Why do i pay into SSA Then get taxed again when i start drawing it?

[xmasbaby0]

Ask Congress.   Congress passed a law taxing Social Security benefits in 1983 and began implementing that tax law in 1984.

[VolvoGirl]

Best explanation I read from Hal_AL…….
When you were working, you only paid half of your SS tax. Your employer paid the other half. At first SS benefits were tax free; then Congress decided to tax 50% of it. You know; the half your employer paid for. But all those rich retirees were still getting half that money tax free, so they settled (for now) on taxing 85% of it. Then they ran for re-election on the 15% they "saved" you.

[xmasbaby0]

And...if your ONLY income is Social Security you do not have to file a tax return or pay tax on the SS.   If you are receiving Social Security along with other income because you have continued to work, have a pension, have investment income, have rental income, etc. etc. etc. then your Social Security may be taxable.

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.

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, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont  These states offer varying degrees of income exemptions, but two mirror the federal tax schedule: MN and VT.