Many Boomers have at least one reason to celebrate this tax season — a bonus to reduce their taxable income amount. The extra deduction for those aged 65 and older comes through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Read on to see if you qualify and how you can make sure you claim the $6,000 extra deduction when you file.
What Is the New Deduction?
As noted by the Internal Revenue Service, effective for 2025 through 2028, an individual who is age 65 or older may claim an additional deduction of $6,000. It’s in addition to the current additional standard deduction for seniors under existing law.
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Who Qualifies?
At the basic level, a taxpayer needs to turn age 65 on or before the last day of the taxable year to qualify for this deduction. The $6,000 deduction for seniors is per eligible individual — so that means $12,000 total for a married couple where both spouses qualify. It’s also important to note the deduction phases out for an individual with modified adjusted gross income over $75,000 or $150,000 for joint filers.
How Do I Claim It?
More good news — this deduction is available for itemizing and non-itemizing taxpayers. Just keep a couple of things in mind when filing:
- Taxpayers must include the Social Security number of the qualifying individual or the numbers of the individuals on the return.
- You must file jointly if married to claim the deduction.
The extra deduction can be claimed with your Form 1040 or 1040-SR, as reported by CNBC. When you fill out your return and indicate your date of birth, the IRS will automatically calculate your eligibility if you’re aged 65 or older. If you do a paper return, make sure to check the 65+ box.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Boomers Can Claim a $6,000 Extra Deduction This Year
