What is the standard deduction for married filing jointly both over 65?
David Craig
Updated on April 01, 2026
If you are Married Filing Jointly and you OR your spouse is 65 or older, your standard deduction increases by $1,300. If BOTH you and your spouse are 65 or older, your standard deduction increases by $2,600. If one of you is legally blind, it increases by $1,300 and if both are it increases by $2,600.
As of tax year 2020, the tax return filed in 2021, the base standard deductions before the bonus add-on for seniors are: $24,800 for married taxpayers who file jointly, and qualifying widow(er)s. $18,650 for heads of household. $12,400 for single taxpayers and married taxpayers who file separately3.
What are the standard deductions for Married Filing Jointly?
1 If you are age 65 or older, your standard deduction increases by $1,700 if you file as Single or Head of Household. 2 If you are Married Filing Jointly and you OR your spouse is 65 or older, your standard deduction increases by $1,350. 3 As Qualifying Widow (er) it increases by $1,350 if you are 65 or older.
Do you have to file a joint income tax return if you are married?
The IRS doesn’t require that married couples must file joint income tax returns simply because they’ve tied the knot. Spouses have the option of filing separate married returns and some do, for a variety of reasons. Filing jointly usually provides more in the way of tax relief, but it can come with some negative results as well.
How does married filing jointly work in Canada?
The Canadian counterpart is known as Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Married filing jointly allows two married individuals in the U.S. to combine their income tax return into one filing; however, both spouses are equally responsible for the tax return.
What are the tax benefits of filing jointly?
Married filing jointly is highly beneficial if one spouse earns significantly more income than the other, because they may be able to utilize their spouse’s tax benefits Tax Shelter A tax shelter is a financial vehicle that an individual can use to help them lower their tax obligation and, thus, keep more of their money.
