Standard vs Itemized Deduction Calculator

How to do it

1. 1
   Step 1: Open Standard vs Itemized Deduction Calculator and add your input

   Type your numbers or text, add your file, or pick the options you need. Nothing is uploaded: everything stays in your browser.

2. 2
   Step 2: What Standard vs Itemized Deduction Calculator does

   Compare the standard deduction with itemizing, with the SALT cap, medical floor and age extras.

3. 3
   Step 3: Read the result and compare

   The result appears at once. Change one value to see how the answer moves, then keep the figure that fits your case.

4. 4
   Step 4: Copy or save it

   Copy the result or download it. For an important decision, confirm it with the official source or an adviser.

About this tool

Enter your adjusted gross income and your possible itemized deductions: state and local taxes, mortgage interest, charity, medical costs and other items. The tool applies the SALT cap, the 7.5% of income floor for medical costs and the extra standard deduction for age or blindness, then compares the tax both ways.

The rules used

The standard deduction for 2026 is $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly and $24,150 head of household (2025: $15,750, $31,500, $23,625), plus an extra amount for each person who is 65 or older or blind.

State and local taxes are capped: $40,000 in 2025 and $40,400 in 2026, reduced by 30% of income over $500,000 ($505,000 in 2026) but never below $10,000. Half of these amounts apply if you are married filing separately.

Medical costs count only above 7.5% of AGI.

What it does not cover

It ignores the new senior deduction, the 2026 charity floor, the cap on the value of itemized deductions for top earners, and state rules.

Worked example

Single, AGI $120,000 in 2026, state tax $14,000, mortgage interest $9,000, charity $3,000, medical $4,000 (below the $9,000 floor): itemized total is $26,000 against a $16,100 standard deduction, so itemizing lowers taxable income by $9,900 and saves about $2,178 at the 22% rate.

Tips for best results

Check every box before you rely on a result, because one wrong digit changes the whole answer. Use the exact figures from your payslip, bill, certificate or contract, and keep a note of the date you calculated. Rates, thresholds and rules change from time to time, so for tax, fees and legal matters treat the output as an estimate and confirm with the official source named on this page. You can run as many scenarios as you like; nothing is saved or sent, and refreshing the page clears the boxes.