Is TudrboTax 2025 correct with my tax refund?

[badknee_1]

I don't think TurboTax 2025 is calculating my return correctly. We got a little over $15,000 back last year - we have to hold out a certain amount - and in 2025, it only increased about $1,000. We actually made a little less in 2025. I thought the $6,000 that was mentioned would give us more. We are 75 and retired. Thanks in advance.

[xmasbaby0]

We cannot see your screen, your return or your account.  Have you entered ALL of your 2025 information?  All your income, etc.?  Many tax documents that you need do not arrive until late January or even February, so maybe you do not have it all there yet.

There are a lot of variables that affect your refund or tax due including how much you earned, how much tax you had withheld, your filing status, the number of dependents you claim, your deductions and credits, etc.  You may have lost Earned Income Credit or the Child Tax Credit— did a child turn 17?  If you received the EIC last year, remember that changes in the amount you earn have a big effect on the amount of EIC you can get. (Sometimes earning more money means less EIC)  Are you 65 or older ?  If so, your standard deduction is higher. Everyone has a higher standard deduction now so it is harder to use itemized deductions.

And of course, always check your own data entries, looking for errors such as misplaced decimals or extra zeros.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-refund/refund-go-compared-last-year/...

Print out 2024  and 2025  and compare them side by side to see what is different. 

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/tax-payments/video-why-would-i-owe-federal-taxes/L3VXudPiN

The “senior deduction” is added automatically by the software based on the date of birth and filing status you entered into MY INFO.  You do not need to take any extra steps to enter it. (And…the new senior deduction has nothing to do with whether you are getting Social Security)

2025 STANDARD DEDUCTION AMOUNTS

SINGLE $15,750  (65 or older/legally blind + $2000)

MARRIED FILING SEPARATELY $15,750  (65 or older/legally blind +1600)

MARRIED FILING JOINTLY $31,500  (65 or older/legally blind + $1600)

HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD $23,625 (65 or older/legally blind + $2000)

For 2025 through 2028 there is an extra  deduction amount of up to $6000 per individual 65 or older filing Single, MFJ, or HOH which is phased out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income over $75,000 for single filers and $150,000 for joint filers.

(The deduction phases out completely at $175.000 Single or HOH, or $250,000 joint)

The $6,000 senior deduction will be calculated on 1040 Schedule 1-A page 2 Part V Enhanced Deduction for Seniors which goes to 1040 line 13b. It is separate and in addition to the Standard Deduction or your Itemized Deductions on 1040 line 12e.  Turbo Tax automatically includes it.

IRS Schedule 1-A
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-dft/f1040s1a--dft.pdf

[badknee_1]

We're both 75...for 13 days, she's a year older than me 😂. I tried to go in and look on the "Forms" page. It looks like it IS including the extra $12,000... but I'm still not understanding why our refund is only about $1,000 more than in 2024. I've had two brain surgeries - benign, thankfully - so my mind doesn't work correctly at times. We get a little pension from our teaching and social security, so it's not a complex return. I'm just not understanding why our return isn't more. I'm ready to submit it. THANKS.

[badknee_1]

I forgot to include our income... it's $86,847, including our social security and the retirement income from our teaching.

[user17695270388]

I'm not a tax expert but I would guess you are in the 12% or 10% tax bracket. The maximum the extra $12,000 deduction will save you is $1200 to $1440. If your pension went up last year or your withholding was a little smaller last year, that $1000 would be about right.