Do I have to put my Social Security on my tax return?

Some of you have to pay federal income taxes on your Social Security benefits. This usually happens only if you have other substantial income in addition to your benefits (such as wages, self-employment, interest, dividends and other taxable income that must be reported on your tax return).

The tax laws don’t make everyone put their Social Security on their tax returns. Instead, there’s an income tax that determines whether you’ll end up including a portion of your benefits as taxable income. First, you’ll need to come up with your combined income.

Where do I put my Social Security benefits on my tax return?

The taxable portion of the benefits that’s included in your income and used to calculate your income tax liability depends on the total amount of your income and benefits for the taxable year. You report the taxable portion of your social security benefits on line 5b of Form 1040.

What kind of tax return do I need for Social Security?

If any amount of your Social Security benefits are taxable, you can file your tax return on Form 1040. Learn more about Social Security and your taxes in IRS Publication 915 – Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits.

When do you report Social Security as taxable income?

You report the taxable portion of your social security benefits on line 6b of Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR. Your benefits may be taxable if the total of (1) one-half of your benefits, plus (2) all of your other income, including tax-exempt interest, is greater than the base amount for your filing status.

What is the amount of Social Security that is taxable?

So the taxable amount that you would enter on your federal income tax form is $5,000, because it is lower than half of your annual Social Security benefit. The example above is for someone who is paying taxes on 50% of his or her Social Security benefits.