Updated · Built and checked by the PlinzoTools team, formulas tested against published sources
Look up the current federal standard deduction amount by filing status.
This tool looks up the federal standard deduction amount for the 2026 tax year by filing status: $16,100 for Single, $32,200 for Married Filing Jointly. The standard deduction is adjusted for inflation annually -- always verify the current tax year's exact figure at irs.gov before filing.
Select your filing status. The standard deduction amount appears instantly.
This tool has a single input, filing status, with two choices: Single and Married filing jointly. It has no income field and performs no arithmetic beyond looking up the stored amount. Choosing Single displays 16,100 and choosing Married filing jointly displays 32,200, with a label noting these are 2026 tax year figures and should be checked at irs.gov. Other statuses such as head of household and married filing separately are not included here, so look those up in the IRS instructions if they apply to you.
The standard deduction is a fixed amount you subtract from your income before tax is calculated, so you pay tax only on what is left. You may take it instead of itemizing. Because it is a flat amount that depends on filing status rather than on your actual expenses, it requires no receipts. For most people the choice comes down to a simple comparison: add up the deductions you could itemize, and if they exceed the standard amount, itemizing may lower your tax; otherwise the standard deduction is easier and usually as good or better.
Imagine a single filer with 60,000 of income. Using the amount displayed for Single, taxable income before other adjustments would be 60,000 minus 16,100, which is 43,900. Now imagine this person paid 6,000 in mortgage interest, 3,000 in eligible state taxes, and 1,500 in charitable gifts, totaling 10,500. That is less than 16,100, so the standard deduction gives the larger reduction and itemizing would not help. A different homeowner with 22,000 in qualifying itemized expenses would be better off itemizing, since 22,000 exceeds the standard amount. The tool shows the number to beat; it does not decide for you.
People who can be claimed as a dependent on another person's return, or who are married filing separately, may face different rules, so those cases need the official worksheets. Because this page reflects a specific tax year, confirm the number for the year you are filing at irs.gov. To turn the figure into an estimate of taxable income, use the Taxable Income Calculator, and consider a tax professional for unusual situations.
No -- this shows the base standard deduction only. The IRS allows an additional amount for taxpayers who are 65 or older or blind; add that separately per the current year's IRS instructions.
No. The standard deduction depends on filing status, not on income, so the tool only asks for the status and displays the amount.
It is not included in this tool, which offers Single and Married filing jointly. Head of household has its own amount in the IRS instructions.
No. You choose one or the other on your return, generally whichever is larger.
The tool shows one tax year's base amount. Your return may include additions for age or blindness or different values for a later tax year, so check the current IRS instructions.
Reference: Internal Revenue Service