Curated by: Rubric Advisors
Tax Planning
Itemized vs Standard Deduction
Choosing between the standard deduction and itemizing depends on your mortgage interest, state taxes, charitable giving, and medical expenses, strategic timing can tip the balance.
Itemized vs Standard Deduction
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Standard Deduction Amounts
- 2025: $15,000 single, $30,000 married filing jointly, $22,500 head of household
- 2026: amounts are indexed for inflation, check IRS.gov for updated figures
- Additional $1,550+ for those 65 or older or blind (varies by filing status)
- Roughly 90% of filers now take the standard deduction after the 2017 TCJA changes
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Full Guide
Standard Deduction Amounts
- 2025: $15,000 single, $30,000 married filing jointly, $22,500 head of household
- 2026: amounts are indexed for inflation, check IRS.gov for updated figures
- Additional $1,550+ for those 65 or older or blind (varies by filing status)
- Roughly 90% of filers now take the standard deduction after the 2017 TCJA changes
What Qualifies as Itemized Deductions
- State and local taxes (SALT), income or sales tax plus property tax, capped at $40,000
- Mortgage interest on up to $750,000 of acquisition debt
- Charitable contributions to qualified organizations, cash and non-cash
- Medical and dental expenses exceeding 7.5% of adjusted gross income
Impact of the TCJA
- The original $10,000 SALT cap (now raised to $40,000) reduced itemizing value for many
- Nearly doubled standard deduction made it harder for itemized totals to exceed it
- Eliminated miscellaneous deductions like tax prep fees and employee expenses
- Key TCJA provisions were made permanent by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
When Itemizing Makes Sense
- Your combined SALT, mortgage interest, and giving exceed the standard deduction
- You had large unreimbursed medical expenses in a given year
- You made substantial charitable donations, especially appreciated stock
- You live in a high-tax state with a large mortgage, even with the SALT cap
The Bunching Strategy
- Concentrate two or more years of charitable giving into one year to exceed threshold
- In alternate years, take the standard deduction when itemized totals fall below it
- Donor-advised funds facilitate bunching, contribute a lump sum, distribute over time
- Bunching works for any timing-flexible deduction, including elective medical costs
State Tax and Filing Status Considerations
- Some states require you to itemize at the state level if you itemize federally
- The $40,000 SALT cap applies to the combined total of state income tax and property tax
- If one spouse itemizes on MFS, the other must also itemize, cannot mix methods
- States with no income tax reduce your SALT deduction to property tax only
Above-the-Line Deductions and Planning Tips
- Above-the-line deductions reduce AGI regardless of whether you itemize
- Examples: HSA contributions, student loan interest, self-employed health insurance
- Run the numbers both ways each year, your optimal choice can change annually
- Track deductible expenses throughout the year rather than estimating at tax time
- Review your situation when tax laws change, the optimal choice can shift significantly
Related Topics
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