Do You Need to Pay Taxes on Social Security? Maybe. Here's How to Figure It Out

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You might think that one of the benefits of retirement might be never having to file your income taxes, but think again. Certain people are required to pay taxes on Social Security benefits, and in some rare cases, you might be eligible for a tax refund that you would not receive if you didn’t file a return. 

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The Social Security Administration delivered benefit payments to more than 74 million people in December, amounting to about $135 billion. Since 1984, beneficiaries with income above a certain level may need to pay federal taxes on those benefits. Age, marital status and additional income earned beyond Social Security payments all factor into whether you need to file. 

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Even if you’re in the majority of Social Security recipients who aren’t required to file a tax return this year, you need to consider it anyway – you could still be entitled to a tax refund if you qualify for certain tax credits.

Below, we’ll help you find out if you’ll need to file taxes for your Social Security income in 2025. 

How do I determine if my Social Security benefits are taxable?

To find out whether your Social Security benefits are taxable, you’ll need to identify if 50% of your Social Security benefits plus any other income you earned in 2025 is greater than the base amount of your filing status. 

Here’s how the IRS breaks down the base amount for various tax filing statuses: 

• $25,000 if you’re single, head of household, or qualifying surviving spouse,
• $25,000 if you’re married filing separately and lived apart from your spouse for the entire year,
• $32,000 if you’re married filing jointly,
• $0 if you’re married filing separately and living with your spouse at any time during the tax year.

If you have additional income beyond Society Security benefits – such as wages from another job, self-employment, interest or dividends – these should be included in your base calculation. 

If you’re above the base amount for your filing status and need to pay federal income taxes, the Social Security Administration will allow you to withhold taxes from your monthly benefit payments so you don’t have to pay a large bill during tax time. 

One way to determine if your benefits are taxable is to consider your gross income, or your total earnings for 2025 before taxes. 

You will need to file a return for the 2025 tax year:

• If you’re an unmarried senior at least 65 years old and your gross income is more than $14,700. 
• If you’re filing a joint return with a spouse who is also 65 or older and your gross income is more than $28,700.
• If you’re filing a joint return with a spouse who is under 65 years old and your gross income is more than $27,300.

Another method to see if your Social Security benefits are taxable is to look at your combined income, which includes your adjusted gross income, nontaxable interest and 50% of your Social Security benefits. 

• If you’re a single tax filer and your combined income is between $25,000 and $34,000, the SSA says you may have to pay income tax on up to 50% of your benefits.
• If you’re a single tax filer and your combined income is more than $34,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 85% of your benefits. 
• If you’re filing a joint return and your combined income is between $32,000 and $44,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50% of your benefits.
• If you’re filing a joint return and your combined income is more than $44,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 85% of your benefits. 
• If you’re married filing separately and didn’t live with your spouse last year, your Social Security benefits are taxed as if you were a single filer.
• If you’re married and filing separately while living with your spouse, you probably will have to pay taxes on your benefits. 

On line 6b of Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, you will report the taxable portion of your Social Security benefits.

Should I file a 2025 tax return even if it’s not required?

If you’re not required to file a tax return this year, you may want to consider it anyway since you could be eligible for a tax refund. If you made estimated tax payments or had federal taxes withheld, you may be entitled to a refund of any surplus withholding. If you don’t file, you may be leaving money on the table.

Another potential benefit of filing a return is that you may be able to receive certain tax credits, which can lead to a refund. As long as you meet the qualifications, you could receive the earned income tax credit, the child tax credit or the child and dependent tax credit. The earned income tax credit is fully refundable if you don’t owe any taxes. 

How can I find my Social Security benefit amount for 2025?

The SSA will send out a benefit statement called the SSA-1099 that will detail all the benefits you received for the previous year. These forms should be sent to all Social Security beneficiaries by the end of January. In case you miss the form in the mail, you can also find it in your online My Social Security account.

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