Yes, you can still deduct more on top of the standard deduction. You keep the adjustments to income (student loan interest, a deductible traditional IRA, health savings account contributions, educator expenses, half of your self-employment tax and self-employed health insurance), the qualified business income deduction and every tax credit you qualify for.
Newer breaks work without itemizing too. For tax years 2025 through 2028, that means the senior deduction and the deductions for tips, overtime and car loan interest. Starting with 2026 returns, you can also deduct up to $1,000 of cash gifts to charity, or $2,000 on a joint return.
This article uses the figures for 2026 returns, which you file in 2027, and the official 2027 figures for planning.
The Standard Deduction at a Glance (Federal Rules)
The standard deduction is a flat dollar amount that lowers your taxable income. It is subtracted from your adjusted gross income (AGI). A deduction lowers the income that gets taxed. It does not come off your tax bill dollar for dollar.
The 2026 standard deduction, for returns filed in 2027, is $16,100 for single filers and married people filing separately, $32,200 for married couples filing jointly and $24,150 for heads of household. The 2027 standard deduction is $16,600, $33,200 and $24,925 for those same groups. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) explains the amounts in its standard deduction topic.
People who are 65 or older, or blind, get an additional amount. For 2026 it is $2,050 if you are unmarried and $1,650 per married person. For 2027 it is $2,100 and $1,700.
About 9 in 10 filers take the standard deduction. You don't track receipts or add up medical bills. Under current law the higher standard deduction is permanent and keeps adjusting for inflation each year.
On a federal return it is one or the other. You take the standard deduction or you itemize on Schedule A, and you can't mix the two. Two groups can't use the standard deduction at all: a married person filing separately whose spouse itemizes, and a nonresident alien.
Deductions You Can Still Claim With the Standard Deduction
Taking the standard deduction doesn't mean you give up every other tax break. Several deductions come off your income before the standard deduction is applied. They are called adjustments to income, or above-the-line deductions. You enter them on Schedule 1 of IRS Form 1040, not on Schedule A.
These adjustments lower your AGI. A lower AGI cuts your taxable income and can help you qualify for credits and deductions that phase out as income rises.
Some newer deductions (senior, tips, overtime and car loan interest) are claimed on Schedule 1-A and are taken after AGI. From 2026 there is also a separate charitable deduction for people who don't itemize. Both work with the standard deduction and are covered below.
Student Loan Interest Deduction
You can deduct up to $2,500 of interest paid on qualified student loans for yourself, your spouse or a dependent. It is an adjustment to income on Schedule 1, so you don't need to itemize. Your lender reports the interest you paid on Form 1098-E.
The deduction phases out as your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) rises. For 2026 the phase-out range is $85,000 to $100,000 for single filers and $175,000 to $205,000 for joint filers. For 2027 it is $90,000 to $105,000 and $180,000 to $210,000. Below the range you get the full amount. Above it you get nothing. Married people filing separately can't claim it. IRS Publication 970 has the worksheet.
Many filers skip this deduction because they assume the standard deduction covers everything. It doesn't. If you paid interest on education debt, enter it.
Retirement Account Contributions (IRA, etc.)
A contribution to a traditional individual retirement arrangement (IRA) can be deducted even when you take the standard deduction. The IRA contribution limit is $7,500 for 2026 and for 2027. If you are 50 or older, you can add a $1,100 catch-up, for $8,600 in either year. You can make a 2026 contribution until the filing deadline of April 15, 2027.
If neither you nor your spouse has a retirement plan at work, the full contribution is deductible at any income. If a workplace plan covers you, the deduction phases out by MAGI. The IRS posts the IRA deduction limits each year.
- Single and covered by a workplace plan: $81,000 to $91,000 for 2026, and $83,000 to $93,000 for 2027.
- Joint return, contributing spouse covered: $129,000 to $149,000 for 2026, and $133,000 to $153,000 for 2027.
- Not covered, but married to a covered spouse: $242,000 to $252,000 for 2026, and $250,000 to $260,000 for 2027.
Roth IRA contributions are not deductible. A Roth gives you tax-free withdrawals later instead. Self-employed people can also deduct contributions to a SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA or solo 401(k) as adjustments to income.
Money you put into a 401(k) or 403(b) at work is already pre-tax. It lowers your W-2 wages, so there is nothing more to deduct on your return. The 401(k) elective deferral limit is $24,500 for 2026 and $25,500 for 2027. The standard deduction has no effect on that limit.
Health Savings Account (HSA) Contributions
A health savings account (HSA) goes with an HSA-eligible health plan. Contributions made through payroll are already pre-tax. Contributions you make on your own are deductible, with no need to itemize. You figure the deduction on Form 8889 and carry it to Schedule 1.
The 2026 HSA limit is $4,400 for self-only coverage and $8,750 for family coverage. The 2027 limit is $4,500 and $9,000. If you are 55 or older, you can add $1,000 in either year.
More plans now qualify. Starting in 2026, bronze and catastrophic marketplace plans count as HSA-compatible. A direct primary care arrangement no longer blocks you from contributing.
An HSA has a triple tax advantage. You get a deduction going in, the money grows tax-free, and withdrawals for medical costs are tax-free.
Educator Expense Deduction
Teachers, counselors, principals and aides in kindergarten through grade 12 can deduct classroom costs they paid out of pocket. For 2026 the limit is $300, or $600 on a joint return when both spouses are eligible educators. For 2027 the limit is $350, or $700 for two educators. Neither spouse can claim more than the single limit.
Supplies, books and other classroom materials count. You claim the deduction on Schedule 1, and you can't deduct the same expense twice. The IRS explains who qualifies in its educator expense topic.
Starting with 2026, educators who itemize can also deduct qualifying unreimbursed classroom expenses beyond the above-the-line amount as an itemized deduction. People who take the standard deduction still get only the above-the-line amount.
Self-Employment Tax and Other Self-Employed Adjustments
If you freelance or run a side business, these adjustments are yours with the standard deduction:
- Half of self-employment tax: You pay self-employment tax for Social Security and Medicare on your profit. You deduct the employer-equivalent half as an adjustment to income.
- Self-employed health insurance: Premiums for yourself and your family are deductible if you weren't eligible for an employer plan. The deduction can't be more than your business profit.
- Retirement plan contributions: Money you put into a SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA or solo 401(k) for yourself is an adjustment to income.
- Other adjustments: HSA contributions and penalties on early withdrawal of savings also count, if they apply to you.
Here is how it adds up on a 2026 return. Say you earn $50,000 from freelance work in 2026. Your 2026 self-employment tax is $50,000 x 92.35% x 15.3%, or about $7,065. Half of that, about $3,532, is deductible for 2026. You also paid $5,000 for health insurance in 2026. The two adjustments total $8,532 and bring your 2026 AGI down to $41,468. A lower AGI cuts your income tax and may help you qualify for credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
The Social Security part of the tax, 12.4%, applies only up to the Social Security wage base, which is $184,500 for 2026 and $192,300 for 2027. The 2.9% Medicare part has no cap in either year.
Business expenses are a separate matter. Supplies, a home office and business mileage go on Schedule C and reduce your profit before it ever reaches Form 1040. A freelancer with a day job can buy a laptop for the business, deduct it on Schedule C and still take the standard deduction on a joint return. If the laptop is also used for personal tasks, only the business share counts. The IRS sets the business standard mileage rate each year, and the 2027 rate will be announced.
Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction
The qualified business income (QBI) deduction lets owners of pass-through businesses deduct up to 20% of their business profit, for 2026 and 2027 alike. Sole proprietors, partners, LLC members and S corporation owners can qualify. The deduction is permanent, and you do not need to itemize to claim it.
You figure it on Form 8995 or Form 8995-A. On Form 1040 it is taken right after the standard deduction. So if you have $100,000 of qualified business income from a consulting side business in 2026, you might get a 2026 QBI deduction of up to $20,000 on top of your standard deduction.
Limits apply at higher incomes and for certain service businesses. For 2027 the limits start at taxable income of $208,300, or $416,600 on a joint return. They are fully phased in at $283,300 and $566,600 for 2027.
From 2026 there is also a minimum deduction for small active businesses. You need a small amount of qualified income from a business you actively run, and the 2026 minimum deduction is $400. For 2027 the minimum is $415 with at least $1,030 of that income. See more cases of QBI with the standard deduction before you fill in Form 8995.
Other Above-the-Line Deductions
A few more adjustments work without itemizing:
- Alimony paid: Payments under a divorce or separation agreement finalized before 2019 are deductible. For later divorces, alimony is not deductible at all.
- Military moving expenses: The moving deduction is permanently gone for most people. Active-duty Armed Forces members moving under military orders still qualify. Starting in 2026, so do certain intelligence-community employees and appointees who move for a new post.
- Penalty on early withdrawal of savings: A penalty for cashing in a certificate of deposit early is deductible.
- Certain work expenses: Reservists, performing artists and fee-based government officials can deduct some job costs. Regular employees cannot.
Each of these goes on Schedule 1 and lowers your AGI before the standard deduction is subtracted. Check the list every year, because the standard deduction does not replace any of them.
Tax credits are a separate benefit. They are covered after the newer deductions below.
New Deductions You Can Take Without Itemizing: Seniors, Tips, Overtime and Car Loan Interest
Four deductions apply for tax years 2025 through 2028. You claim them on Schedule 1-A, whether you itemize or take the standard deduction. The IRS describes each one on its new deductions page.
- Senior deduction: $6,000 per person age 65 or older, or $12,000 when both spouses qualify. It shrinks by 6% of MAGI over $75,000, or $150,000 on a joint return.
- Qualified tips: Up to $25,000 a year for workers in jobs that customarily receive tips. The deduction is reduced once MAGI passes $150,000, or $300,000 on a joint return.
- Qualified overtime pay: Up to $12,500, or $25,000 on a joint return. Only the premium part of overtime counts, such as the extra half in time-and-a-half. The phase-out matches the tips deduction.
Car loan interest is the fourth deduction. You can deduct up to $10,000 of interest on a loan for a new personal-use vehicle bought after 2024 with final assembly in the United States. The deduction is reduced above $200,000 of MAGI on a joint return, or half that for other filers.
Three rules apply across the group. These deductions come after AGI, so they lower taxable income but not AGI. You need a valid Social Security number (SSN). If you are married, you must file a joint return to claim the tips or overtime deduction.
The senior deduction is separate from the additional standard deduction for age 65, so a retiree can get both. Check how the senior deduction stacks with your other amounts before you estimate your tax.
Charitable Gifts Up to $1,000 ($2,000 Joint) Starting With 2026 Returns
For years, giving to charity got you nothing on a federal return unless you itemized. Tax preparers often had to explain to generous clients why a gift never showed up on the return. That changes with 2026 returns.
If you take the standard deduction on a 2026 return, you can deduct cash gifts up to the cap in the heading above, which is double on a joint return. IRS Publication 6196 sets out the rules:
- The gift must be cash, which includes checks, cards and electronic payments.
- It must go to a qualifying public charity.
- Gifts to donor-advised funds don't count.
- Clothing, furniture and other non-cash items don't count.
- Any amount over the cap is lost, with no carryforward to a later year.
Keep a bank record or a receipt from the charity for every gift. Itemizers face a new limit of their own. From 2026 they deduct only the part of their giving above 0.5% of AGI. Read more on charitable gifts without itemizing if you give more than the cap each year.
Tax Credits vs. Deductions: Credits Are Still in Play
A deduction lowers your taxable income. A credit lowers your tax itself, dollar for dollar. The standard deduction only replaces itemized deductions, so it never blocks a credit. You can still claim:
- Child Tax Credit: $2,200 per child for 2026, with up to $1,700 refundable. For 2027 it is $2,300, with up to $1,800 refundable.
- Credit for Other Dependents: For dependents who don't qualify for the Child Tax Credit.
- Earned Income Tax Credit: The 2027 maximum is $8,496 with three or more children.
- Education credits: The American Opportunity Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit.
- Child and Dependent Care Credit: For care costs that let you work.
- Saver's Credit: Still available for retirement contributions on 2026 returns. Starting in 2027 it is replaced by the Saver's Match, a federal deposit into your retirement account.
Some energy credits are gone. The clean vehicle credits ended for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025. The residential clean energy and energy-efficient home improvement credits ended for property installed or expenditures made after December 31, 2025. None of them is available on 2026 returns. The IRS keeps current amounts on its Child Tax Credit page and the pages for the other credits.
Adjustments and credits work together. Some credits shrink as income rises. A student loan interest or IRA deduction lowers your AGI and can keep you in the range for a larger credit.
People often ask whether skipping Schedule A costs them an education credit. It doesn't. Refundable credits can even pay out more than the tax you owe. Review your credits on their own every year.
What You Cannot Deduct When Taking the Standard Deduction
When you take the standard deduction, you give up the expenses that belong on Schedule A. These stay off your federal return:
- Home mortgage interest: Interest and points are itemize-only, and the $750,000 debt limit is now permanent. If you paid $8,000 of interest and take the 2026 single standard deduction of $16,100, the $8,000 isn't deducted.
- State and local taxes (SALT): Itemize-only. A couple with $5,000 of state income tax and $5,000 of property tax deducts neither when they take the 2026 standard deduction of $32,200.
- Larger charitable gifts: Gifts above the non-itemizer allowance covered earlier still need itemizing. Non-cash gifts do too.
- Medical and dental expenses: Only costs above 7.5% of AGI count, and only if you itemize. If your 2026 bills run $1,250 past 7.5% of a $50,000 AGI, only that $1,250 would count.
- Casualty and theft losses: Personal losses count only for federally declared disasters and, starting in 2026, certain state-declared disasters. You must itemize, except for qualified disaster losses that special relief rules add to the standard deduction.
- Mortgage insurance premiums: The deduction for private mortgage insurance (PMI) returns starting with 2026 returns, but only for itemizers.
- Gambling losses: Itemize-only, and from 2026 only 90% of losses can be deducted against winnings. With the standard deduction, your 2026 winnings are fully taxed even if you lost just as much.
- Investment interest and certain legal fees: These appear only on Schedule A.
Itemizers have new numbers to work with. The SALT cap is $40,400 for 2026 and $40,804 for 2027. Once MAGI passes $505,000 for 2026, or $510,050 for 2027, the cap shrinks by 30% of the excess, but never below $10,000. Halve these figures if you are married filing separately. Starting in 2026, itemizers in the 37% bracket also have the value of their itemized deductions limited to 35%.
Miscellaneous itemized deductions are permanently eliminated. Unreimbursed job expenses, tax preparation fees and investment fees are not deductible whether you itemize or not. An employee whose employer doesn't pay for a home office or mileage gets no federal deduction either way.
If your itemized expenses come close to the standard deduction, consider bunching. Make two years of donations in one year, itemize that year, and take the standard deduction the next. Homeowners can check when mortgage interest still helps before they decide.
You choose each year, and the bigger subtraction wins. Most people take the standard deduction in ordinary years and itemize in a year with a big event, such as buying a home or paying large medical bills. Your paycheck withholding has nothing to do with the choice, so don't change it on a real estate agent's word. Calculate your tax first. Some expenses that don't count federally can still help on a state return.
State Tax Variations: Standard vs. Itemized at the State Level
Each state with an income tax sets its own rules. Taking the federal standard deduction doesn't always decide what you do on your state return.
- States with an independent choice: New York and California let you itemize on the state return after taking the federal standard deduction. This helps when the state standard deduction is small.
- States that follow the federal choice: Some states make you use the same method on both returns. New Jersey and Pennsylvania have no standard-versus-itemized choice at all. Michigan relies on personal exemptions.
- States with no income tax: Florida, Texas and Washington don't tax wages, so the question never comes up on a state return.
- State-only adjustments: Many states let you deduct contributions to a 529 college savings plan, whatever you did on the federal return. New York also allows a college tuition deduction for itemizers.
California shows how the lists differ. Its itemized schedule follows most federal categories, but it gives no deduction for state income tax. It also doesn't apply the federal SALT cap to property tax. Read the current instructions from the California Franchise Tax Board or the New York tax department before you pick a method.
Here is a common case for a 2026 return. A married couple takes the federal standard deduction. They live in State X, which allows separate itemizing. For 2026 they have $15,000 of state and local taxes, plus mortgage interest and a small gift to charity, or $26,000 in all. State X's 2026 standard deduction is $20,000. Itemizing on the 2026 state return cuts their state taxable income by an extra $6,000. If the state standard deduction were higher, they would take it instead.
Tax software usually compares both methods for the state. If you file by hand, you have to make the choice yourself.
Check your state's rules before you file, because a few states let you itemize only if you itemized on the federal return. The goal is the lowest total tax, not just the lowest federal tax.
Pros and Cons of Taking the Standard Deduction
The standard deduction is often the right choice, but not always. This table sets the advantages against the drawbacks of choosing it over itemizing.
| Pros of taking the standard deduction (2026 rules) | Cons of taking the standard deduction (2026 rules) |
|---|---|
| Simplicity and speed: no receipts to gather or expenses to track. You claim one flat amount. | Potential missed deductions: if mortgage interest or medical bills run well above the standard amount, itemizing would save more. |
| Larger deduction for many: the standard amount beats what most filers could itemize, so taxable income drops further. | No separate deduction for certain payments: mortgage interest, property taxes and medical costs get nothing. Cash charity gifts get only the capped non-itemizer allowance. |
| Predictability: the amount is fixed by filing status, so you know your deduction ahead of time. | Doesn't reward big-ticket expenses: the amount is the same whether you rent or carry a mortgage. |
| Audit-friendly: there is less for the IRS to question than with large itemized amounts. | No carryover: itemizable expenses in a standard-deduction year are lost. Itemizers can carry excess charitable gifts forward up to 5 years. |
| Automatic benefit: everyone gets it, even renters and people with no large expenses. | Less flexible planning: itemizers can time payments into one year. A fixed amount leaves fewer moves. |
The trade-off is ease against possible extra savings. High-income filers and people with large deductible expenses often do better by itemizing. For most others, the standard deduction is the simpler and larger choice.
Re-check each tax year. Buying a house or a year of big medical costs can tip the scales toward itemizing. Bunching two years of donations into one can help too. But bunching beats the non-itemizer charity allowance only when the bunched year clears the standard deduction.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using the Standard Deduction
The standard deduction makes filing simpler, but a few wrong ideas about it cost people money.
- Mistake 1, forgetting above-the-line deductions: Student loan interest and IRA contributions go on Schedule 1. The standard deduction doesn't cover them, so review that schedule every year.
- Mistake 2, adding itemized expenses on top: Mortgage interest, property tax and medical costs can't be stacked on the standard deduction. The one exception is the cash charity allowance that starts with 2026 returns.
- Mistake 3, keeping no records: A home purchase or a big medical year can make itemizing pay. Keep a running tally of donations, medical bills and taxes so you can compare quickly.
- Mistake 4, overlooking the state return: You may be able to itemize for your state after taking the federal standard deduction. Don't accept the state standard deduction without checking.
- Mistake 5, confusing credits with deductions: Credits don't depend on itemizing. Claim the education credit or Child Tax Credit even though you skipped Schedule A.
- Mistake 6, not revisiting the choice each year: Rules changed for 2025 and 2026, with a higher SALT cap, the PMI deduction and a floor on charity for itemizers. Re-run the comparison instead of repeating last year's choice.
- Mistake 7, assuming itemizing is only for the rich: It depends on expenses, not income. A moderate earner with huge medical bills or one year of heavy giving can come out ahead.
- Mistake 8, missing the Schedule 1-A deductions: The senior, tips, overtime and car loan interest deductions are not just for itemizers. Fill in Schedule 1-A if any apply.
One more case trips up students and part-time workers. If your income is already below the standard deduction, itemizing adds nothing, because there is no taxable income left to reduce. Refundable credits may still pay you.
Most of these errors come from treating the standard deduction as the whole story. Know what you can add to it and what you give up.
Examples: Scenarios of Standard Deduction vs. Other Deductions
These common scenarios show what you can and cannot deduct when you take the standard deduction.
| Scenario (2026 tax year) | Deduction outcome |
|---|---|
| Paid $2,000 in student loan interest. A single filer takes the standard deduction. | Deductible. The $2,000 is an adjustment to income, under the $2,500 cap, and lowers AGI and taxable income. |
| Donated $500 in cash to charity. The taxpayer takes the standard deduction. | Deductible on a 2026 return without itemizing, within the non-itemizer cap. |
| Side gig with $5,000 in business expenses. A freelancer takes the standard deduction. | Deductible on Schedule C against business income. Half of the self-employment tax is also an adjustment to income. |
| $10,000 of mortgage interest. A married couple's itemized total is below the $32,200 standard deduction. | Not separately deductible. The interest and property taxes are absorbed into the standard deduction they claim. |
| Put $5,000 into a traditional IRA and takes the standard deduction. | Deductible if the income and workplace-plan rules are met. A Roth IRA contribution would not be deductible. |
| $8,000 of medical bills on $50,000 of income, with no other large deductions. | Not deducted. Costs above 7.5% of AGI total $4,250 ($8,000 minus $3,750), which is below the $16,100 standard deduction. |
| A 66-year-old single filer with $60,000 of MAGI. | Gets the $16,100 standard deduction, the $2,050 additional amount and the $6,000 senior deduction, or $24,150 in all. |
| A server with $12,000 of qualified tips takes the standard deduction. | Deducts the $12,000 on Schedule 1-A. The standard deduction is taken as usual. |
In these examples, adjustments to income (student loan interest, IRA, HSA and business costs) stay available with the standard deduction. So do the newer senior, tips, overtime and car loan interest deductions. Typical itemized deductions, such as home mortgage interest and medical costs, are given up.
If your itemizable expenses are well below the standard amount, the standard deduction gives you more with less work. If they are close or above, compare both methods. Each tax year stands on its own, so you might itemize one year and not the next.
Worked Example: A Retired Couple Taking the Standard Deduction in 2026
A married couple, both 67, file a joint 2026 return with $90,000 of MAGI. They gave $2,000 in cash to a local food bank. Their mortgage interest, property tax and deductible medical costs add up to $18,000.
- 2026 standard deduction for a joint return: $32,200.
- 2026 additional standard deduction for age 65: $1,650 x 2 = $3,300.
- 2026 senior deduction: $6,000 x 2 = $12,000. Their MAGI is under $150,000, so nothing is phased out.
- 2026 charitable deduction for non-itemizers: $2,000.
- 2026 total: $32,200 + $3,300 + $12,000 + $2,000 = $49,500.
The couple deducts $49,500 for 2026 without itemizing. If they itemized instead, the $18,000 would replace the $35,500 from steps 1 and 2, and they would lose the non-itemizer charity deduction. The senior deduction stays either way. The standard deduction leaves them far ahead.
What to Do Next
- Check Form 1098-E for the student loan interest you paid in 2026.
- Total your 2026 cash gifts to public charities and file the receipts with your tax papers.
- Fill in Schedule 1-A if you are 65 or older, earned tips or overtime, or paid interest on a new car loan.
- Make any 2026 IRA or HSA contribution before April 15, 2027.
- Add up your Schedule A expenses once and compare the total with your standard deduction.
FAQs
If I take the standard deduction, can I still deduct my home mortgage interest?
No. Mortgage interest is deductible only if you itemize. With the standard deduction, you cannot separately deduct home mortgage interest on your federal return.
Can I deduct student loan interest when using the standard deduction?
Yes. Up to $2,500 is deductible as an adjustment to income. For 2026 it phases out at MAGI of $85,000 to $100,000 for single filers and $175,000 to $205,000 for joint filers. For 2027 the ranges are $90,000 to $105,000 and $180,000 to $210,000.
I donated to charity, so can I claim a charitable deduction without itemizing?
Yes, partly. Starting with tax year 2026, non-itemizers can deduct up to $1,000 of cash gifts to qualifying public charities, or $2,000 on a joint return. Gifts to donor-advised funds and non-cash gifts don't count. Bigger gifts still need itemizing.
Does the standard deduction stop me from getting tax credits like the Child Tax Credit or education credits?
No. Tax credits are unaffected by the standard deduction. You can claim any credit you qualify for, whether you itemize or not.
If I take the federal standard deduction, can I itemize on my state return?
It depends on your state. Some states, including California and New York, let you itemize on the state return even if you took the federal standard deduction. Check your state's rules.
Can I deduct business expenses or self-employed expenses if I use the standard deduction?
Yes. Legitimate business expenses for self-employment or rentals are deducted against that income on Schedule C or Schedule E, apart from personal deductions. You can also deduct half of your self-employment tax and other allowed adjustments.
Are Traditional IRA contributions deductible if I don't itemize?
Yes, if you qualify. A deductible traditional IRA contribution (up to $7,500, or $8,600 at age 50 or older, for 2026 and 2027) is an adjustment to income. You get it whether you take the standard deduction or itemize, subject to the IRA rules.
I pay private mortgage insurance (PMI), so can I deduct that with the standard deduction?
No, not with the standard deduction. Starting with tax year 2026, mortgage insurance premiums are deductible again, but only as an itemized deduction alongside mortgage interest. You would have to itemize to benefit.
Can I switch between standard and itemized deductions each year?
Yes. You decide every tax year which method to use. Choose the one that gives you the lower tax for that year. There is no lock-in. Keep records of possible itemized expenses in case you need them.
Related reading
Can I take the $6,000 senior deduction if I take the standard deduction?
Yes. For tax years 2025 through 2028 it is available whether you itemize or not. It comes on top of the regular additional standard deduction for age 65. It phases out above $75,000 of MAGI, or $150,000 on a joint return, and you need a valid SSN.