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Returning Member
posted Feb 17, 2021 6:08:05 PM

How are social security benefits taxed?

Does Turbotax do the calculation?

0 3 470
3 Replies
Level 15
Feb 17, 2021 6:13:54 PM

Enter your SSA1099 exactly as it appears.   TurboTax does all of the calculations for you.

 

Go to Federal> Wages & Income>>Retirement Plans and Social Security  (SSA1099 and 1099RRB) to enter your SSA1099.

 

 

TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY

 

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 2017 that limit was $16,920 —for 2018 it will be $17,040—for 2019 it will be $17,640— for 2020 it will be $18,240)  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.

 

To see how much of your Social Security was taxable, look at lines 6a and 6b of your 2020 Form 1040

 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899144-is-my-social-security-income-taxable

 

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 $25,000 when filing single or head of household, or $32,000 when filing married filing jointly, $0 if you are filing married filing separately.

 

 

 

Some additional information:  There are 13 states that tax Social Security—Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia.  These states offer varying degrees of income exemptions, but four mirror the federal tax schedule: MN, ND,VT, and WV

 

Returning Member
Jan 16, 2022 8:47:16 AM

For SSA-1099   My total = 35,030, for a total of 21,618, and my wife's total =13,866 for a total of 35,284 it seems incorrect on Retirement Pland and Social Security page.  please advise .  Thank you- [email address removed]

Level 15
Jan 16, 2022 8:54:09 AM

@lmoses4   Please explain it again.   I don't know what or who the amounts are for.  List them out better.  What is your SSA-1099?  What is her SSA-1099?   What amount where do you think is wrong?