“I see under deductions it gives ‘standard’ or ‘itemized’. I wonder if my wife and I get any deduction for us and being over 65, if we use itemized to include what we give to charities?”
With the new standard deduction, you have to have big medical expenses or really high property taxes to justify itemizing. Nobody in my house (3 of us) came close to exceeding the standard deduction on a Sched. A.
Additionally, you have to make at least $25,000 (estimate) before you pay any income taxes at all. The tax rate on your first $13K is 0 and then you get the $12K+ standard deduction. You pay income tax on the amount above $25K.