If you earn less than the Standard Deduction for your filing status, you likely don't need to file a tax return. Even if you don't meet the filing threshold, you may still have to file taxes if you have other types of income.
The minimum income amount depends on your filing status and age. In 2023, for example, the minimum for Single filing status if under age 65 is $13,850. If your income is below that threshold, you generally do not need to file a federal tax return.
Generally, if Social Security benefits were your only income, your benefits are not taxable and you probably do not need to file a federal income tax return.
You probably have to file a tax return in 2025 if your gross income in 2024 was at least $14,600 as a single filer, $29,200 if married filing jointly or $21,900 if head of household. If you were 65 or older at the end of 2024, those minimum income limits are higher. $14,600.
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.
Generally speaking, you have to be 65 or older and make less than $17,500 in adjusted gross income if you're tax filing status is single or head of household – that limit rises to $20,000 if you're married filing jointly and only one spouse is 65 or older and $25,000 if you're married filing jointly and both spouses 65 ...
Have you heard about the Social Security $16,728 yearly bonus? There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.
Do I have to file taxes if my only income is Social Security? If Social Security benefits were your only income in a given year and you receive less than $25,000 in benefits, your Social Security income is generally not taxable, and you probably do not need to file a federal income tax return.
Generally, not everyone needs to file a tax return each year. In fact, you won't need to file a tax return unless your total income exceeds certain thresholds, or you meet specific filing requirements. Typically, if your income is less than the Standard Deduction, you don't need to file a tax return.
You would not be required to file a tax return. But you might want to file a return, because even though you are not required to pay taxes on your Social Security, you may be able to get a refund of any money withheld from your paycheck for taxes.
For retirees 65 and older, here's when you can stop filing taxes: Single retirees who earn less than $14,250. Married retirees filing jointly, who earn less than $26,450 if one spouse is 65 or older or who earn less than $27,800 if both spouses are age 65 or older. Married retirees filing separately who earn less than ...
Social Security can potentially be subject to tax regardless of your age. While you may have heard at some point that Social Security is no longer taxable after 70 or some other age, this isn't the case. In reality, Social Security is taxed at any age if your income exceeds a certain level.
In-person IRS help for seniors and low-income taxpayers
Eligible taxpayers can also have their taxes prepared in person for free, through these two programs: Tax Counseling for the Elderly – The TCE program prioritizes taxpayers aged 60 and older.
Exactly how much in earnings do you need to get a $3,000 benefit? Well, you just need to have averaged about 70% of the taxable maximum. In our example case, that means that your earnings in 1983 were about $22,000 and increased every year to where they ended at about $100,000 at age 62.
If your spouse dies, do you get both Social Security benefits? You cannot claim your deceased spouse's benefits in addition to your own retirement benefits. Social Security only will pay one—survivor or retirement. If you qualify for both survivor and retirement benefits, you will receive whichever amount is higher.
It is a part of the Social Security Paycheck, which encompasses a range of benefits including retirement, post-retirement, child care, disability, care allowance, attendance allowance, and survival. The $1800 figure is close to the average monthly Social Security retirement benefit for 2024 due to a COLA increase.
If Social Security is your sole source of income, then you don't need to file a tax return. However, if you have other income, you may be required to file a tax return depending on the amount of other income.
About filing your tax return
If you have income below the standard deduction threshold for 2024, which is $14,600 for single filers and $29,200 for those married filing jointly, you may not be required to file a return. However, you may want to file anyway.
Taxpayers 65 and older qualify for an additional standard deduction, reducing their taxable income. The extra deduction amount differs based on filing status and whether the taxpayer or spouse is blind. The IRS updates the deduction amounts annually for inflation, impacting tax filings.
As a very general rule of thumb, if your only income is from Social Security benefits, they won't be taxable, and you don't need to file a return. But if you have income from other sources as well, there may be taxes on the total amount.
Generally, the maximum Federal SSI benefit amount changes yearly. SSI benefits increased in 2024 because there was an increase in the Consumer Price Index from the third quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023. Effective January 1, 2024 the Federal benefit rate is $943 for an individual and $1,415 for a couple.
As much as you want at any age The amount of money that you have in your bank accounts has no bearing on your social security benefits, even if you're collecting ss early between 62–66.