Every year, the IRS adjusts the standard deduction.
For Tax Year 2026, the numbers are now:
• $32,200 — Married Filing Jointly
• $16,100 — Single / Married Filing Separately
• $24,150 — Head of Household
Compared to Tax Year 2025:
• $31,500 — Married Filing Jointly
• $15,750 — Single / Married Filing Separately
• $23,625 — Head of Household
Yes, it went up.
No, it’s not a strategy.
These increases are inflation-driven and automatic. They happen whether you plan or not. And that’s exactly why they shouldn’t be confused with tax optimization.
Automatic Doesn’t Mean Strategic
The standard deduction is the floor.
It’s the bare minimum the system gives everyone before any real thinking starts. If that’s the only thing reducing your tax bill, you’re not planning — you’re accepting defaults.
And defaults are designed for compliance, not advantage.
Filing correctly is expected.
Keeping more is engineered.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
The standard deduction doesn’t care about:
- How your business is structured
- When you earn income
- When you spend money
- How cash flows through your accounts
- What your long-term tax exposure looks like
It doesn’t adapt to growth.
It doesn’t respond to opportunity.
It doesn’t reward intention.
It just exists.
Real tax savings come from decisions made before the return is filed — not from whatever inflation adjustment shows up that year.
This Is Where the Mantle Mindset Shows Up
At Mantle, we treat updates like this as the starting line, not the finish.
We don’t ask:
“What did the tax code give us this year?”
We ask:
“How do we structure, time, and plan so the numbers work in our favor?”
Because strategy isn’t accidental.
It’s layered.
It’s intentional.
And it’s built long before April.
The Cost of Playing Defense
If your entire tax plan relies on the standard deduction, you’re playing defense while the system plays offense.
And defense is expensive.
If you want to understand how this standard deduction increase fits into your 2025–2026 tax strategy, it starts with a conversation — and you should always review how these rules apply to your specific situation with your tax professional.
Because compliance is the minimum.
Optimization is the goal.
That’s the Mantle Mindset.