How Is Social Security Taxed in Retirement?
You might be wondering, “If I already paid Social Security taxes while I was working, why do I have to pay taxes on my Social Security benefits in retirement?” On the surface it sounds crazy, but here’s a closer look.
Let’s say your monthly pay as an employee is $5,000. The Social Security tax rate is 6.2%.1 That means your employer withholds $310 from your pay each month and sends it to the federal government. In addition, your employer contributes 6.2% on your behalf.1 Your employer pays no tax on that money.
In total, $620 goes toward Social Security, and none of it is taxed. In the abstract, the government then hangs on to that $620 until you turn 62 or older and file a claim for Social Security retirement benefits. Then it gives you back your $620. No one has actually paid taxes on the $620 yet.
If it’s your only income, you won’t owe taxes on it: Your income will be too low to be taxable. If you’re also drawing $3,000 from your IRA and $2,000 from a pension, then you might owe taxes on it.
In reality, there is no federal government Social Security account with your name on it, and you don’t get back the same amount you pay in. In fact, many workers get back more.2 Still, it is true that the government does not actually collect taxes on that money during your working years. It merely holds onto it for you. That seems to be the logic, anyway. So how do you know if you’ll owe taxes on your Social Security retirement benefits? Check out this chart:
Is My Social Security Income Taxable?
Combined Income Individual Return Married, Joint Return Married, Separate Return
$0 to $24,999 No tax
$25,000 to $34,000 Up to 50% of SS may be taxable
More than $34,000 Up to 85% of SS may be taxable
$0 to $31,999 No tax
$32,000 to $44,000 Up to 50% of SS may be taxable
More than $44,000 Up to 85% of SS may be taxable
$0 and up Up to 85% of SS may be taxable
Where It Gets Confusing
The “combined” in combined income is where things can get confusing. It consists of your adjusted gross income, your nontaxable interest income, and half of your Social Security benefits.3
Adjusted gross income is your gross (total) income minus adjustments to that income. Common sources of gross income include wages, salaries, tips, interest, dividends, IRA/401(k) distributions, pensions, and annuities.4 5 Common adjustments to gross income include health savings account contributions, deductions for IRAs, student loan interest deduction, alimony paid, and contributions to self-employed retirement plans.6
40%
The percentage of people who get Social Security and have to pay income taxes on those benefits, according to the Social Security Administration.
How Much Can a Retiree Earn Without Paying Taxes?
Retired people often have income sources they did not have while they were working. These income sources may include retirement account distributions from 401(k)s and IRAs, Social Security benefits, pension payments, and annuity income. Some people may also continue to earn some income from work even though they are technically retired—maybe a bit of self-employment, consulting, or seasonal income.
This means the question to ask isn’t “How much can a retiree earn without paying taxes?” but rather “How much income can a retiree receive without paying taxes?” The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) differentiates between income types it classifies as earned and unearned.7
Even if you are receiving Social Security benefits, you will always have Social Security contributions withheld from your pay when you earn income through work.8 However, if your earned income is low enough, you will not owe federal income tax on it (see the tax bracket boxes, below).
Some types of income are “unearned,” but that doesn’t mean they aren’t subject to tax. Distributions from 401(k) accounts are taxable, as are traditional IRA distributions. Roth 401(k) distributions are not taxable, nor are Roth IRA distributions. Social Security benefits may be taxable, as described in the last section.
Because seniors often have several types of taxable income, both earned and unearned, the tax bracket into which their taxable income falls determines whether they end up owing income taxes. You determine your tax bracket in retirement the same way you did while you were working. Add up your sources of taxable income, subtract your standard or itemized deductions, apply any tax credits you’re eligible for, and check the tax tables in the instructions to form 1040 and 1040 SR—or, more likely, put all this information into some tax software or give it to your accountant.
Standard Deductions for Retirees
The standard deduction for 2021 is $12,550 for single taxpayers and married taxpayers filing separately, $25,100 for married taxpayers filing jointly, and $18,800 for heads of household.9 For 2020, the standard deduction amounts are $12,400, $24,800, and $18,650, respectively.10 The standard deductions for 2020 are used on tax returns filed in 2021; those for 2021 are used on tax returns filed in 2022.
In addition, taxpayers who are 65 or older are eligible for an extra standard deduction of $1,650 if they are single or head of household and an extra $1,300 per senior spouse if they are married filing jointly, married filing separately, or a qualified widow(er)—see the chart below.11
If you itemize your deductions, you won’t take the standard deduction, and these higher limits won’t apply. However, these limits mean that the threshold where seniors benefit from itemizing is higher, which might affect your decisions about when to pay property taxes or make charitable donations. You may be able to benefit from itemizing in some years if you can lump large itemizable expenses together so they fall within a single tax year.
Standard Deductions for Taxpayers Age 65 or Over, Tax Year 2020
Filing Status Standard Deduction Senior Bonus Total Deduction
Single $12,400 $1,650 $14,050
Married filing jointly or qualified widow(er) $24,800 $1,300 per senior spouse $26,100 or $27,400
Married filing separately $12,400 $1,300 $13,700
Head of household $18,650 $1,650 $20,300
If you earn less than these amounts, you won’t owe any taxes. You won’t even have to file a tax return (unless you’re married filing separately),12 though you may want to anyway. Filing a return allows you to claim any credits for which you might be eligible, such as the tax credit for the elderly and disabled or the earned income credit.8 Filing a return also ensures that you receive any refund you may be owed.
Tax Brackets for 2020
For the 2020 tax year, the top rate is 37% for individual single taxpayers with incomes greater than $518,400 ($622,050 for married couples filing jointly). The other rates are as follows:9
35% for incomes between $207,350 and 518,400 ($414,700 and $622,050 for married couples filing jointly)
32% for incomes between $163,300 and $207,350 ($326,600 and $414,700 for married couples filing jointly)
24% for incomes between $85,525 and $163,300 ($171,050 and $326,600 for married couples filing jointly)
22% for incomes between $40,125 and $85,525 ($80,250 and $171,050 for married couples filing jointly)
12% for incomes between $9,875 and $40,125 ($19,750 and $80,250 for married couples filing jointly)
10% (the lowest rate) for incomes of single individuals with incomes of $9,875 or less ($19,750 for married couples filing jointly)
Tax Brackets for 2021
For the 2021 tax year, the top tax rate remains 37% for individual single taxpayers with incomes greater than $523,600 ($628,300 for married couples filing jointly). The other rates are as follows:10
35% for incomes between $209,425 and $523,600 ($418,850 and $628,300 for married couples filing jointly)
32% for incomes between $164,925 and $209,425 ($329,850 and $418,850 for married couples filing jointly)
24% for incomes between $86,375 and $164,925 ($172,750 and $329,850 for married couples filing jointly)
22% for incomes between $40,525 to $86,375 ($81,050 and $172,750 for married couples filing jointly)
12% for incomes between $9,950 and $40,525 ($19,900 and $81,050 for married couples filing jointly)
10% (the lowest rate) for incomes of single individuals with incomes of $9,950 or less ($19,900 for married couples filing jointly)
The Bottom Line
Will you pay taxes in retirement? Unless your taxable income falls below the tax threshold every year, you probably will. How much you’ll pay is another story.
There are many ways to help retirees minimize their tax burden. Strategies include timing distributions, bunching income, bunching itemizable deductions, and doing retirement account conversions.
