Is Social Security taxable in 2026?

[DoninGA]

Up to 85% of Social Security Retirement/Disability/Survivors benefits becomes taxable when all your other income plus 1/2 your social security reaches:

Married Filing Jointly - $32,000
Single or Head of Household - $25,000
Married Filing Separately - 0

[xmasbaby0]

If your ONLY income is Social Security you do not even have to file a tax return unless you have a 1095A for marketplace health insurance.   If you have Social Security and other kinds of income, too, then your Social Security can be taxable.  The new tax laws did not change the fact that Social Security can be taxed.

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 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; 2026   $24,480

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

Some additional information:  There are 9 states that tax Social Security—Colorado, Connecticut,, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont  and West Virginia These states offer varying degrees of income exemptions, but two mirror the federal tax schedule: MN and VT.

[dmertz]

Nothing has changed with regard to how Social Security income is reported on your tax return.  It's the same as it has been for many years.  (Last changed in 1993, I believe.)

[VolvoGirl]

Or you may be thinking of the no tax on Social Security?   Nothing about Social Security has changed. It can still be taxable.  There is a new Enhanced Senior Deduction.

The maximum deduction is $6,000 for each person 65. The phaseout is 6% of the amount by which MAGI exceeds $75,000 for single or $150,000 for married filing jointly (MFJ). The MAGI is normally the same as your AGI but with some Foreign items from Form 2555 added back in. On a joint return the phaseout is calculated separately for each person, so the 6% phases out for each spouse. This deduction is intended to provide tax relief for seniors and is in addition to the existing Standard Deduction or your Itemized Deductions. Expires December 31, 2028.

The 6,000/12,000 senior deduction will be calculated on 1040 Schedule 1-A page 2 Part V Enhanced Deduction for Seniors which goes to 1040 line 13b. It is separate and in addition to the Standard Deduction or your Itemized Deductions on 1040 line 12e. Turbo Tax automatically includes it if you qualify.