Tax Tip of the Week | No. 453 | How Are Social Security Benefits Taxed?

Tax Tip of the Week | March 28, 2018 | No. 453 | How Are Social Security Benefits Taxed?

A portion of the net benefits you receive each year from Social Security (or equivalent railroad retirement) benefits may be taxable income. If you receive either of these you will receive a Form SSA-1099, Social Security Benefit Statement, or Form RRB-1099. How much of these benefits might be taxed will be explained below.Your social security benefits are subject to federal income tax on a portion of your social security benefits only if the sum of the your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) plus 50 percent of the social security benefits you received exceeds the applicable base amount - (1) $32,000 if you are married filing jointly, (2) $0 if you are married filing separately and lived with your spouse, or (3) $25,000 in any other instance. If you are married and file a joint return, you and your spouse must combine your incomes and benefits to decide if any of your combined benefits are taxable.If you have concluded that your social security benefits are taxable, then the amount you must include in your taxable income is generally equal to the lesser of (1) 50 percent of the social security benefits you received, or (2) 50 percent of the amount by which the sum of your MAGI and 50 percent of the social security benefits received exceeds your base amount, not to exceed 85% of your benefits. Rules may differ for lump-sum distributions of social security benefits; if you have returned your social security benefits and your repayments exceed the gross benefits you receive; or if you receive social security benefits, have taxable compensation, contribute to a traditional IRA, and are covered (or your spouse is covered) by an employer retirement plan. The social security benefits are includible in the gross income of the person having the legal right to receive these benefits.Ohio along with 36 other states and the District of Columbia do not tax social security benefits which often are a major source of income for many retirees.Note:  Your employer makes a contribution on your behalf to the Social Security Administration. You also make a contribution for yourself albeit nondeductible. Contributions for the employer and the employee are the same. This creates a scenario of where double taxation may occur since the employee contributions are post-tax but the resulting benefits may be taxable.Thank you for all of your questions, comments and suggestions for future topics. As always, they are very much appreciated. We may be reached in Dayton at 937-436-3133 and in Xenia at 937-372-3504. Or visit our website.This week's author – Mark Bradstreet, CPA--until next week.