Senior Deduction Calculator (Age 65+)
Use this free senior deduction calculator to estimate your 2026 savings. People age 65 and older get an extra $6,000 federal deduction. See if you qualify and calculate your tax savings after the income phase-out.
How the $6,000 senior tax deduction works
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act gives an enhanced senior deduction of $6,000 to each person age 65 or older. Some people call it the senior bonus deduction. A married couple where both spouses are 65 or older can deduct $12,000. It applies for tax years 2025 and 2026 and runs through 2028. If you are filing your 2025 return now, you can claim it. It stacks on top of the standard deduction and the existing extra deduction for seniors.
How the senior deduction phase-out works
The deduction shrinks by 6 cents for every dollar of modified adjusted gross income above the threshold. The threshold is $75,000 for single filers and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly. Below those amounts you get the full deduction.
Here is the phase-out for a single filer age 65 or older.
| Income (MAGI) | Senior deduction |
|---|---|
| $75,000 or less | $6,000 (full) |
| $100,000 | $4,500 |
| $125,000 | $3,000 |
| $150,000 | $1,500 |
| $175,000 or more | $0 |
And for a married couple where both spouses are 65 or older, starting from $12,000.
| Income (MAGI) | Senior deduction |
|---|---|
| $150,000 or less | $12,000 (full) |
| $200,000 | $9,000 |
| $250,000 | $6,000 |
| $300,000 | $3,000 |
| $350,000 or more | $0 |
If only one spouse is 65 or older, the couple starts from $6,000 and the deduction is gone at $250,000. A quick example: a single retiree with $95,000 of income is $20,000 over the threshold. The reduction is 6% of $20,000, which is $1,200. Their deduction is $4,800. The calculator above does this math for you.
Is Social Security tax free now?
Not exactly. You may have heard "no tax on Social Security." The law did not change how Social Security is taxed. Instead it added this deduction. For most seniors with modest incomes, the effect is similar. The deduction wipes out the tax on their benefits. Read more at is Social Security tax free now.
Is there a senior citizen income tax calculator?
Yes. The calculator above is designed specifically for senior citizens. Enter your filing status, age, income, and tax bracket to see your new $6,000 deduction after the income phase out and your estimated tax savings. It handles the phase out math automatically.
What is the phase-out for the senior deduction?
The deduction shrinks by $60 for every $1,000 of income above the threshold. For single filers the threshold is $75,000. For married couples filing jointly it is $150,000. A single filer loses the deduction entirely at $175,000. A couple with one spouse 65 or older loses it at $250,000, and a couple where both qualify loses it at $350,000. The calculator above applies the phase-out automatically when you enter your income.
How much can seniors earn tax free in 2026?
A single person age 65 or older can earn up to $24,150 tax free in 2026 when combining the standard deduction ($16,100), the existing senior add-on ($2,050), and the new $6,000 senior deduction. A married couple both over 65 can earn up to $47,500 tax free. Income above those amounts is taxed at normal rates.
Your total standard deduction as a senior in 2026
A single person age 65 or older gets the $16,100 standard deduction plus $2,050 for the existing senior add-on plus the new $6,000 enhanced deduction. That is $24,150 total. A married couple both 65 or older gets $32,200 plus $3,300 plus $12,000, totaling $47,500 shielded from federal tax. See the full 2026 standard deduction amounts.