Trump's big bill offers $6K tax break for seniors — but not everyone gets a cut. Here's how much you may save
Starting this year, individuals over the age of 65 can claim $6,000 as a tax deduction in their next filing, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Those who file joint returns can claim this amount individually, which means a married couple could get deductions up to $12,000.
Although this isn't the elimination of all income taxes on Social Security that he promised while campaigning, this new subsidy could still be a helpful financial boost for those who qualify. However, the real impact of this new deduction depends on your income bracket.
Here's a closer look at how much you could save at different levels of income.
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Low income
Low-income seniors might not notice this new deduction because they already benefit from a standard deduction that reduces or eliminates the income taxes they owe. As of 2025, the standard deduction for someone over the age of 65 is up to $18,500 individually and up to $32,300 for joint filers.
This category includes a significant number of American seniors. According to the KFF, one in three adults over the age of 65 had an income below $28,080 in 2022.
Middle income
Households with relatively modest incomes could see the most benefit from this new deduction.
Because the deduction starts to phase out for single filers earning over $75,000 and married couples making over $150,000 — with full disqualification at incomes above $175,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples — the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center projects that middle- and upper-middle-income households stand to gain the most.
Read more: Americans are 'revenge saving' to survive — but millions only get a measly 1% on their savings.
Seniors with incomes between approximately $80,000 and $130,000 are expected to benefit the most from this provision, which would cut their taxes by an average of $1,100, or around 1% of their after-tax income, according to their calculations.
High income
With a full phase out of the deduction at individual incomes above $175,000 and joint incomes above $250,000, high income tax payers won't benefit from this new incentive at all.
Caveats
Given all the rules and limitations, this new tax rule could best be described as helpful but limited. Based on the income limits, the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center estimates that less than half of all seniors could see a tax reduction because of this new deduction.
The rule is also time-limited and applies only to federal income taxes between 2025 and 2028.
Altogether, the new deduction offers a modest cut to a highly specific group of seniors for a relatively short period of time. However, it does have a long-term impact on other government programs that many seniors rely on: Social Security and Medicare.
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) projects that the new set of tax policies implemented by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) will hasten the insolvency of both the Social Security and Medicare trust funds, moving their depletion date up from 2033 to 2032 — a full year sooner than earlier forecasts.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
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