Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTDavid BerenSun, August 2, 2026 at 9:09 PM GMT+2 5 min readQuick ReadCouples aged 65+ can withdraw $46,700 from a traditional IRA in 2026 and owe $0 in federal income tax, thanks to stacked deductions.Most retirees leave this space unused by waiting for RMDs at 73, risking larger future distributions that push them into higher tax brackets.The same $46,700 ceiling applies to tax-free Roth conversions, but the senior bonus deduction enabling it expires after 2028, making each year count.Are you ahead, or behind on retirement? SmartAsset's free tool can match you with a financial advisor in minutes to help you answer that today. Each advisor has been carefully vetted, and must act in your best interests. Don't waste another minute; learn more here.A married couple in which both spouses are 65 or older can withdraw roughly $46,700 from a traditional IRA in 2026 and owe nothing in federal income tax on the withdrawal. The figure is the sum of deductions the IRS already allows this year, stacked in a way that most retirees never fully use. The tax-free space exists whether it is claimed or not, and unclaimed space in a low-bracket year does not roll forward. It simply expires.Tinpixels / Getty ImagesWhere the $46,700 Comes FromThree deductions combine to create the ceiling, while the base standard deduction for married filing jointly in 2026 is $32,200, following the increase enacted by the One Big Beautiful Bill. On top of that, taxpayers 65 or older receive an additional standard deduction, and the OBBB layered on a new $6,000 senior bonus deduction per qualifying person, available for tax years 2025 through 2028. For a couple where both spouses are 65 or older, that senior bonus alone adds $12,000, and the Center for Retirement Research puts the total shield for such a couple at $46,700.The senior bonus phases out at higher incomes. It begins to shrink at $150,000 of modified adjusted gross income for joint filers and fully phases out at $250,000. Retirees living on Social Security and moderate IRA draws sit well below both thresholds, which is precisely the demographic the provision targets._________________________________What's Your Number...?Here's a question most people 5y from retirement can't answer: at your current savings rate, how much do you need, and how long will it actually last? A good advisor can put a date on that in a single meeting. SmartAsset's free quiz matches you with up to three fiduciary advisors serving your area, so you can get YOUR retirement number now (sponsor)__________________________________________Why the Space Goes UnusedTerms and Privacy PolicyEU DSA contactPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info