The Income Level Where Social Security Taxes Start, and How to Stay Under It

Social Security benefits become taxable once combined income exceeds $25,000 for a single filer or $32,000 for a joint one.

Those numbers haven’t changed since 1984, but even now, there are plenty of ways to minimize your tax burden and possibly avoid Social Security taxes altogether.

The income thresholds for Social Security taxes

Your combined income determines how much of your Social Security is taxed. That figure includes your adjusted gross income, any tax-exempt interest and half of your annual Social Security benefit.

The thresholds are different for single and married filers, with up to 85% of Social Security benefits eligible for taxation if you report a high enough income. For single filers, there are no taxes if your combined income is below $25,000. Up to 50% of benefits may be taxed if your combined income is between $25,000 and $34,000 and up to 85% of benefits may be taxed if your income is above $34,000. For married couples filing jointly, there are no taxes if your combined income is below $32,000. Up to 50% of benefits may be taxed if your combined income is between $32,000 and $44,000 and up to 85% of benefits may be taxed if your income is above $44,000.

Why more retirees cross them

These thresholds were set in 1984, but they were never adjusted for inflation. The 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) boost in 2027 will increase the size of your Social Security benefit, which can push you into a higher threshold.

The lack of adjustment for inflation also means that as your portfolio and corresponding 401(k) withdrawals increase, your combined income will also go up. Withdrawals from traditional, tax-deferred plans count as ordinary income, which results in a higher percentage of Social Security benefits getting taxed.

How to potentially lower your Social Security taxes

Even though the threshold numbers have not been changed since 1984, there are still people who manage to keep their income below the lowest thresholds while covering their living expenses. These five strategies can help you preserve a larger portion of every government check.

• Use Roth withdrawals: These withdrawals do not count as ordinary income, letting you access extra cash without pushing you into a higher threshold.
• Time individual retirement account (IRA) withdrawals: Spreading traditional retirement plan withdrawals over time will spread the tax impact so you don’t end up with a big tax bill or high required minimum distributions (RMDs). Conducting small Roth conversions each year with a portion of traditional retirement plan funds can further reduce the tax impact by the time RMDs start.
• Use savings before IRAs: Living on your savings account can reduce how much you must withdraw from your IRA. You can then focus on withdrawing the minimum amount to reduce future RMDs while staying within the lowest threshold.
• Make qualified charitable distributions: Qualified charitable distributions let you allocate money toward a worthy cause of your choice while reducing future RMDs.
• Watch municipal bond interest: The interest income from these assets counts toward combined income. It may be a good idea to minimize your exposure to this investment if you are barely above or below one of the thresholds.

You can also plan your withdrawals in advance. Establishing how much of your expenses Social Security covers and what you need to withdraw from your nest egg to cover the gap is a good starting point. Keeping Social Security’s thresholds in mind when planning your finances can reduce how much tax you pay on benefits.