IRS Reveals New Tax Rates, Deductions for 2025

News October 22, 2024 at 12:20 PM
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What You Need To Know

  • The Internal Revenue Service has announced its annual inflation adjustments for tax year 2025.
  • The tax year 2025 adjustments generally apply to income tax returns to be filed starting tax season 2026.
  • More than 60 provisions in the tax code have been updated, but some key amounts remain flat.
The IRS building in Washington

The Internal Revenue Service has announced its annual inflation adjustments for tax year 2025, including the new standard deductions and marginal tax rates.

The new numbers are contained in Revenue Procedure 2024-40, and the IRS has also published a shorter 2025 tax year highlight document on its website. In total, the updates address more than 60 tax provisions that will affect taxpayers when they file their returns in 2026.

Standard Deductions

For single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately for tax year 2025, the standard deduction rises to $15,000, an increase of $400 from 2024.

For married couples filing jointly, the standard deduction rises to $30,000, up $800 from tax year 2024.

For heads of households, the standard deduction will be $22,500 for tax year 2024, an increase of $600 from the amount for tax year 2024.

Marginal Tax Rates

For tax year 2025, the top tax rate remains 37% for individual single taxpayers with incomes greater than $626,350. This amount is $751,600 for married couples filing jointly.

The other rates are as follows:

    • 35% for incomes over $250,525 ($501,050 for married couples filing jointly).
    • 32% for incomes over $197,300 ($394,600 for married couples filing jointly).
    • 24% for incomes over $103,350 ($206,700 for married couples filing jointly).
    • 22% for incomes over $48,475 ($96,950 for married couples filing jointly).
    • 12% for incomes over $11,925 ($23,850 for married couples filing jointly).
    • 10% for incomes $11,925 or less ($23,850 or less for married couples filing jointly).

AMT Exemption Amounts

For tax year 2025, the exemption amount for unmarried individuals increases to $88,100, and it begins to phase out at $626,350. The exemption amount is $68,650 for married individuals filing separately.

For married couples filing jointly, the exemption amount increases to $137,000 and begins to phase out at $1,252,700.

Earned Income Tax Credits

For qualifying taxpayers who have three or more qualifying children, the tax year 2025 maximum Earned Income Tax Credit amount is $8,046 — up from $7,830 for tax year 2024.

The revenue procedure contains a table providing maximum EITC amount for other categories, income thresholds and phase-outs.

Estate Tax Credits and Gift Exclusions

Estates of decedents who die during 2025 have a basic exclusion amount of $13,990,000 — increased from $13,610,000 for estates of decedents who died in 2024.

The annual exclusion for gifts increases to $19,000 for calendar year 2025, rising from $18,000.

Health Care Plan Amounts

For the taxable years beginning in 2025, the dollar limitation for employee salary reductions for contributions to health flexible spending arrangements rises to $3,300, increasing from $3,200 in tax year 2024.

For cafeteria plans that permit the carryover of unused amounts, the maximum carryover amount rises to $660, increasing from $640 in tax year 2024.

For participants who have self-only coverage, their plan must have an annual deductible that is not less than $2,850 (a $50 increase from the previous tax year), but not more than $4,300 (an increase of $150 from the previous tax year). The maximum out-of-pocket expense amount rises to $5,700, increasing from $5,550 in tax year 2024.

For family coverage in tax year 2025, the annual deductible is not less than $5,700, increasing from $5,550 in tax year 2024; however, the deductible cannot be more than $8,550, which is an increase of $200 versus the limit for tax year 2024.

For family coverage, the out-of-pocket expense limit is $10,500 for tax year 2025, rising from $10,200 in tax year 2024.

Unchanged for Tax Year 2025

By statute, certain items that were indexed for inflation in the past are currently not adjusted.

For example, the personal exemptions for tax year 2025 remain at $0, as in tax year 2024. The elimination of the personal exemption was a provision in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

There is no limitation on itemized deductions for tax year 2025, as in tax year 2024 and preceding, to tax year 2018. The limitation on itemized deductions was likewise eliminated by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

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