A tax deduction lowers your taxable income, which in turn decreases the amount of income tax you owe. These deductions are also known as adjustments to income and are reported on Schedule 1 of the tax return. Some common adjustments include the IRA deduction, student loan interest deduction, health savings account (HSA) deduction, and educator expenses. By reducing your taxable income, these deductions can help lower your overall tax burden.
On the other hand, a tax credit directly reduces the amount of tax you owe, dollar for dollar. Unlike deductions, which indirectly lower your taxes by reducing income, credits apply directly to the tax you owe. Tax credits can be either refundable or non-refundable. Non-refundable tax credits can reduce your tax liability but will not result in a refund if the credit exceeds the amount of taxes you owe. Refundable tax credits, however, can generate a refund if the credit is larger than your total tax liability, meaning you may receive the excess amount as a refund.
In summary, while both deductions and credits offer ways to reduce your tax liability, deductions do so by lowering your taxable income, whereas credits provide a direct reduction in the amount of taxes you owe.