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*This information is compiled from a Disability and Retirement Report created by a Social Security Office about Social Security Income Taxation. Chaparral Winds Retirement Community is not a tax professional-consult with your tax preparer or other professional before making decisions based upon this issue.

First of all, if you are a retiree who lives in Arizona you are in luck. Arizonian’s don’t have to pay taxes on Social Security Benefits.

Many of our retirees who receive Social Security Benefits either:

1. Don’t know they have to pay taxes on Social Security Benefits or, they do know they have to pay taxes on Benefits from Social Security, but

2. Not sure how much taxes they need to pay on their Social Security Benefits

This post is all about how much taxes you will need to pay on your Social Security Benefits in 2015-2016.

Depending on the how much Social Security benefits you receive will gauge the amount of taxes you will pay on them. Since 1984, Beneficiaries above certain income thresholds are required to claim only “part” of their benefits when filing taxes. These income thresholds have not changed since they were first established by Congress. Although, wages have increased and the amount of beneficiaries who have to pay income tax on benefits has risen. Back in 1984, only 10% of people receiving benefits had to pay income taxes on their Social Security Benefits. In 2015-2016 tax season, you can go ahead and raise that number up and multiply it by 5. More than 52% of beneficiaries will have to pay taxes on their benefits in 2015-206, according to the Micro-simulation Model presented by the SSA(Social Security Administration).

12 States That Tax Social Security Benefits

• Montana
• North Dakota
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Kansas
• Nebraska
• New Mexico
• Colorado
• Utah
• West Virginia
• Connecticut
• Vermont

For 2015-2016, family beneficiaries will only owe 1% or less taxes on their benefits, however, 1/4 of these families will owe 11% or higher taxes on their Social Security benefits.

The Micro-simulation model also projected that taxes on benefits will rise to 5%. And, The 52% of families in the 2015 model will surely rise to 12% by the year 2050.

How much federal taxes do you have to pay on your Social Security Benefits?

The way they calculate the taxable income is quite difficult to explain. The link below provides an easy chart from the Social Security report that explains how they calculate taxable Social Security Income.

Here is a quick overview of the tax on Social Security Benefits formula:

Take a look at the Benefits Planner.pdf on SSA.Gov. Here’s a quick break down of their formula below.

*Single Filer Benefits Formula:

Single Filer: Below $25,000 (AGI) Modified Adjusted Gross Income, pay  no tax

Single Filer: Between $25,000 – $34,000 pays 50% taxes on benefit income or AGI above 25k.

Single Filer: Above $34,000 pays 85% taxes on Social Security benefits

*Married Jointly Filing Benefits Formula:

Married Jointly Filing: Below $32,000 (AGI) Modified Adjusted Gross Income, pay  no tax

Married Jointly Filing: Between $32,000 – $44,000 pays 50% taxes on benefit income or AGI above 32k.

Married Jointly Filing: Above $44,000 pays 85% taxes on Social Security benefits

Estimating Taxes paid on Social Security Benefits Once You’re Retired

If you or your tax preparer can estimate your modified Adjusted Gross Income for when you are retired, you will be able to estimate how much taxes you have to pay on your Social Security benefits.

Definition of Adjusted Gross Income:

“Adjusted gross income (AGI) is an individual’s total gross income minus specific deductions” – Wikipedia.

To be able to come up with a realistic estimate you will also have to know how much Social Security benefits you will be receiving. To figure that out, jump over to the Social Security Administration’s Benefit Estimator. If you can’t figure it out, ask your tax preparer to help estimate it for you.

Conclusion:

If you live on Social Security benefits alone, you may not have to pay taxes on your benefits as long as you are either, in a state that doesn’t make you pay taxes on benefits, single filer whose income is less than $25,000 or if your are married filing jointly with income less than $32,000.

Leave a comment below: Many retirees think Congress needs to modify the taxation thresholds on benefits. Some believe that taxation progression is ok and should happen. What are your thoughts? Do you pay federal income taxes on Social Security benefits? Are you surprised that beneficiaries have to pay so much taxes on their income? Please  leave a comment below.

Chaparral Winds Offers The Finest Retirement Living In Surprise, Arizona

How Much Taxes Will I Pay On Social Security Benefits 2016

This post is all about how much taxes you will need to pay on your social security benefits in 2015-2016. Depending on the how much Social Security benefits you receive will gauge the amount of taxes you will pay on them. Read More…

Retirement Wishes – 100 Quotes To Write In A Retirement Card

Looking for retirement wishes, quotes or sayings or what to write in a retirement card? Awesome, we have pulled together all of the retirement wishes from all over the internet. Here are the top 100 retirement wishes, quotes and sayings for what to write in a retirement card. Read More…

At the New Hampshire Forum on October 30th, 2014, Hillary Clinton showed support for the death penalty, but her statements about social security should of been the main focus on that day.

She was basically saying the same thing as many democrats have been heard saying all this time, “we need to take a look at how the poorest Social Security recipients are doing and find ways to get more payments there”. She left the door open to potentially raising retirement ages if we could find a way to exclude those who are not fully endorsing raising the tax cap or working labor-intensive jobs, which would make sure the system is funded fully moving forward.

Question: Hillary, tell us how you would strengthen Social Security?

Hillary: There are three parts for what we need to do with Social Security. The first one is that we have to defend Social Security from being privatized. Which Hillary Clinton states she’s been against for a long time because she states that the numbers don’t work out. Hillary was actually one of the leaders that fought against privatizing Social Security during the Bush Administration.

Secondly, she says she is concerned about divorced, single, or widowed women who are most venerable according to what their monthly payout is. She is worried about the people who live on their earnings only or depend on their spouse who is a low wage worker. She says these will be the first things she looks at.

Finally, she says we need to consider ways to make sure that Social Security is continually being funded. She thinks there are a number of options to look at but says she is not in favor of raising the retirement age. She says she doesn’t favor it because most of the people working difficult jobs would have a challenge ahead of them. She says that if there were a way to raise it without penalizing punish laborers, long-distance truck drivers, and factory workers she would do.

Although, she is looking into raising the cap. She thinks it something we should look into soon because she doesn’t to put an extra burden on middle-class families.

To be more specific, Hillary Clinton is not endorsing raising the retirement age like other Republicans. But she does seem open to raising the cap on taxes, no specific plans or figures yet but she is making suggestions to raising payroll taxes on certain types of families that bring in $100,000 or more.

According to the polls, allowing any increase in retirement age or eliminating the tax will not get her in good graces with most Americans.

How Does Hillary Raising The Retirement Age Affect Your Retirement in Surprise, AZ?

• • Cannot start collecting Social Security until age 69 instead of 67
  • Decrease the amount of years you get to enjoy your golden years
  • You will have to work more years of your life than before

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