How is the standard deduction calculated?

[chuck3]

On my 1040 on line 8 it shows an amount of $26,600.  I'm not sure how this amount  was calculated.  i'm married filing jointly and I think the standard deduction is $24,000.  If that is the standard deduction, I don't understand where the $26,600 came from.  I don't have a sufficient level of itemized deductions to qualify for itemizing.

[IreneS · Accepted solution]

UPDATED FOR TAX YEAR 2019

Are either you (and/or your spouse over 65 or blind)?  There is an additional standard deduction for filers who are 65 and over or blind, allowing them to claim an additional $1,300 when they file their 2018 taxes. This brings your deduction up to the $26,600.

For tax year 2019 returns, the standard deduction for a married couple filing jointly is $24,400 and the addition for over 65 or blind is $1,650 each.

[Edited | 4/10/2020 |  10:56am PDT]

[chuckcobb]

That's it - my wife and I are both over 65 so we get $1300 each.  Thanks!

[kisergl]

My wife and I are both over 65 so we  both get 1300 or a total of 2600 added to the standard.

Thanks there must be a worksheet but I don't care now.

[VolvoGirl]

For 2019 the Standard Deduction (or Itemized Deductions) is now on 1040 line 9.  For 2018 it was on line 8.

For 2019 the standard deduction amounts are:

Single 12,200 + 1,650 for 65 and over or blind

HOH 18,350 + 1,650 for 65 and over or blind

Joint 24,400+ 1,300 for each 65 and over or blind

Married filing Separate 12,200 + 1,300 for 65 and over or blind

And by the way, This is a new forum layout. Some posts that have June 2019 dates are really older posts from the old forum that got moved over. So they might be for prior years and not current info. When they migrated over the dates got changed to June 2019. And the screen shots got deleted.