9 tax deductions you can claim without itemizing in 2026

Deciding whether to take the standard deduction or itemize is one of the most important choices you'll make when filing your taxes. While itemizing may be worthwhile if your deductible expenses are high, for many people the increased standard deduction provides comparable benefits with far less paperwork.

As you weigh your options, you may wonder which deductions you can claim without itemizing—especially with some additional benefits added by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or OBBBA, in 2025. The good news is choosing the standard deduction doesn't mean you have to miss out on valuable tax savings.

What is the standard deduction?

The standard deduction is a fixed dollar amount that reduces the portion of your income subject to federal income tax. One of its biggest advantages is simplicity. It lowers your taxable income without requiring you to track receipts and document individual expenses. This is particularly helpful for those without significant deductible expenses.

Standard deduction for the 2025 tax year

Each year, the IRS adjusts the standard deduction—along with more than 60 other tax provisions—to account for inflation.

For 2025 taxes filed in 2026, the standard deduction is:

• $15,750 for single filers
• $23,625 for head-of-household filers
• $31,500 for married couples filing jointly and surviving spouses

Blind taxpayers and those age 65 and older are also eligible for additional deductions, which vary based on filing status and income. In addition, under the OBBBA seniors may be eligible for a new temporary bonus deduction per qualifying filer for tax years 2025 through 2028.

Standard deduction for 2026 and beyond

In future tax years, the standard deduction will increase across all filing statuses. Because these amounts are adjusted annually for inflation, taxpayers should review the current amounts for the standard deduction, which are updated each year ahead of the filing season.

What's the difference between standard and itemized deductions?

The standard deduction is a fixed dollar amount that reduces your taxable income based on your filing status. Itemized deductions are specific eligible expenses—such as medical bills and mortgage interest—that you list on Schedule A and subtract from your taxable income.

You can choose whichever option provides the greater tax benefit, but you can only claim one method on your return.

Above-the-line deductions to consider

As you're preparing to file your taxes this year, take a look at some of these above-the-line deductions—even if you plan to use the standard deduction. These deductions, listed in Part II of Schedule 1 (Form 1040) for tax year 2025, reduce your AGI, making them especially valuable for improving eligibility for other credits and lowering your overall tax bill.

These are a few of the more common tax deductions you can claim with the standard deduction.

1IRA contributions

If you make contributions to a traditional IRA, you may be eligible to claim a deduction—even if you take the standard deduction. For the 2025 tax year, the contribution limit is $7,000, or $8,000 if you're 50 or older. Note that the IRS may increase these maximums on an annual basis, so it's wise to confirm current retirement plan contribution limits at the beginning of each year.

Also keep in mind that eligibility to deduct traditional IRA contributions depends on IRS income rules, as well as whether you or your spouse are covered by a workplace retirement plan.

2Health savings accounts

If you're covered by a high-deductible health plan, you can deduct amounts you contribute to a health savings account, or HSA, while taking the standard deduction.

For the 2025 tax year, the contribution limits are:

• $4,300 for self‑only coverage
• $8,550 for family coverage

Individuals 55 and older can contribute an extra $1,000 as a catch‑up contribution.

Note that you can only deduct the portion you personally contribute, and you must meet all HSA eligibility requirements. Also keep in mind that employer contributions count toward your annual limit and will reduce the amount you can personally deduct.

In addition to helping offset major medical expenses, HSAs can now be used for a broader range of qualifying primary care services. This expansion of eligible expenses will make them more flexible for managing both routine and long-term healthcare needs.

3Contributions to self-employed retirement plans

If you're self-employed, you can claim deductions for contributions to certain retirement plans. These deductions have the potential to be significant, so don't overlook them.

You may be able to capture tax-advantaged savings opportunities by deducting contributions to your own retirement plan such as a SEP> IRA, SIMPLE IRA or solo 401(k). Contributions reduce your taxable income and grow tax-deferred, helping you save more in the long term.

The rules and limits vary based on the type of retirement plan you choose and how much you earn. For example, SEP IRAs let you contribute a percentage of your net self-employment income, up to an annual cap. SIMPLE and solo 401(k) plans have their own rules.

4Other self-employed tax deductions

Taking the standard deduction doesn't affect your ability to deduct legitimate business expenses. If you're self-employed or own a small business, you may still have access to a variety of deductions that can meaningfully reduce your taxable income.

If you pay self-employment taxes—which include both the employee and employer portions of Social Security and Medicare—you may be eligible to deduct 50% of this amount when calculating your AGI. In some cases, you may also qualify to deduct health insurance premiums paid for yourself, your spouse and dependents.

These are just a few of the many tax deductions for the self-employed that can be claimed even if you take the standard deduction. These deductions can help reduce your AGI, helping to offset the additional tax burden that comes with self-employment.

5Student loan interest deduction

If you paid interest on a qualified student loan during the tax year, you may be eligible for the student loan interest deduction . For 2025, you can deduct up to $2,500 of interest paid, regardless of whether you itemize or take the standard deduction.

This above-the-line deduction begins to phase out once your modified adjusted gross income, or MAGI, exceeds certain thresholds. These income limits are adjusted periodically, so confirm the current phaseout range for your filing status.

Note that employers can also make tax-free payments of up to $5,250 per year toward employees' student loans—a benefit made permanent under the OBBBA. While it's not a deduction, it can help reduce student loan balances without increasing taxable income.

6Charitable contribution deduction

Under the OBBBA, taxpayers can now claim a charitable deduction of up to $1,000—or $2,000 for joint filers. This above-the-line provision allows nonitemizers to support qualified charities while still simplifying their tax return.

7Deduction for new car loan interest

The OBBBA allows individuals and businesses to deduct up to $10,000 in interest for new vehicles—but only for vehicles purchased in 2025 or later and those undergoing final assembly in the US.

8Deductions for overtime pay and tips

From 2025 through 2028, eligible workers can deduct up to $12,500 of overtime pay—or $25,000 for joint filers—and up to $25,000 in qualifying tips from taxable income. The tip deduction is limited to certain occupations, and both deductions gradually phase out for workers with gross income above $150,000 for individuals or $300,000 for joint filers.

9Other above-the-line deductions

Here are some additional above-the-line deductions to consider.

• Early-withdrawal penalties: If you withdrew money early from a certificate of deposit or similar account and paid an early-withdrawal penalty, you can deduct the penalty as an above-the-line deduction.
• Active-duty military moving expenses: If you're an active-duty member of the armed forces and moved due to a permanent change of station, you can deduct reasonable unreimbursed moving costs. This includes transportation, storage of household goods and travel expenses—excluding meals—for you and your family.
• Alimony: For divorce or separation agreements finalized before January 1, 2019, and not modified to adopt the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act rules, you may be able to deduct alimony payments from your gross income.
• Teacher expenses: Eligible educators may be able to deduct up to $300 of nonreimbursable expenses for classroom materials such as books and computers.
• Business use of your car: If a car is used entirely for business purposes, the full cost of its ownership and operation is deductible, subject to some limits. If the car's usage is a combination of both business and personal, the deduction can be calculated by using the standard mileage rate or a percentage of actual expenses.

In addition, there are many helpful tax credits available to nonitemizers. Examples include several family and education tax credits. In many cases, tax credits are more valuable than deductions because they lower your liability dollar for dollar—regardless of your taxable income or tax bracket.

The bottom line

Increases to the standard deduction have changed the way many people approach filing their tax returns. But even if you claim the standard deduction, several above-the-line deductions remain available—which can have a meaningful impact on the amount you owe.

Before making any tax decisions, consider consulting a tax professional. They can review your unique situation and ensure you're maximizing all available benefits. It's also a good idea to speak with your First Citizens Wealth consultant. They can help you evaluate how these deductions fit into a broader financial plan—balancing tax efficiency with your long-term goals.