social security

[KLS54]

Why is Turbo tax saying that my social security benefits are at a higher taxable amount than last year?

[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

[VolvoGirl]

You must have had more other income this year.   

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

[Hal_Al]

Social security (SS)  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.

For the first  $9,000 (12,000 MFJ) of income, only 50% of your SS is taxed. After that 85% is taxed. And gradually the  50% taxed  is replaced with the 85%.  See IRS Publication 915.  So, if your income increased this year, more of your SS gets taxed. When TT prints out your return, it will provide you with the  IRS social security worksheet showing you how the taxable amount was calculated.  See the worksheet at page 9 at

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p915.pdf