Standard Deduction

Standard Deduction for Tax Year 2022

One hundred fifteenth congress of the United States of America, under section 11000 short title standard deduction for tax years 2021 up to 2025 has been amended.

Standard Deduction definition?

United States of America tax law considers a federal standard deduction or state standard deduction is a fixed dollar amount, which is claimed by tax payers who are not eligible for itemized deductions. The USA tax payer can choose either standard deduction or itemized deduction which reduces their taxable income in turn they pay less taxes on their tax returns.

What does Standard Deduction mean?

Standard tax deduction is a particular dollar amount which reduces your taxable income on tax returns according to 5 filing statuses, standard deduction will reduce your tax liability. The tax payers who are blind and over 65 years of age can get additional standard deduction.

How much is the standard deduction?

Below is the more information regarding filing status and its standard deduction for tax years 2022.

  1. Married Filing Jointly (MFJ): Standard Deduction Amount is $25,900.
  2. Married Filing Separately (MFS): Standard Deduction Amount is $12,950.
  3. SINGLE – Unmarried: Standard Deduction Amount is $12,950.
  4. Head of the Household (HOH): Standard Deduction Amount is $19,400.
  5. Qualifying Widower with a Dependent Child (QWDC): Standard Deduction Amount is $25,900.

Let’s go through information below about Filing Statuses and Standard Deduction Amount:

Married Filing Jointly:

What is Married Filing Jointly (MFJ)?

MFJ – Married Filing Jointly: Both the spouses income whether earned or unearned income can be added on MFJ tax return, in turn a primary tax payer can claim a standard deduction amount of $25,900 on tax returns. Even if one spouse has income and the other does not still a husband and wife can file their filing status as MFJ. When MFJ tax return is filed both the spouses will be liable for taxes.

Conditions:

  1. The marriage should have happen any day of a tax year for which you are filing your tax returns.
  2. Marriage should have been recognized by any state government.
  3. The married couple can file MFJ though they did not live together, but should not have been divorced.

How does standard deduction works?

As we learned that standard deduction reduces your taxable income, let’s go through the tax brackets below by which your taxable income is calculated for Married Filing Jointly (MFJ).

Check: Married Filing Jointly Tax Brackets 2022.

Our tax professionals can help you determine your correct filing status, which can reduce your taxes in turn your tax returns filing will be accurate. Please sign up today to get tax continuous updates the movement you sign up with us, you can even to get may our expensive tax services without any cost, please speak with our tax experts all the time when there is a tax issue.

Married Filing Separately

What is Married Filing Separately (MFS)?

MFS – Married Filing Separately is a tax filing status on tax returns where a couple choose to file taxes separately or do not want to file their tax returns jointly. The standard deduction for the Married Filing Separately is $12,950.

Who can File MFS – Married Filing Separately?

A married couple can file their tax returns separately by disclosing their income on a separate tax returns, it means both the spouses will show their income and claim their exemptions, deductions credits separately by choosing Married Filing Separately status.

What is MFS – Married Filing Separately features?

  1. Filing Married Filing Separate tax return will make you pay more taxes, since there is a difference in tax brackets comparing to Married Filing Jointly.
  2. 50% of exemption amount is allowed to claim as Alternative Minimum Tax when it is joint tax returns (MFJ).
  3. Premium Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, Adoption, Education, Child Care, may be limited or will not be allowed
  4. The deduction on capital losses is just $1,500 which is half of the allowable deduction on a Married Filing Joint tax return.
  5. The standard deduction is $12,950 which is half of the amount of Married filing joint $25,900, cannot be claimed when a tax payers spouse itemizes deductions.

What are the reasons for filing MFS – Married Filing Separate tax returns?

  1. One of the spouse does not want to be responsible for the other spouse tax obligations
  2. The other spouse has a large casualty loss or high medical expenses
  3. If Married Filing Separately may lower tax liability or lower adjusted gross income, which can allow a spouse to more expenses or losses.
  4. To offset the other spouse debt

Check: Married Filing Separately Tax Brackets 2022

Single Tax Filing Status

What is Single tax filing Status?

A tax payer is considered single if he/she had not been married on or before the last day of the tax year which is before December 31st. The standard deduction for Single Tax Filing is $12,950.

Who can file Singe tax filing status?

  1. Legally divorced or separated
  2. Widowed on or before the tax year (December 31st).
  3. Unmarried

Tax brackets for Single Filers?

The tax brackets for MFS – Married filing separately and Single tax filing is same, let’s go through the detailed tax brackets below.

Check : Single Tax Brackets 2022

Head of Household:

What is head of household filing status (HOH)?

A tax payer can file head of household filing status, whether he/she is married or unmarried but takes care of the home or qualified person’s expenses.

HOH – Head of Household: A tax payer can file head of household filing status, whether he/she is married or unmarried but takes care of the home or qualified person’s expenses. The standard deduction for Head of house hold is $19,400.

Who can file head of household 2022?

  1. The tax payer should be legally separated, single, divorced, or should have been consider unmarried before December 31st.
  2. The tax payers qualifying dependent should have lived with the tax payer for more than 6 months
  3. The taxpayer should have paid at least 6 months of household expenses out of 12 months period of a tax year
  4. Filing separate tax returns instead of filing married filing joint tax return
  5. Did not live with the spouse for more than 6 months
  6. Meeting the expenses of a home which is main residence of a qualifying child, foster child or stepchild for more than a 6 months of a tax year
  7. Must be eligible to claim the child exemption

What are the eligible household expenses?

Below are the expenses considered under household expenses.

  1. Mortgage interest, Rent, property taxes
  2. Repairs, utilities, home insurance, food expenses incurred at home
  3. Medical treatment, vacations, life insurance, clothing, transportation

Who is qualified person to be claimed on head of household tax returns?

  1. A child of a married
  2. Qualified child according to the IRS guidelines
  3. A parent who is depending on the tax payer

Check: Head of Household Tax Brackets 2022

Qualifying Widow(er) with a Dependent Child (QWDC):

What is Qualifying Widower Filing Status?

Qualifying widower with a dependent child filing status is an option chosen by a taxpayer for the following two years of the other spouse death. Surviving spouse can file MFJ – Married Filing Joint return with the standard deduction for a tax year in which spouse expired.

What are the conditions to file Qualifying Widower Filing Status?

  1. Should not remarry before December 31st of a tax year
  2. Should have a dependent child
  3. Should have met at least half of the expenses of qualified child and home expenses for entire year

How many years a widower can file Qualified Widower Filing Status?

Surviving spouse can file Qualifying widower filing states for two years following the year of his/her spouse death.

Tax brackets for Qualifying Widow(er) with a Dependent Child (QWDC)

INCOME  TAX
Up to $19,750 10% on Taxable Income
$19,751 to $80,250 $1,975+ 12% additional tax over the income of $19,750
$80,251 to $171,050  $9,235 + 22% of additional tax over the income of $80,250
$171,051 to $326,600 $29,211+ 24% of additional tax over the income of $171,050
$326,601 to $414,700 $66,543 + 32% of additional tax over the income of $326,600
$414,701 to $622,050 $94,375 + 35% of additional tax over the income of $414,700
$622,051 or more $167,307.50 + 37% of additional tax over the income of $622.050

What is 2020 Filing Status & 2020 Standard Deduction Table?

Filing Status Standard Deduction
Married Filing Jointly Status  $24,800
Married Filing Separately Filing Status  $12,400
Single Filing Status $12,400
Head of the Household Filing Status $18,650
Qualifying Widow(er) Filing Status $24,800

What is 2019 Filing Status & 2019 Standard Deduction Table?

Filing Status Standard Deduction
Married Filing Jointly Status  $24,400
Married Filing Separately Filing Status  $12,200
Single Filing Status $12,200
Head of the Household Filing Status $18,350
Qualifying Widow(er) Filing Status $24,400

What is 2018 Filing Status & 2018 Standard Deduction Table?

Filing Status Standard Deduction
Married Filing Jointly Status  $24,000
Married Filing Separately Filing Status  $12,000
Single Filing Status $12,000
Head of the Household Filing Status $18,000
Qualifying Widow(er) Filing Status $24,000

What is 2017 Filing Status & 2017 Standard Deduction?

Filing Status Standard Deduction
Married Filing Jointly Status  $12,700
Married Filing Separately Filing Status  $6,350
Single Filing Status $6,350
Head of the Household Filing Status $9,350
Qualifying Widow(er) Filing Status $12,700

What is 2016 Filing Status & 2016 Standard Deduction?

Filing Status Standard Deduction
Married Filing Jointly Status  $12,600
Married Filing Separately Filing Status  $6,300
Single Filing Status $6,300
Head of the Household Filing Status $9,300
Qualifying Widow(er) Filing Status $12,600

Posted in Standard Deduction.