What's the Standard Deduction for 2022 vs. 2023?

Most Americans claim the standard deduction on their federal tax return instead of itemized deductions. How much can you claim on your 2022 and 2023 returns?

You have a choice between taking the standard deduction or claiming itemized deductions each year when filling out your federal income tax return. And, of course, you always want to pick whichever one helps you the most. For about 90% of all taxpayers, claiming the standard deduction is the way to go. But you can't know for sure which route is better for you unless you know how much your standard deduction is the year.

So how much is the standard deduction worth? It depends on your filing status, whether you're 65 or older and/or blind, and whether another taxpayer can claim you as a dependent on their tax return. It's also adjusted annually for inflation, so your 2022 standard deduction is larger than it was for 2021, and your 2023 amount will be higher than your 2022 amount.

There are also some special rules that apply if you're claiming the standard deduction. For instance, if you recently had a "net qualified disaster loss," your standard deduction may be higher (see below). On the other hand, if you're married but filing separate tax returns, you can't take the standard deduction if your spouse itemizes deductions. You can't claim it if you're a dual-status alien, either.

So, as it turns out, determining your standard deduction amount isn't as simple as it may seem on the surface. The size of your standard deduction differs depending on a variety of factors, which are described below. Keep reading to find the standard deduction amount that applies to you for the 2022 and 2023 tax years.

2022 Standard Deduction Amounts

For 2022 federal income tax returns, which will be due April 18, 2023, the standard deduction amounts are as follows:

Filing Status2022 ------------------------ Standard Deduction

Single; Married Filing Separately ------------------$12,950 

Married Filing Jointly; Qualifying Widow(er) ---$25,900

Head of Household -------------------------------------$19,400

If you're at least 65 years old or blind, you can claim an additional 2022 standard deduction of $1,400 ($1,750 if using the single or head of household filing status). If you're both 65 and blind, the additional deduction amount is doubled.

If you can be claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer, your 2022 standard deduction is limited to the greater of $1,150 or your earned income plus $400 (but the total can't be more than the basic standard deduction for your filing status).

2023 Standard Deduction Amounts

Even haven't filed your 2022 return yet, smart taxpayers will start keeping an eye on their 2023 return now. So, for the early birds out there, here are the 2023 standard deduction amounts.

Filing Status2023 -----------------------------Standard Deduction

Single; Married Filing Separately ------------------$13,850

Married Filing Jointly; Qualifying Widow(er) ---$27,700

Head of Household -------------------------------------$20,800

Taxpayers who are at least 65 years old or blind can claim an additional standard deduction of $1,500 is allowed for 2023 ($1,850 if you're claiming the single or head of household filing status). As with the 2022 standard deduction, the additional deduction amount is doubled if you're both 65 or older and blind.

If you can be claimed as a dependent on another person's tax return, your 2023 standard deduction is limited to the greater of $1,250 or your earned income plus $400 (again, the total can't be more than the basic standard deduction for your filing status).

Increased Standard Deduction for Certain Disaster Losses

If you have a net "qualified disaster loss," you can claim a larger standard deduction. A qualified disaster loss is a casualty or theft loss of personal-use property that is attributable to:

• A major disaster declared by the President in 2016;
• Hurricane Harvey;
• Tropical Storm Harvey;
• Hurricane Irma;
• Hurricane Maria;
• California wildfires in 2017 and January 2018;
• A major disaster declared by the President between January 1, 2018, and February 18, 2020, if the loss occurred before January 19, 2020; or
• A major disaster declared by the President before February 26, 2021, if the loss occurred between December 28, 2019, and December 27, 2020, and continued no later than January 26, 2021 (not including losses attributable to a major disaster declared only by reason of COVID-19).

You need to complete IRS Form 4684 to see if you have a net qualified disaster loss.

Standard Deduction Amounts for 2017 to 2021

The standard deduction was much lower before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA), which basically doubled the standard deduction. As a result, starting with the 2018 tax year, fewer people itemize and more Americans claim the standard deduction.

If you're filing an amended tax return or otherwise want to know how the standard deduction has changed over the past few years, here's what the basic standard deduction looked like from 2017 to 2021.

2021 Standard Deduction Amounts

Filing Status --------------------------------Standard Deduction

Single; Married Filing Separately ----------------------$12,550

Married Filing Jointly; Qualifying Widow(er)--------$25,100

Head of Household -----------------------------------------$18,800

2020 Standard Deduction Amounts

Filing Status-----------------------------------Standard Deduction

Single; Married Filing Separately---------------------$12,400

Married Filing Jointly; Qualifying Widow(er)------$24,800

Head of Household----------------------------------------$18,650

2019 Standard Deduction Amounts

Filing Status------------------------------------Standard Deduction

Single; Married Filing Separately------------------$12,200

Married Filing Jointly; Qualifying Widow(er)---$24,400

Head of Household-------------------------------------$18,350

2018 Standard Deduction Amounts

Filing Status-------------------------------------Standard Deduction

Single; Married Filing Separately-------------------$12,000

Married Filing Jointly; Qualifying Widow(er)----$24,000

Head of Household--------------------------------------$18,000

2017 Standard Deduction Amounts

Filing Status-------------------------------------Standard Deduction

Single; Married Filing Separately---------------------$6,350

Married Filing Jointly; Qualifying Widow(er)------$12,700

Head of Household----------------------------------------$9,350

Personal Exemptions

Often associated with the standard deduction, personal exemptions allow you to reduce your taxable income. That, in turn, lowers your tax bill and/or increases your tax refund. Traditionally, personal exemptions are allowed on your federal tax return for yourself, your spouse if you file a joint return, and qualifying dependents. However, no federal exemptions are allowed for a person who can be claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return.

For each exemption allowed, you can subtract a certain amount from your taxable income. That amount is adjusted each year to account for inflation. So, for example, if the personal exemption amount is $4,000, then a family of four can claim a total of $16,000 in personal exemptions, which would be subtracted from the family's taxable income on a joint return. However, if adjusted gross income (AGI) is above a certain amount, the total personal exemption amount is gradually phased out. So, higher income taxpayers can lose their personal exemptions.

Now for the bad news. The TCJA temporarily suspended personal exemptions for the 2018 to 2025 tax years (technically, the personal exemption amount was reduced to $0 for those years). They're schedule to come back in 2026 – unless Congress extends the suspension between now and then. As noted above, the TCJA nearly doubled the standard deduction for the same time span to balance out the loss of personal exemptions.

In case you're curious, the 2017 personal exemption amount was $4,050. The phase-out that year started if your federal AGI exceeded $156,900 for married taxpayers filing separate returns, $261,500 for single filers, $287,650 for head-of-household filers, $313,800 for married couples filing a joint return and qualifying widow(er)s.

This article was provided by Rocky Mengle, Senior Tax Editor, for Kiplinger Magazine and brought to you by the Ronald J. Fichera Law  Firm, where our mission is to provide trusted, professional legal services and strategic advice to assist our clients in their personal and business matters. Our firm is committed to delivering efficient and cost-effective legal services focusing on communication, responsiveness, and attention to detail. For more information about our services, contact us today!

This is not tax advice and should not be construed as such.  Please seek professional tax services for more information and advice that will apply to your specific tax situation.

Content in this material is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.