SSI And Taxes

[user530]

I am on ssi, I am married but living apart from my wife, this also is how my ssi monthly is determined, May we still file Married jointly and it not affect my SSI monthly payments?

[xmasbaby0]

We need to know if you are correctly using the term SSI since so many people use it incorrectly.   Social Security benefits and SSI are not the same thing.    Which are you receiving?

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS AND SSI?

https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-over-ussi.htm

If you receive SSI you will not get any sort of tax document.   SSI is not taxable and does not ever get entered on a tax return.

If you receive Social Security, you will get a SSA1099 in January from Social Security.  If your ONLY income is Social Security you are not required to file a tax return unless you have a 1095A for having marketplace health insurance.   If you have a SSA1099 and some OTHER sources of income, then you might need to file a tax return.

As to your question about filing a joint return---if you are legally married your filing choices are to file married filing jointly or married filing separately.   You are allowed to file a joint return even if one spouse has little or no income, or even if you live apart if you both agree to file a joint return.   What you have not mentioned to us is what kind of income your spouse has, and whether your spouse wants to file a joint return.   

We can be more helpful with this if you will explain what income you have---is it Social Security---or is it SSI?   And what income does your spouse have?   Does your spouse WANT to file a joint return?

[user530]

I am receiving SSI as of December of 2024, SSA is aware that we live apart, as its part of how they came to a determination on my monthly amount.

My wife and I would like to file together, she works full time, i do not work but i do have some casino winnings i need to add, we are just concerned about it affecting my monthly amount, BUT as i said SSA knows we live apart, we do not have any joining accounts, property, or children.

[xmasbaby0]

We cannot tell you if your monthly benefits will be affected by filing a joint return.   I am still unclear as to whether you have Social Security or SSI.  (Supplemental Security Income).     If you have Social Security -- and a SSA1099 --- there should be no effect on your monthly benefits, and it would be better for you to file a joint return so that as a couple you can get the married joint standard deduction.     But the strict rules for SSI and the amount of other income you can receive, might affect your benefits---that is a question you need to ask Social Security instead of TurboTax.   We know a lot more about how income tax laws work than we know about all the rules for Social Security or SSI.  

Here is some information regarding SSI and some things that can affect your benefits:

 https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/amount

[VolvoGirl]

If you get Social Security Benefits or SS Disability and get a SSA-1099 form for it, part of it may be taxable.  You have to enter a SSA-1099 into your tax return even if you file a separate return.  You do not enter ssi for Supplemental Security Income.  

For SSA-1099  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

Do they take Medicare Premium deduction out of your checks?  If your total income is very high they will also take more premium out called IRMAA.    But that's for people who have over $200,000 income.