topic How can i be sure my social security income is taxed at 85% and not 100%? Does Turbotax automaticallly calculate that? in Retirement tax questions

How can i be sure my social security income is taxed at 85% and not 100%? Does Turbotax automaticallly calculate that?

mgrovermurphy — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:03:51 GMT

how can i be sure my social security income is taxed at 85% and not 100%? Does Turbotax automaticallly calculate that?

Re: How can i be sure my social security income is taxed at 85% and not 100%? Does Turbotax automaticallly calculate that?

xmasbaby0 — Sat, 05 Mar 2022 16:06:42 GMT

Yes TurboTax calculates it.

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 was $17,040—for 2019 it was $17,640— for 2020 it is $18,240; for 2021 it is $18,960, (For 2022 it will be $19,560) 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 2021 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

Re: How can i be sure my social security income is taxed at 85% and not 100%? Does Turbotax automaticallly calculate that?

DoninGA — Sat, 05 Mar 2022 16:08:34 GMT

TurboTax uses the same calculations as required by the IRS to determine the taxable portion of the Social Security benefits.

The SS benefit amount is shown on Form 1040 Line 6a and the taxable amount on Line 6b

To enter Social Security benefits reported on form SSA-1099

Click on Federal Taxes (Personal using Home and Business)
Click on Wages and Income (Personal Income using Home and Business)
Click on I'll choose what I work on (if shown)
Scroll down to Retirement Plans and Social Security
On Social Security (SSA-1099, RRB-1099), click the start or update button

Or enter ssa-1099 in the Search box located in the upper right of the program screen. Click on Jump to ssa-1099

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

You can view your Form 1040 at any time using the online editions. Click on Tax Tools on the left side of the online program screen. Click on Tools. Click on View Tax Summary. Click on Preview my 1040 on the left side of the screen.

Re: How can i be sure my social security income is taxed at 85% and not 100%? Does Turbotax automaticallly calculate that?

EdwardBohn — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 23:34:03 GMT

My Social Security income is being shown at 100% of net benefits. Should be 85% of net benefits. Please correct!

Re: How can i be sure my social security income is taxed at 85% and not 100%? Does Turbotax automaticallly calculate that?

EdwardBohn — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 23:40:12 GMT

I suppose I will have to make the corrections to my Net Benefits amounts by inputting 85% of the Net Benefits amounts. That way my Social Security income will only be showing the 85% value. Too bad the TurboTax algorithm doesn't make the adjustment.

Re: How can i be sure my social security income is taxed at 85% and not 100%? Does Turbotax automaticallly calculate that?

VolvoGirl — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 23:44:46 GMT

Where are you seeing it at 100%? Check your actual 1040 or 1040SR line 6b. If you are looking at a summary screen or review screen those show the full amount as income and lump a lot of stuff together. You need to check the actual 1040 form and make sure it’s right.

Before filing, You can preview the 1040 or print the whole return

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/accessing/help/how-do-i-preview-my-turbotax-online-return-before-filing/00/26160

Up to 85% of Social Security 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