By Hans Goldstein, Founder, Retirement Literacy Foundation. He is also a licensed California insurance producer (#4273294). Education, not a product recommendation.Published · Methodology dated October 3, 2026
For 2026, a married couple who are both 65 or older can deduct up to $47,500 before any income is taxed: the $32,200 standard deduction, $1,650 each in additional deductions and the new $6,000 senior deduction each, which phases out above $150,000 of modified adjusted gross income.
The table
| Item | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Standard deduction, single | $16,100 |
| Standard deduction, married filing jointly | $32,200 |
| Standard deduction, head of household | $24,150 |
| Additional standard deduction, 65+ (married, each) | $1,650 |
| Additional standard deduction, 65+ (unmarried) | $2,050 |
| Senior deduction, 65+, per person (2025 to 2028) | $6,000; phases out above $75,000 MAGI ($150,000 joint) |
| 22% bracket starts (single / joint) | $50,400 / $100,800 |
| 24% bracket starts | $105,700 / $211,400 |
| 32% bracket starts | $201,775 / $403,550 |
| 35% bracket starts | $256,225 / $512,450 |
| 37% bracket starts | $640,600 / $768,700 |
| 0% long-term capital gains up to (single / joint) | $49,450 / $98,900 |
| 15% long-term capital gains up to | $545,500 / $613,700 |
| Net investment income tax 3.8% above MAGI (single / joint, not indexed) | $200,000 / $250,000 |
| 401(k) employee limit | $24,500 |
| 401(k) catch-up, 50+ | $8,000 |
| 401(k) catch-up, ages 60 to 63 | $11,250 |
| IRA limit | $7,500 |
| Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (for 2026) | 2.8% |
| Social Security taxable maximum | $184,500 |
| RMD starting age | 73 (75 for those turning 74 after 2032) |
Notes that change the answer
- Brackets apply to taxable income, after deductions, not to gross income.
- Long-term capital gains stack on top of ordinary income, so the 0% band can fill up with pension, IRA and taxable Social Security income.
- The net investment income tax thresholds are fixed in the statute and are not adjusted for inflation.
- California taxes capital gains as ordinary income at rates from 1% to 12.3%, plus 1% on taxable income over $1,000,000 (2025 schedule, the latest published). Texas has no individual income tax.
Methodology (dated October 3, 2026)
Every figure was checked on October 3, 2026 against the IRS newsroom release IR-2025-103 and Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments), the IRS page on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act deductions, IRS Topic 559 (net investment income tax), the IRS 2026 retirement plan limits release, the Social Security Administration COLA and contribution base pages, and IRC 401(a)(9) as amended by SECURE 2.0. State notes from the California Franchise Tax Board 2025 schedules and the Tax Foundation’s 2026 state income tax table. Not tax advice.
Sources
- IRS: tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (IR-2025-103)
- IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32
- IRS: One Big Beautiful Bill Act tax deductions for working Americans and seniors
- IRS Topic 559: net investment income tax
- IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit to $7,500
- SSA: latest cost-of-living adjustment
- SSA: contribution and benefit base
- 26 U.S.C. 401(a)(9) (RMD age), Cornell LII
- California FTB: capital gains and losses
- California FTB 2025 tax rate schedules
- Tax Foundation: state individual income tax rates and brackets, 2026
Goldstein, H. (2026, October 3). 2026 Retirement Tax Numbers in One Sourced Table. Retirement Literacy Foundation. https://retirementliteracyfoundation.org/research/2026-retirement-tax-numbers/
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