Publication 17 (2025) is the IRS guide for returns on 2025 income, due April 15, 2026. The cover is dated January 13, 2026, and the PDF runs 142 pages. A law signed July 4, 2025 (Public Law 119-21, called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) shaped this edition: it added deductions, raised the standard deduction and the SALT cap, and lifted the child tax credit. These are unofficial study notes in our own words; the IRS publication controls.
The 2025 edition at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Return due | April 15, 2026 |
| Extended due date | October 15, 2026 |
| Edition | Cover date January 13, 2026; posted January 21, 2026; 142 PDF pages; catalog number 10311G |
| Where changes are listed | What's New (printed pages 1 to 2) and Reminders (pages 2 to 3) |
| Layout | 4 parts and 14 chapters |
| Look-ahead | Chapter 4 explains withholding and estimated tax for 2026, not 2025 |
What changed for 2025
Law changes
- Four new deductions. All four reduce taxable income whether you take the standard deduction or itemize. Qualified tips: up to $25,000. Qualified overtime: up to $12,500 ($25,000 joint). Interest on a loan for a personal-use vehicle bought in 2025: up to $10,000. Seniors (born before January 2, 1961): up to $6,000 each. Phase-downs begin at modified AGI of $150,000 ($300,000 joint) for tips and overtime, $100,000 ($200,000) for the car loan and $75,000 ($150,000) for seniors. A valid SSN is required, and married people must file jointly for the tips, overtime and senior deductions.
- SALT cap. $40,000 ($20,000 MFS), reduced above modified AGI of $500,000 ($250,000 MFS) but not below $10,000 ($5,000 MFS).
- Credits. The child tax credit rose to $2,200 per child. It needs an SSN issued by the due date, including extensions, for you (one spouse is enough on a joint return) and an SSN valid for employment for each child. The credit for other dependents needs an SSN or an ITIN (individual taxpayer identification number) issued by then. Up to $5,000 of the adoption credit became refundable, and tribal governments gained parity on special-needs determinations.
- Trump accounts. Parents or guardians may open one for a child; for a citizen child born after 2024 and before 2029, they may elect a $1,000 federal pilot deposit on new Form 4547, which can be filed with the 2025 return.
- Other. Contributions to a government paid family leave program are now income (deductible as state tax if you itemize). Domestic research costs are deductible again, a farmland sale can be paid in four installments (Form 1062), and ages 60 to 63 get a higher 401(k) catch-up. Brokers report digital asset sales on Form 1099-DA, and Form 1099-K is sent only above $20,000 and 200 transactions.
Forms and line changes
- New Schedule 1-A collects the four deductions; the total goes on Form 1040 line 13b.
- Form 1040 front page: a checkbox for a main home in the U.S. for more than half the year, a Dependents section with numbered rows, a "Deceased" box, and checkboxes that replace many written notes.
- Renumbered lines: adjusted gross income is line 11a, the standard or itemized deduction is 12e, the earned income credit is 27a, a rollover is flagged by a checkbox on 4c and Social Security for separated spouses by a checkbox on 6d.
Amounts that moved
The July 2025 law set the standard deduction above earlier IRS guidance, $1,150 higher than 2024 for single filers, $2,300 for joint filers and $1,725 for heads of household.
Key amounts for tax year 2025
Abbreviations: MFS is married filing separately, MFJ married filing jointly, QSS qualifying surviving spouse, HOH head of household, MAGI modified adjusted gross income, EITC earned income tax credit, AMT alternative minimum tax, FSA flexible spending arrangement and TSP Thrift Savings Plan.
| Item | 2025 amount | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Standard deduction | $15,750 single or MFS; $31,500 MFJ or QSS; $23,625 HOH | Pub 17 (2025) pp. 1, 95 |
| Extra per box (65 or older, blind) | $1,600 married or QSS; $2,000 unmarried | p. 95 |
| Dependent's standard deduction | Greater of $1,350 or earned income plus $450 | p. 93 |
| Must file if gross income is at least | Single $15,750 ($17,750 at 65+); MFJ $31,500; HOH $23,625; MFS $5 | Table 1-1, p. 7 |
| Qualifying relative gross income | Less than $5,200 | p. 34 |
| Child tax credit | $2,200 per child; ACTC up to $1,700; other dependents $500 | pp. 2, 108 to 110 |
| EITC maximum (0, 1, 2, 3 or more children) | $649; $4,328; $7,152; $8,046 | Rev. Proc. 2024-40 sec. 2.06 |
| Adoption credit | $17,280, up to $5,000 refundable; phase-out MAGI $259,190 to $299,190 | p. 2 |
| IRA limit | $7,000 ($8,000 at 50+) | p. 79 |
| 401(k), 403(b), TSP, most 457 | $23,500; $31,000 at 50+; $34,750 at 60 to 63; SIMPLE $16,500 | pp. 1, 51; Notice 2024-80 (pages 1 and 47 print $37,750 for ages 60 to 63, which does not match the notice) |
| Traditional IRA deduction phase-out (covered at work) | Single or HOH $79,000 to $89,000; MFJ $126,000 to $146,000 | p. 2 |
| Roth IRA phase-out | Single or HOH $150,000 to $165,000; MFJ $236,000 to $246,000 | p. 2 |
| Social Security wage base | $176,100 | p. 44 |
| Health FSA; transit and parking | $3,300; $325 a month each | pp. 2, 50 |
| Mileage rates | Business 70 cents; medical 21; charity 14 | p. 2 |
| State and local tax cap | $40,000 ($20,000 MFS), reduced above MAGI $500,000 ($250,000 MFS), floor $10,000 | pp. 1, 100 |
| Minimum late-filing penalty | Smaller of $525 or 100% of the tax | p. 20 |
| AMT exemption | $88,100 single; $137,000 MFJ; $68,500 MFS; phase-out starts at $626,350 ($1,252,700 joint) | p. 2 |
Tax rates for 2025 (taxable income up to)
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly or QSS |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $11,925 | $23,850 |
| 12% | $48,475 | $96,950 |
| 22% | $103,350 | $206,700 |
| 24% | $197,300 | $394,600 |
| 32% | $250,525 | $501,050 |
| 35% | $626,350 | $751,600 |
| 37% | Above $626,350 | Above $751,600 |
The rate schedules are on page 125. See tax brackets and rates for worked examples.
Important dates for 2025
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| February 2, 2026 | Employers send Forms W-2; payers send most Forms 1099 (brokers by February 17) |
| Mid-February 2026 | Earliest refunds for returns claiming the ACTC |
| April 15, 2026 | Return and balance due |
| June 15, 2026 | Due date for certain filers outside the United States using the automatic two-month extension |
| October 15, 2026 | Extended due date with Form 4868 |
| 2025 estimated tax | April 15, June 16 and September 15, 2025; January 15, 2026 (skip it by filing and paying in full by February 2, 2026) |
| About April 15, 2029 | Usual last day to claim a refund on a return filed on time (three years; page 18). April 15, 2029 is a Sunday, so the page 18 next-business-day rule applies |
Chapter map: what changed from 2024 to 2025
| Chapter | What changed in the 2025 edition |
|---|---|
| 1 Filing information | Trump accounts and Form 4547; paper refund checks largely end from October 2025 (page 9); Direct File no longer mentioned; minimum penalty $525 |
| 2 Filing status | Spouse's name and SSN entered in new places on the form; qualifying surviving spouse example uses a 2024 death |
| 3 Dependents | Numbered rows in the Dependents section; income test under $5,200 |
| 4 Withholding and estimated tax | Looks ahead to 2026; notes on the senior, tips and overtime deductions; wage base $176,100 |
| 5 Wages and other earnings | Deferral limit $23,500; $11,250 catch-up at 60 to 63; SIMPLE $16,500; FSA $3,300; household employee threshold $2,800 |
| 6 Interest income | Savings bond passages reworded; What's New lists no rule change |
| 7 Social Security benefits | Line 6d checkbox for separated spouses replaces writing "D" |
| 8 Other income | New sections on qualified tips and overtime |
| 9 IRAs | Higher phase-outs; AGI is line 11a; checkbox on line 4c for rollovers |
| 10 Standard deduction | $15,750, $31,500, $23,625; senior deduction pointer; deduction goes on line 12e |
| 11 Taxes you may deduct | $40,000 cap with a phase-down, described on pages 96 and 100 |
| 12 Other itemized deductions | No new rule flagged; chapter is a page shorter |
| 13 How to figure your tax | AMT adjustments add the senior deduction; first-time homebuyer repayment line removed |
| 14 Child tax credit | $2,200 credit; SSN by the due date; credit boxes in row 7 of the Dependents section |
Check yourself
Question 1 (2025): What is the standard deduction for a married couple filing jointly?
Answer: $31,500, after the July 2025 law raised it.
Question 2 (2025): Mia is single with $20,000 of qualified tips and modified AGI of $90,000. How large is her tips deduction?
Answer: $20,000. It is under the $25,000 cap, and her income is below the $150,000 phase-down start.
Question 3 (2025): A couple filing jointly has modified AGI of exactly $320,000 and $30,000 of qualified overtime. What is the overtime deduction?
Answer: $23,000. The cap is $25,000, reduced by $100 for each $1,000 of modified AGI above $300,000, or $2,000.
Question 4 (2025): Both spouses were born in 1958 and file jointly with modified AGI of $140,000. How large is their senior deduction?
Answer: $12,000 ($6,000 each); their income is under the $150,000 joint phase-down start.
Question 5 (2025): A single itemizer paid $18,000 of state income tax and property tax and has modified AGI of $200,000. What is the SALT deduction?
Answer: $18,000. The 2025 cap is $40,000, and the phase-down starts at $500,000. In 2024 the cap was $10,000.
Question 6 (2025): What new requirement applies to the child tax credit?
Answer: The claimant needs an SSN issued before the due date, including extensions, and each child needs one valid for employment. On a joint return one spouse is enough.
Question 7 (2025): Lena is 61 and her plan allows catch-ups. What is her maximum 401(k) deferral?
Answer: $34,750, which is the $23,500 limit plus the $11,250 catch-up for ages 60 to 63.
Question 8 (2025): A U.S. citizen child was born in 2025. Can the parent elect the $1,000 Trump account pilot deposit?
Answer: Yes, if the child meets the other requirements. The edition covers citizen children born after 2024 and before 2029, and the election is made on Form 4547, which can be filed with the 2025 return.
Frequently asked questions
Did the standard deduction change after the IRS published its 2025 numbers?
Yes. Rev. Proc. 2024-40 had lower amounts. The July 2025 law raised them to $15,750, $31,500 and $23,625, and Rev. Proc. 2025-32 carried those into IRS guidance.
Can I claim the tips, overtime, car loan and senior deductions without itemizing?
Yes, on Schedule 1-A, subject to the SSN and joint-return rules above. Our guide to the new deductions walks through who qualifies.
Is Pub 17 (2025) the right guide for my 2026 estimated tax payments?
Its chapter 4 covers withholding and estimated tax for 2026, so it is the newest published Pub 17 text on those rules. For 2026 dollar amounts use Rev. Proc. 2025-32, summarized on the tax year 2026 page. A CPA can review a return against these figures.
Official sources
- IRS Publication 17 (2025), What's New and chapters 1 to 14
- IRS: Rev. Proc. 2024-40 (2025 inflation adjustments)
- IRS: Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 adjustments and 2025 law changes)
- Public Law 119-21 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act)
- IRS: Notice 2024-80 (2025 retirement plan limits)
- IRS: Fact Sheet FS-2025-03, deductions for working Americans and seniors
- IRS: Standard mileage rates
This page is a plain-language summary. The official source controls if there is any difference.
General information only, not tax, legal or accounting advice for your situation. Rules, limits and deadlines change; confirm the current rules with the official source or a qualified professional before you act. Reading this page does not create a professional relationship with CPA Tax Payroll and Accounting Corp.