taxable income.)

Why some people itemize deductions

In general, itemizing deductions is less common for taxpayers. In terms of deciding whether to take the standard deduction or itemize, in many cases, taxpayers usually go with the deduction that provides the greatest subtraction to your taxable income.

In other words, for individuals who are eligible for the standard deduction, they may still choose to itemize deductions instead if the amount of their qualifying expenses is more than the standard deduction.

When itemizing deductions might not be a good option

You may have figured this out already: If the total of your allowable deductible expenses for the tax year isn't greater than the standard deduction you’re eligible for, itemizing is likely not your best bet.

Because itemizing requires quite a bit of work compared to simply taking the standard deduction, you'll want to have a pretty good idea of how much you stand to save by itemizing over taking the standard deduction. If your tax situation is complex, you may want to work with a tax professional to see what makes sense for you.