So if you're hitting 65 this year or already there, here's something worth knowing about your taxes that could actually put money back in your pocket. The IRS gives you an extra boost on your standard deduction once you cross that age threshold, and honestly, a lot of people sleep on this.

Let me break down how this works. When you file your 2025 return, if you were born before January 2, 1960, you qualify for what the IRS calls an additional standard deduction for over 65. It's basically a bonus reduction to your taxable income on top of what everyone else gets.

The base standard deduction numbers are solid to start with. If you're filing single, you're looking at $14,600. Married filing jointly? That's $29,200. Head of household gets $21,900. But here's where it gets better if you're 65 or older.

You get to add an extra amount on top. If you're single or head of household and qualify for the additional standard deduction for over 65, that's another $1,950. Married couples? Each spouse who's 65+ adds $1,550 to the household deduction. So a couple where both are 65 or older would get that base $29,200 plus $1,550 plus $1,550 — totaling $32,300. That's a meaningful difference.

Now, if you're also blind, the extra deduction is even bigger. Single filers get $3,900, and married filers get $3,100 per person. The additional standard deduction for over 65 combined with blindness status can really add up.

Where this matters for your budget is whether you're better off taking the standard deduction or itemizing. Most people — around 90% according to recent data — just take the standard deduction because it's simpler. But if you have significant deductible expenses like mortgage interest or charitable donations, you might want to do the math both ways. The thing is, if you itemize, you lose access to that extra boost from being 65+. So you need to figure out which path actually saves you more.

One thing to keep in mind: the IRS considers you to be 65 on the day before your 65th birthday for tax purposes. So if your birthday is coming up this year, you might already qualify for the additional standard deduction for over 65 on your current return.

The takeaway? If you're in this age group and haven't been claiming this extra deduction, you could have been leaving money on the table. Check your last few returns — you might have options for amended filings if you missed it. Even small deductions add up when you're thinking about your overall financial picture in retirement.