Retired and 65+? $47,500 of income can be federal-tax-free in 2026.Here's the line, and the math.
In 2026 a married couple who are both 65+ get $47,500 in deductions before a dime of federal income tax ($24,150 single). And because Social Security has its own worksheet, a couple with $40,000 of Social Security plus $30,000 in IRA withdrawals can still land at $0 federal. The one-pager shows that math line by line, official 2026 IRS figures, printable. From Jim Swiech, CPA.
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Quick answers
- How much income can a retiree have and pay zero federal tax in 2026?
- About $47,500 for a married couple both 65 or older and $24,150 for a single filer 65 or older, before any tax is owed, assuming ordinary income like IRA withdrawals or pensions. Three deductions build that line: the standard deduction, the extra deduction for age 65 and over, and the new $6,000-per-person senior deduction.
- What is the $6,000 senior deduction?
- A new deduction of $6,000 per person age 65 or older, available for tax years 2025 through 2028, on top of the regular standard deduction and the existing age-65 addition. It phases out at higher incomes. It is temporary, which makes the next few years unusually good ones for taking income at low or zero federal tax.
- Does all of your Social Security count toward the zero-tax line?
- No. Only the taxable portion counts, and at modest income levels that is a fraction of the check. In the example on this page only $11,100 of a $40,000 Social Security benefit is taxable. That is why a couple can have well over $47,500 of total cash coming in and still owe nothing federally.
Updated . Reviewed by Jim Swiech, CPA.
This one-pager and calculator are educational and general in nature, they are not tax, legal, or investment advice. Figures are 2026 federal amounts from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 and assume the standard deduction; tax outcomes depend on your specific facts. Go Beyond Tax is a brand of Swiech Consulting LLC.