According to the IRS, seniors (age 65 and older) who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents must file a tax return if their gross income was at least $17,550 (single filers) or $26,625 (heads of household). Seniors who are married and file jointly must file a return if their gross income totaled at least $33,100 (one spouse is under age 65) or $34,700 (both spouses are at least age 65).
Even if you earned less than these amounts, filing could still get you a refund. You might even qualify for some tax breaks. GOBankingRates asked ChatGPT which tax deductions seniors often skip to find out how much more money they could save; this is what he said.
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According to the artificial intelligence (AI) tool, there is one important deduction that seniors tend to overlook: the new and improved deduction. This deduction is available for tax years 2025 through 2028.
For the 2026 filing season, those who are age 65 (or older) at the end of the tax year can claim up to an additional $6,000 (single filers) or $12,000 (joint filers), according to the IRS. These taxpayers can itemize or take the standard deduction and still qualify.
ChatGPT noted that some seniors do not receive this deduction because they use outdated tax software. Others miss out because they don’t file taxes. This could be because they don’t think they need it or because their income falls below the minimum threshold. But that extra $6,000 could be huge.
Note that taxpayers also qualify for the standard deduction, which reduces taxable income by a specified amount. In 2026, the IRS standard deduction for taxpayers under age 65 is:
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$32,200 for married couples filing jointly
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$16,100 for single taxpayers and married people filing separately
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$24,150 for heads of household
For the 2025 tax year, people age 65 and older receive an additional standard deduction, according to the IRS. This deduction ranges from $1,600 to $2,000 (depending on filing and blindness status).
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ChatGPT provided some other tax breaks for seniors that are commonly overlooked. Using the latest numbers from the IRS, these include:
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Credit for elderly or disabled people (refundable): This is for those who are at least 65 years old or retired due to permanent and total disability. They must also receive taxable disability income for the applicable tax year. Income limits apply, but the credit ranges from $3,750 to $7,500, according to the IRS.
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Earned income tax credit (refundable): It is available to taxpayers, regardless of their age. Eligibility and credit amount depend on income. The credit ranges from $649 (no qualifying children) to $8,046 (three or more qualifying children), according to the IRS.
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Charitable Contribution Deduction: Qualified contributions are deductible up to 100% of the taxpayer’s AGI (if itemized), according to the IRS. Other charitable contributions are limited to around 60%.