Q. When my son files a tax return, will he have to pay tax on his social security?
A. No.
Social security only becomes taxable when added to sufficient other income. If you are otherwise required to file a tax return, you do need to enter it in TurboTax (TT). TT will determine the taxable portion.
Social security (including SSDI) becomes taxable when your income, including 1/2 your social security, reaches:
Married Filing Jointly(MFJ): $32,000
Single or head of household: $25,000
Married Filing Separately and lived with your spouse at any time during the tax year: $0
One half of his $20, 000 SSDI is $10,000. $10,000 + $8600 = $18,600. That's less than $25,000. So, none of his SSDI is taxable.
After TurboTax (TT) calculates the taxable portion of SS, it puts the total amount of SS on line 6a of form 1040 and the taxable amount on line 6b ($0 in his case). TT also produces a worksheet to show how the taxable amount is calculated.
