United States · Tax year 2026, filed in 2027
Senior deduction calculator 2026
A married couple, both 65 or over, on $90,000 deduct $12,000 ($6,000 each) in 2026, cutting their federal income tax by $1,440.00. With $6,440 withheld, that is a $1,836.00 refund.
Change the answers below to see your own figures. It runs on the same engine as our full tax refund calculator.
Federal tax refund, 2026 return · married filing jointly
$12,000.00 senior deduction
It lowers your tax by $1,440.00. Your estimate: $1,836.00 refund.
Your return, step by step
| Wages (your adjusted gross income) | $90,000.00 |
|---|---|
| Standard deduction, with $3,300 for two people 65 or over | −$35,500.00 |
| Senior deduction (65 or over) | −$12,000.00 |
| Taxable income | $42,500.00 |
| Federal income tax (top bracket 12%) | $4,604.00 |
| Tax for the year | $4,604.00 |
| Federal tax withheld from your pay | $6,440.00 |
| Your refund | $1,836.00 |
An estimate for wages only, not a filed return. Federal only: no state refund.
Who gets it, and how much?
Who qualifies
- You, and your spouse on a joint return, if 65 or over by the end of 2026. Each person who qualifies gets one deduction.
- It comes on top of the extra standard deduction at 65 ($2,050 single or head of household, $1,650 each for a married couple), which you get only without itemizing.
- You need a Social Security number valid for work, and a married couple must file jointly.
- You get it whether you take the standard deduction or itemize.
How much
- $6,000 for each person 65 or over.
- Each $6,000 shrinks by 6% of income over $75,000 ($150,000 married filing jointly), so it is gone at $175,000 ($250,000).
When
- Tax years 2025 to 2028 only, unless Congress extends it.
A worked example
A married couple, both 65 or over, on $90,000 deduct $12,000 ($6,000 each) in 2026, cutting their federal income tax by $1,440.00. With $6,440 withheld, that is a $1,836.00 refund.
| Deduction | $12,000.00 |
|---|---|
| Tax it saves | $1,440.00 |
| Taxable income | $42,500.00 |
| Tax for the year | $4,604.00 |
| Estimate | $1,836.00 refund |
The result panel above starts on this example, step by step.
What does this estimate leave out?
- It is an estimate, not tax advice and not a filed return.
- State refunds: no state income tax is included, in any state. It is your federal refund only. States decide for themselves whether to follow the new federal deductions, and many do not.
- Self-employment income and self-employment tax, investment income (interest, dividends, capital gains) and any other income besides wages.
- Credits other than the child tax credit and the credit for other dependents: no earned income credit, education credits or child care credit.
- The Additional Medicare Tax (for one job it is withheld as it is owed), the 37% bracket’s trim of itemized deductions, and the route to the refundable child credit for families with three or more children and very low pay.
What else can I work out?
- Tax refund calculator Free 2026 tax refund calculator with the new deductions for tips, overtime, seniors and car loan interest, and the $2,200 child tax credit. No sign-up.
- Child tax credit calculator Work out your 2026 child tax credit: $2,200 a child under 17, up to $1,700 of it refundable, $500 for other dependents, and the income limits.
- No tax on tips calculator See what the no tax on tips deduction is worth to you in 2026: up to $25,000 of tips off your taxable income, the income limit, and your refund.
- No tax on overtime calculator Work out the 2026 no tax on overtime deduction: the “half” of time-and-a-half, up to $12,500 ($25,000 joint), the income limit, and your refund.
- Car loan interest deduction calculator Work out the 2026 car loan interest deduction: up to $10,000 of interest on a new US-assembled car, the income limit, and your refund.
- Paycheck calculator 2026 Take-home pay per paycheck in 19 states, with 401(k), HSA and every pay schedule.
- Pay by job BLS pay and take-home for 830 jobs, to fill in your wages.
How withholding works: the W-4 form.
Questions about the senior deduction
How much is the senior deduction for 2026?
$6,000 for each person 65 or over, so $12,000 for a couple who both qualify. In our example it saves the couple $1,440.00.
Is there an income limit for the senior deduction?
Yes. Each $6,000 shrinks by 6% of income over $75,000 ($150,000 married filing jointly).
Is it the same as the extra standard deduction at 65?
No, it comes on top. The extra standard deduction ($2,050 single, $1,650 each married) is only for people who do not itemize; the $6,000 senior deduction counts either way.
Does it make Social Security benefits tax free?
Not directly. It lowers taxable income, which can lower the tax on benefits for some people. This estimate does not include Social Security benefits or other income besides wages.
Which years does it cover?
Tax years 2025 to 2028.