Social security benefits are taxable, depending on the amount of additional income you have. You can start getting Social Security retirement benefits at age 62, but many people wait until they reach full retirement age to get bigger monthly benefits. This is age 66 or 67 for most people. Age has nothing to do with the amount of tax youll pay on your Social Security benefits, however.
Ever since I started my financial advisory practice, one question keeps popping up from clients nearing retirement: “At what age will my Social Security benefits become tax-free?”
It’s a common misconception that once you reach a certain age—maybe 70 or even 85—your Social Security benefits suddenly become tax-free. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I need to clear something up right away.
The hard truth: Social Security benefits can be taxable at ANY age.
Yep, you read that right. There is no magic birthday that makes the IRS stop taxing your Social Security. Instead, how much your benefits are taxed is based on your income, not your age.
We’ll talk about everything you need to know about Social Security taxes and some ways you might be able to lower or get rid of them.
The Income Test: What Actually Determines If Your Benefits Are Taxed
According to the Social Security Administration and confirmed by both AARP and TurboTax, taxation of your benefits depends on what’s called your “provisional income” or “combined income.”
Here’s how it works:
Your provisional income is calculated by adding:
- Your adjusted gross income (line 11 on your 1040 tax form)
- Any tax-exempt interest income you receive
- 50% of your Social Security benefits
Once you have that total, here’s how the taxation breaks down
| Filing Status | Income Threshold | Portion of Benefits Taxable |
|---|---|---|
| Single/Head of Household | $25,000-$34,000 | Up to 50% |
| Single/Head of Household | Over $34,000 | Up to 85% |
| Married Filing Jointly | $32,000-$44,000 | Up to 50% |
| Married Filing Jointly | Over $44,000 | Up to 85% |
| Married Filing Separately | Almost any amount | Up to 85% |
The good news? No matter how high your income gets, no more than 85% of your Social Security benefits will ever be subject to federal income tax.
When Seniors Don’t Need to File Tax Returns
You may have to pay taxes on your benefits at any age, but there are times when seniors don’t have to file any taxes at all.
- If Social Security is your ONLY source of income, you typically don’t need to file a federal tax return.
- For tax year 2024, if you’re 65 or older, single, and your gross income (excluding Social Security) is less than $16,550, you generally don’t need to file.
- If you’re 65, married, and both spouses are 65+, you don’t need to file if your gross income is under $32,300 (for 2024).
- If one spouse is under 65, the threshold drops slightly to $30,750.
Remember, these thresholds change slightly each year with inflation.
The One Big Beautiful Bill: Good News for Seniors
There’s some recent good news for seniors from the “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed in July 2025. This legislation includes a new “Senior Deduction” of up to $6,000 per person for tax years 2025 through 2028.
This deduction is available to those 65 and older, depending on filing status and income level. It phases out starting at $75,000 of Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) for single filers and $150,000 for joint filers.
Unfortunately, if you file as Married Filing Separately, you won’t qualify for this deduction.
State Taxation of Social Security Benefits
If you think we’ve only talked about federal taxes, don’t forget that some states also tax Social Security benefits. The rules vary wildly from state to state:
- Many states don’t tax Social Security at all
- Some states follow the federal taxation rules
- Others have their own exemptions based on age or income
If you’re planning a move for retirement, this is definitely something to research for your target states!
Strategies to Reduce Taxes on Your Social Security
Even though there’s no magical age when benefits become tax-free, there are ways to potentially reduce or eliminate taxes on your Social Security:
1. Manage Your Retirement Account Withdrawals
Since your provisional income determines taxation, carefully planning when and how much you withdraw from retirement accounts can make a big difference.
I often recommend my clients to:
- Consider taking larger distributions in years before they claim Social Security
- Look into Roth IRA conversions during lower-income years before claiming benefits
- Spread out taxable withdrawals to stay under income thresholds
2. Consider Tax-Free Investment Income
Tax-exempt interest (like municipal bonds) doesn’t count in your AGI, but it DOES count in your provisional income for determining Social Security taxation. However, other tax-free income sources don’t affect your provisional income, such as:
- Roth IRA distributions (tax-free if qualified)
- Health Savings Account withdrawals for medical expenses
- Life insurance policy loans
3. Try Tax-Loss Harvesting
As TurboTax points out, selling investments that have lost value can offset capital gains and reduce your overall taxable income, potentially keeping you below the Social Security tax thresholds.
4. Make Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)
If you’re 70½ or older, you can donate up to $100,000 directly from your IRA to qualified charities. These donations:
- Count toward your Required Minimum Distributions
- Aren’t included in your AGI
- Can lower your provisional income
The Special Tax Credit for Seniors
Don’t forget about the tax credit for the elderly or disabled! If you’re at least 65 and have relatively low income from sources other than Social Security, this credit can reduce your tax bill dollar-for-dollar.
It’s not widely known, but can be quite valuable for those who qualify. You’ll need to file Schedule R with your tax return to claim it.
When You MUST File Even with Low Income
There are some situations where you need to file a tax return even if you’re below the income thresholds:
- If you’re self-employed and had net earnings of $400 or more
- If you owe taxes on an IRA, HSA, or other special account
- If you received advance premium tax credits for health insurance
- If you want to claim a refundable tax credit
My Advice for Planning Ahead
After working with hundreds of retirees, I’ve learned that the key to minimizing taxes on Social Security isn’t waiting for a certain age—it’s planning ahead.
Here’s what I suggest:
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Work with a tax professional. The rules around Social Security taxation are complex, and the right strategy can save you thousands.
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Plan your retirement income streams years in advance. Decisions about when to take Social Security, which accounts to draw from first, and when to convert traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs should be made as part of a comprehensive plan.
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Reassess annually. Tax laws change (as we’ve seen with the new Senior Deduction), and your situation changes too. What works one year might not be optimal the next.
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Consider lifetime tax planning, not just year-by-year. Sometimes paying more tax in one year can lead to much lower taxes over your entire retirement.
The Bottom Line
So, at what age is Social Security not taxed? The answer isn’t about age at all—it’s about income. Social Security benefits can be taxable throughout your entire retirement if your income exceeds certain thresholds.
But with careful planning, many retirees can significantly reduce or even eliminate taxes on their Social Security benefits. The key is understanding how the system works and planning your retirement income strategically.
Have you been surprised by taxes on your Social Security benefits? Or have you found effective strategies to minimize them? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments below!
Disclaimer: Tax laws change frequently, and this information is current as of October 2025. Always consult with a qualified tax professional regarding your specific situation before making tax-related decisions.
States That Tax Social Security Benefits
Nine states tax some or all Social Security benefits as of 2025. They tax Social Security benefits with varying methods, using AGI or other figures. Colorado revised its tax policy for Social Security benefits in 2023, making them fully deductible for recipients age 65 and older.
These are the states that tax Social Security benefits:
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Minnesota
- Montana
- New Mexico
- Rhode Island
- Utah
- Vermont
- West Virginia
People 65 and older can deduct $8,000 from their taxable income in New Mexico. This may include Social Security benefits.
When Benefits Are Taxable
The amount of tax you must pay on your Social Security benefits depends on any additional income you bring in. The tax varies from 0% to 85% of your benefits. Youll receive 15% of your Social Security benefits tax-free, no matter how much you earn, unless theyre taxed at the state level. Youll receive a bit less than 15% in this case.
If your Social Security benefits are your only source of income and you get less than $25,000 a year, your federal government will not tax your income. The threshold is $32,000 for married couples.
Some of your Social Security benefits may be taxable if you have additional income sources like tax-exempt interest earnings, a 401(k) plan, or a traditional individual retirement account (IRA).
To calculate your income for determining the tax, you must add your adjusted gross income (AGI) plus nontaxable interest to half of the value of your Social Security benefits. This is the income youll use for to the table below.
| Taxable Social Security Income | ||
|---|---|---|
| Filing Status | Income Threshold | Percent Taxable |
| Single, Head of Household, Qualifying Widow/Widower Married, Filing Separately (spouses lived apart for all of the tax year) | $25,000 or less | 0% |
| Single, Head of Household, Qualifying Widow/Widower Married, Filing Separately (spouses lived apart for all of the tax year) | $25,001 to $34,000 | Up to 50% |
| Single, Head of Household, Qualifying Widow/Widower Married, Filing Separately (spouses lived apart for all of the tax year) | More than $34,000 | Up to 85% |
| Married, Filing Jointly | $32,000 or less | 0% |
| Married, Filing Jointly | $32,001 to $44,000 | Up to 50% |
| Married, Filing Jointly | More than $44,000 | Up to 85% |
| Married, Filing Separately (spouses lived together at any time during the tax year) | $0 | Up to 85% |
At what age is Social Security no longer taxed?
FAQ
At what income level is Social Security not taxed?
Calculating your Social Security federal income taxYour combined annual incomeHow much of your Social Security benefit is taxable$25,000 or lessNoneBetween $25,000 and $34,000Up to 50%More than $34,000Up to 85%.
How much money can a 70 year old make without paying taxes?
Tax Year 2022 Filing Thresholds by Filing StatusFiling StatusTaxpayer age at the end of 2022A taxpayer must file a return if their gross income was at least:singleunder 65$12,950single65 or older$14,700head of householdunder 65$19,400head of household65 or older$21,150.
At what age can you earn unlimited income on Social Security?
You can earn an unlimited income on Social Security once you reach your full retirement age (FRA), which varies by birth year but is age 67 for those born in 1960 or later.
Are Social Security taxes withheld after age 70?
Social Security can potentially be subject to tax regardless of your age. It’s not true that Social Security isn’t taxed after age 70 or some other age. You may have heard this at some point. In reality, Social Security is taxed at any age if your income exceeds a certain level.
Is Social Security taxable after 70?
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.
What age does Social Security automatically become taxable?
It may have been 70, 72, or even 65. Well, whatever age you’ve had in mind, it’s time to put this Social Security tax myth to rest. 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.
When do Social Security benefits become tax-free?
There is no specific age at which Social Security benefits become tax-free. Instead, the taxation of your benefits is determined annually by your “combined income,” a figure calculated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This calculation, not your age, dictates whether a portion of your benefits will be taxed.
How does age affect Social Security tax?
Managing the tax on Social Security has little to do with age. Learn how your overall income is calculated and how it impacts the taxability of your benefits. There is no specific age at which Social Security benefits become tax-free.
Is Social Security income taxable?
Keep in mind Supplemental Security Income — a monthly cash benefit administered but not funded by Social Security for people who are 65 or older, blind or have a disability and have low incomes and limited financial resources — is not taxable.
Do you pay Social Security taxes at any age?
Some people, like those who qualify for a religious exemption, don’t have to pay Social Security taxes at all, even if they are any age. When you’re ready to apply for retirement benefits, use our online retirement application, the quickest, easiest, and most convenient way to apply.