Social Security Tax Calculator: How Much of Your Benefits Is Taxable
Find how much of your Social Security benefits is taxable (0, 50 or 85%) from your provisional income, and the federal tax the benefits add in 2026.
The 25,000 / 32,000 and 34,000 / 44,000 limits are set by law and are not adjusted for inflation. The tax uses the 2026 brackets and standard deduction, with the extra deduction of 6,000 for people 65 and older. Some states also tax benefits.
What it does
Up to 85% of Social Security benefits can be taxed as income. How much depends on your provisional income: your other income plus tax-exempt interest plus half of your benefits. The calculator applies the IRS worksheet and then the 2026 tax brackets to show the taxable part and the tax it causes.
How to use it
- Choose your filing status and type your yearly benefits (box 5 of Form SSA-1099).
- Type your other income, tax-exempt interest and how many of you are 65 or older.
- See the taxable part, the federal tax and how much more tax the next 100 of income brings.
The arithmetic runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere and nothing is stored, so you can use these with real numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How much of my Social Security is taxable?
Single, 65 or older, with 24,000 of benefits and 30,000 of other income: provisional income is 42,000, so 11,300 of the benefits (47%) is taxable. The federal tax is 1,810, of which 1,225 comes from the benefits.
What is provisional income?
Other income plus tax-exempt interest plus half of your benefits. Up to 25,000 (32,000 joint) no benefits are taxed; up to 34,000 (44,000 joint) at most 50%; above that at most 85%. A couple with 40,000 of benefits and 20,000 of other income has 4,000 taxable and pays no tax.
What is the Social Security tax torpedo?
In the 85% zone every extra 100 of income also makes 85 of benefits taxable. In the first example, 100 more of IRA withdrawals costs 22.20 of tax: a 22.2% rate while in the 12% bracket.
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