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Here are the new federal income tax brackets for 2025—the standard deduction is now up to $30,000

Here are the new federal income tax brackets for 2025—the standard deduction is now up to $30,000
Jacob Wackerhausen | Istock | Getty Images

On Tuesday, the Internal Revenue Service announced its annual inflation adjustments for 2025, including updates to the federal income tax brackets and standard deduction.

The standard deduction — which is the amount of money you can reduce from your income before it's taxed, if you choose not to itemize your deductions — will increase to $15,000 for individual filers, $30,000 for joint filers and $22,500 for heads of household in 2025, the IRS says.

While you may not feel the difference until you file your taxes in 2026, the 2025 tax year will also use updated federal income tax brackets. You can see the tax rates single filers will pay on their taxable income below. Taxable income is calculated by subtracting your itemized deductions or the standard deduction, whichever is greater, from your adjusted gross income.

Aside from the highest tax bracket, the income thresholds for married and joint filers are double those of single filers. That means if you and your spouse both earn $80,000, your tax rate will stay the same when you file jointly as when you filed separately. 

Here are the 2025 federal income tax brackets for married couples filing jointly, according to the IRS.

More tax updates for 2025

The Earned Income Tax Credit will also increase in 2025. Taxpayers with three or more qualifying children can get a maximum $8,046 credit, up from $7,830 in 2024. Low to moderate earners with children — or taxpayers between the ages 25 and 65 who don't have children and aren't claimed as dependents on someone else's taxes — are able to claim this credit.

Employees with health flexible spending arrangements can contribute more in 2025. The limit on payroll contributions to FSAs rises to $3,300 in 2025, up from $3,200 in 2024, the IRS says. 

The exclusions for earning foreign income or receiving an estate from a deceased relative were also subject to inflation adjustments for 2025. The foreign earned income exclusion will be $130,000, while estates of decedents who die in 2025 will have basic exclusion amount of $13.99 million.

However, some things remain unchanged for the 2025 tax year.

Personal exemptions will remain at zero and itemized deductions remain unlimited, both a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. This policy is set to expire at the end of 2025.

The income limits for taxpayers eligible to claim the Lifetime Learning Credit, which is a tax credit for individuals or their dependents who are enrolled in higher education programs, also remain unchanged for 2025. Taxpayers earning a modified adjusted gross income of up to $90,000 ($180,000 for joint filers) are eligible to claim up to a $2,000 credit per return.

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