What are the tax brackets for 2025 vs. 2024? 

Good news: You could fall into a lower bracket for the income you earn in 2025 thanks to the new income tax rates. Also, the standard deduction — the amount you can use as a deduction on

your 1040 tax return without itemizing — will be higher. If you start now, you can make plans to reduce your 2025 tax bill. Knowing the tax brackets for 2025 can help you implement smart tax

strategies, like adjusting your income tax withholding, so you don’t get caught with a big tax bill. HOW THE TAX BRACKETS WORK In the U.S. tax system, income tax rates are graduated, so you

pay different rates on different amounts of taxable income. There are seven federal income tax rates in all: 10 percent, 12 percent, 22 percent, 24 percent, 32 percent, 35 percent and 37

percent. The more you make, the more you pay. A tax bracket is a range of income that’s taxed at a specified rate. Importantly, your highest tax bracket doesn’t reflect how much you pay on

all of your income. If you’re a single filer in the 22 percent tax bracket for 2025, you won’t pay 22 percent on all your taxable income. You will pay 10 percent on taxable income up to

$11,925; 12 percent on the amount between $11,926 and $48,475; and 22 percent above that (up to $103,350) In addition, the 2025 standard deduction will be $15,000 for single filers and

$30,000 for married couples filing jointly, up from $14,600 and $29,200, respectively, for 2024. The standard deduction is the fixed amount the IRS allows you to deduct from your annual

income if you don’t itemize deductions on your tax return. The lower your taxable income is, the lower your tax bill. There’s even more good news for older taxpayers. Single filers 65 and

older can increase their standard deduction in 2025 by $1,600; joint filers can increase their standard deduction by a combined $3,200. In total, a married couple 65 or older would have a

standard deduction of $33,200.  You can also itemize individual tax deductions, for things like charitable donations, but they need to add up to more than the standard deduction to make

itemizing worthwhile. If you have been hit with a big tax bill in the past, consider talking with a tax adviser about how to reduce your next tax bill. A good first step is to look at how

much tax is being withheld from your paycheck. It might be easier to have a little more money withheld from each paycheck than to face a big tax bill on April 15.  The IRS has a free

withholding estimator that can tell you how much you should have taken out. You can also try AARP’s tax calculator for free. Video: Understanding Your 2024 Income Tax _Visit AARP Foundation

Tax-Aide to learn more about free tax prep services by 30,000 volunteers nationwide._ Find Your State's Tax Guide Learn more about your state’s tax policies and tax breaks. Check back

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