Do you pay federal income tax on Social Security after age 70?

Asked by: Clara Weimann  |  Last update: September 15, 2025
Score: 4.7/5 (33 votes)

You may have to pay federal income taxes on a portion of your Social Security benefits 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).

How much of my Social Security is taxable after age 70?

Substantial income includes wages, earnings from self-employment, interest, dividends, and other taxable income that must be reported on your tax return. Between $25,000 and $34,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50% of your benefits. More than $34,000, up to 85% of your benefits may be taxable.

At what age do seniors stop paying federal taxes?

Taxes aren't determined by age, so you will never age out of paying taxes. People who are 65 or older at the end of 2024 have to file a return for tax year 2024 (which is due in 2025) if their gross income is $16,550 or higher. If you're married filing jointly and both 65 or older, that amount is $32,300.

At what age does the federal government stop taxing Social Security?

The fact is, there is no specific age at which your Social Security benefits automatically become nontaxable. However, it's totally understandable why many people believe that age matters with taxes on Social Security.

Do seniors on Social Security have to file federal taxes?

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.

At what age is Social Security no longer taxed?

42 related questions found

Do seniors over 70 need to do federal tax returns every year?

In reality, Social Security is taxed at any age if your income exceeds a certain level. Essentially, if your taxable income is greater than the Standard Deduction for your filing status, you'll typically have to file a tax return.

How do I get the $16728 Social Security bonus?

Specifically, a rumored $16,728 bonus that had people wondering if it was true or not in 2024? Sadly, there's no real “bonus” that retirees who receive Social Security can collect.

Is there really a downside to claiming Social Security at 70?

Taking Social Security early reduces your benefits, but you'll also receive monthly payments for a longer period of time. On the other hand, taking Social Security later results in fewer checks during your lifetime, but delaying means each check will be larger.

Do seniors get a federal tax break?

Standard deduction for seniors – If you do not itemize your deductions, you can get a higher standard deduction amount if you and/or your spouse are 65 years old or older. You can get an even higher standard deduction amount if either you or your spouse is blind. (See Form 1040 and Form 1040-SR instructions PDF.)

How do I calculate how much of my social security income is taxable?

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.

How much can I make on Social Security and not file taxes?

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.

Does the IRS do taxes for seniors?

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.

Do you have to pay capital gains after age 70?

The short and simple answer: Age doesn't exempt anyone from capital gains tax.

Do seniors over 70 have to pay income tax?

Some seniors must pay federal income taxes on their Social Security benefits, depending on their income and filing status. If you have a source of income that is substantially more than what you receive from your Social Security benefits, you will pay federal income taxes on up to 85% of your benefits.

When my husband dies, do I get his Social Security and mine?

You cannot claim your deceased spouse's benefits in addition to your own retirement benefits. Social Security only will pay one—survivor or retirement.

Will Social Security be taxed in 2024 for seniors?

Unless your combined income for 2024 is less than $25,000 (less than $32,000 for married couples filing jointly), a percentage of your Social Security payments will be subject to income tax.

Do you have to pay taxes on money earned after age 70?

Everyone must pay applicable Social Security taxes on income, even those working past full retirement age.

What is the new tax return for seniors?

Form 1040-SR is a large-print version of Form 1040 that is designed for taxpayers who fill out their tax return by hand rather than online. A Standard Deduction table is printed right on the form for easy reference. You need to be 65 or older to use Form 1040-SR.

What does Suze Orman say about taking Social Security at 62?

Collecting at Age 62 or 70 Is Not an Either/Or Situation

“Each month you wait to claim increases your monthly amount for the rest of your life. If you can live off of your 401(k) or other retirement income for 6-12 months and wait to claim Social Security, you end up with a longer benefit for life.”

What is a good monthly retirement income?

The ideal monthly retirement income for a couple differs for everyone. It depends on your personal preferences, past accomplishments, and retirement plans. Some valuable perspective can be found in the 2022 US Census Bureau's median income for couples 65 and over: $76,490 annually or about $6,374 monthly.

Does income affect Social Security after age 70?

You can get Social Security retirement benefits and work at the same time. However, if you are younger than full retirement age and make more than the yearly earnings limit, we will reduce your benefits. Starting with the month you reach full retirement age, we will not reduce your benefits no matter how much you earn.

How to get $3000 a month of Social Security benefits?

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.

Can two wives collect Social Security from one husband?

Each survivor benefit can be up to 100% of your benefit. The amount may be reduced if the women start benefits before their own full retirement age, but they don't have to share — the amount isn't reduced because you've had more than one spouse.

What are the three ways you can lose your Social Security?

Indeed, here are three ways you can lose at least part of your Social Security benefit.
  • No. 1: Keep working while taking benefits early. ...
  • No. 2: Be a substantially lower-earning spouse. ...
  • No. 3: Be alive in 2034. ...
  • Social Security still provides an important foundation for retirement.