2025 taxes on lsocial security

[nmedaddio]

Does the amount of income, allowed/used, change used to caliulate if you going to be taxed on on ones socila security?

[SusanR2]

I believe you are asking how your income impacts the taxability of your Social Security benefits.

The amount of your Social Security that is taxable depends on your income.  Income includes wages, interest, dividends, pension payments, and taxable distributions from traditional 401(k)s and IRAs (less adjustments), as well as nontaxable interest and half of Social Security benefits received.

Depending on your income, Social Security can be taxed as follows: 

• If you file as an individual:
  • Up to $25,000: No tax
  • $25,000–$34,000: Up to 50% of your benefits may be taxed.
  • More than $34,000: Up to 85% of your benefits may be taxed.
• If you file a joint return:
  • Up to $32,000: No tax
  • $32,000–$44,000: Up to 50% of your benefits may be taxed.
  • More than $44,000: Up to 85% of your benefits may be taxed.

Remember that you will have your standard or itemized deduction to reduce your taxable income and from 2025 to 2028 an additional Senior deduction of $6,000 (or $12,000 if married filing joint) if you are 65 or over on last day of the tax year, have a valid Social Security  Number and your modified adjusted gross income is $75,000 or under ($150,000 or under if married filing joint).  

**Please say "Thanks" by clicking the thumbs up icon in a post
***Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on the "Mark as Best Answer"

[xmasbaby0]

Up to 85% of your Social Security benefits can be taxable on your federal tax return.  There is no age limit for having to pay taxes on Social Security benefits if you have other sources of income along with the SS benefits.  When you have other income such as earnings from continuing to work, investment income, pensions, etc. up to 85% of your SS can be taxable. 

 What confuses people about this is that before you reach full retirement age, if you continue working while drawing SS, your benefits can be reduced if you earn over a certain limit. (For 2021 it was  $18,960.  For 2022 it was  $19,560  —  for 2023 $21,240)  For 2024, $22,320.  For 2025 it will be $23,400

After full retirement age, no matter how much you continue to earn, your benefits are not reduced by your earnings; your employer will still have to withhold for Social Security and Medicare.  If you work as an independent contractor then you will pay self-employment tax for Social Security and Medicare.

To see how much of your Social Security was taxable, look at lines 6a and 6b of your 2024 Form 1040

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/are-my-social-security-or-railroad-retirement-tier-i-benefits-taxable

You need to file a federal return if half your Social Security plus your other income is

Single or Head of Household      $25,000

Married Filing Jointly                  $32,000

Married Filing Separately            $0

Remember that the taxable amount of your SS is on line 6b (at least as the Form 1040 is now) and  your standard deduction and that "extra"$6000 (per spouse if you file joint) is deducted later---farther down on the tax form, so you will end up paying tax on less of your income.