Publication 915 – Fill Out and Use

Department of the Treasury

Internal Revenue Service

Publication 915

Cat. No. 15320P

Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits

For use in preparing 2020 Returns

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•IRS.gov/Chinese (中文) • IRS.gov/Vietnamese (TiếngViệt)

Jan 26, 2021

Contents

Future Developments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Are Any of Your Benefits Taxable? . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 How To Report Your Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 How Much Is Taxable? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Lump-Sum Election . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Deductions Related to Your Benefits . . . . . . . . . . 15 Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 How To Get Tax Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Future Developments

For the latest information about developments related to Pub. 915, such as legislation enacted after it was published, go to IRS.gov/Pub915.

Reminders

my Social Security account. Social security beneficia- ries may quickly and easily obtain information from the SSA's website with a my Social Security account to:

•Keep track of your earnings and verify them every year,

•Get an estimate of your future benefits if you are still working,

•Get a letter with proof of your benefits if you currently receive them,

•Change your address,

•Start or change your direct deposit,

•Get a replacement Medicare card, and

•Get a replacement Form SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S for the tax season.

For more information and to set up an account, go to SSA.gov/myaccount.

Photographs of missing children. The IRS is a proud partner with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC). Photographs of missing children se- lected by the Center may appear in this publication on pa- ges that would otherwise be blank. You can help bring these children home by looking at the photographs and calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) if you recog- nize a child.

Introduction

This publication explains the federal income tax rules for social security benefits and equivalent tier 1 railroad retire- ment benefits. It is prepared through the joint efforts of the IRS, the Social Security Administration (SSA), and the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB).

Social security benefits include monthly retirement, sur- vivor, and disability benefits. They don’t include Supple- mental Security Income (SSI) payments, which aren’t tax- able.

Equivalent tier 1 railroad retirement benefits are the part of tier 1 benefits that a railroad employee or benefi- ciary would have been entitled to receive under the social security system. They are commonly called the social se- curity equivalent benefit (SSEB) portion of tier 1 benefits.

If you received these benefits during 2020, you should have received a Form SSA-1099, Social Security Benefit Statement; Form RRB-1099, Payments by the Railroad Retirement Board; Form SSA-1042S, Social Security Benefit Statement; or Form RRB-1042S, Statement for Nonresident Alien Recipients of Payments by the Railroad Retirement Board, showing the amount.

Note. When the term “benefits” is used in this publica- tion, it applies to both social security benefits and the SSEB portion of tier 1 railroad retirement benefits.

What is covered in this publication. This publication covers the following topics.

•Whether any of your benefits are taxable.

•How to report taxable benefits.

•How much is taxable.

•How to treat lump-sum benefit payments.

•Deductions related to your benefits, including a de- duction or credit you can claim if your repayments are more than your gross benefits.

The Appendix at the end of this publication explains items shown on your Form SSA-1099, SSA-1042S, RRB-1099, or RRB-1042S.

What isn’t covered in this publication. This publication doesn’t cover the tax rules for the following railroad retire- ment benefits.

•Non-social security equivalent benefit (NSSEB) por- tion of tier 1 benefits.

•Tier 2 benefits.

•Vested dual benefits.

•Supplemental annuity benefits.

For information on these taxable pension benefits, see Pub. 575, Pension and Annuity Income.

This publication also doesn’t cover the tax rules for for- eign social security benefits. These benefits are taxable as annuities, unless they are exempt from U.S. tax or trea- ted as a U.S. social security benefit under a tax treaty.

Page 2

Comments and suggestions. We welcome your com- ments about this publication and your suggestions for fu- ture editions.

You can send us comments through IRS.gov/ FormComments.

Or, you can write to:

Internal Revenue Service Tax Forms and Publications

1111 Constitution Ave. NW, IR-6526 Washington, DC 20224

Although we can’t respond individually to each com- ment received, we do appreciate your feedback and will consider your comments and suggestions as we revise our tax forms, instructions, and publications. Do not send tax questions, tax returns, or payments to the above ad- dress.

Getting answers to your tax questions. If you have a tax question not answered by this publication or the How To Get Tax Help section at the end of this publication, go to the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant page at IRS.gov/ Help/ITA where you can find topics using the search fea- ture or viewing the categories listed.

Getting tax forms, instructions, and publications. Visit IRS.gov/Forms to download current and prior-year forms, instructions, and publications.

Ordering tax forms, instructions, and publications. Go to IRS.gov/OrderForms to order current forms, instruc- tions, and publications; call 800-829-3676 to order prior-year forms and instructions. The IRS will process your order for forms and publications as soon as possible. Do not submit requests you’ve already sent us. You can get forms and publications faster online.

Useful Items You may want to see:

Publication

501 Dependents, Standard Deduction, and Filing Information

505 Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax

519 U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens

575 Pension and Annuity Income

590-A Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)

Forms (and Instructions)

1040-ES Estimated Tax for Individuals

SSA-1099 Social Security Benefit Statement

RRB-1099 Payments by the Railroad Retirement Board

W-4V Voluntary Withholding Request

See How To Get Tax Help at the end of this publication for information about getting these publications and forms.

Publication 915 (2020)

Are Any of Your

Benefits Taxable?

To find out whether any of your benefits shown on Forms SSA-1099 and RRB-1099 may be taxable, compare the base amount (explained later) for your filing status with the total of:

1.One-half of your benefits; plus

2.All your other income, including tax-exempt interest.

Exclusions. When making this comparison, don’t reduce your other income by any exclusions for:

•Interest from qualified U.S. savings bonds,

•Employer-provided adoption benefits,

•Interest on education loans,

•Foreign earned income or foreign housing, or

•Income earned by bona fide residents of American Samoa or Puerto Rico.

Children's benefits. The rules in this publication apply to benefits received by children. See Who is taxed, later.

The SSA issues Form SSA-1099 and Form TIP SSA-1042S. The RRB issues Form RRB-1099 and Form RRB-1042S. These forms (tax state- ments) report the amounts paid and repaid, and taxes

withheld for a tax year. You may receive more than one of these forms for the same tax year. See the Appendix, later, for more information.

Each original Form RRB-1099 or Form RRB-1042S is valid unless it has been corrected. The RRB will issue a corrected Form RRB-1099 or Form RRB-1042S if there is an error in the original. A corrected Form RRB-1099 or Form RRB-1042S is indicated as “CORRECTED” and re- places the corresponding original Form RRB-1099 or

Form RRB-1042S. You must use the latest corrected Form RRB-1099 or Form RRB-1042S you received and any original Form RRB-1099 or Form RRB-1042S that the RRB hasn’t corrected when you determine what amounts to report on your tax return.

Figuring total income. To figure the total of one-half of your benefits plus your other income, use Worksheet A, discussed later. If the total is more than your base amount, part of your benefits may be taxable.

If you are married and file a joint return for 2020, you and your spouse must combine your incomes and your benefits to figure whether any of your combined benefits are taxable. Even if your spouse didn’t receive any bene- fits, you must add your spouse's income to yours to figure whether any of your benefits are taxable.

If the only income you received during 2020 was TIP your social security or the SSEB portion of tier 1 railroad retirement benefits, your benefits gener- ally aren’t taxable and you probably don’t have to file a re-

turn. If you have income in addition to your benefits, you may have to file a return even if none of your benefits are taxable. See IRS Pub. 501, Dependents, Standard De- duction, and Filing Information, or your tax return instruc- tions to find out if you have to file a return.

Base amount. Your base amount is:

•$25,000 if you are single, head of household, or quali- fying widow(er);

•$25,000 if you are married filing separately and lived apart from your spouse for all of 2020;

•$32,000 if you are married filing jointly; or

•$0 if you are married filing separately and lived with your spouse at any time during 2020.

Worksheet A. You can use Worksheet A to figure the amount of income to compare with your base amount. This is a quick way to check whether some of your bene- fits may be taxable.

B. Multiply line A by 50% (0.50) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B.

C.Enter your total income that is taxable (excluding line A), such as pensions, wages, interest, ordinary dividends, and capital gain distributions. Don’t reduce your income by any

4,100

27,500

-0-

$31,600

Who is taxed. Benefits are included in the taxable in- come (to the extent they are taxable) of the person who has the legal right to receive the benefits. For example, if you and your child receive benefits, but the check for your child is made out in your name, you must use only your part of the benefits to see whether any benefits are taxa- ble to you. One-half of the part that belongs to your child must be added to your child's other income to see whether any of those benefits are taxable to your child.

Repayment of benefits. Any repayment of benefits you made during 2020 must be subtracted from the gross ben- efits you received in 2020. It doesn’t matter whether the repayment was for a benefit you received in 2020 or in an earlier year. If you repaid more than the gross benefits you received in 2020, see Repayments More Than Gross Benefits, later.

Your gross benefits are shown in box 3 of Form SSA-1099 or Form RRB-1099. Your repayments are shown in box 4. The amount in box 5 shows your net ben- efits for 2020 (box 3 minus box 4). Use the amount in box 5 to figure whether any of your benefits are taxable.

Example. In 2019, you received $3,000 in social se- curity benefits, and in 2020 you received $2,700. In March 2020, the SSA notified you that you should have received only $2,500 in benefits in 2019. During 2020, you repaid $500 to the SSA. The Form SSA-1099 you received for 2020 shows $2,700 in box 3 (gross amount) and $500 in box 4 (repayment). The amount in box 5 shows your net benefits of $2,200 ($2,700 minus $500).

Tax withholding and estimated tax. You can choose to have federal income tax withheld from your social security benefits and/or the SSEB portion of your tier 1 railroad re- tirement benefits. If you choose to do this, you must com- plete a Form W-4V, Voluntary Withholding Request.

If you don’t choose to have income tax withheld, you may have to request additional withholding from other in- come or pay estimated tax during the year. For details, see Pub. 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, or the Instructions for Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individu- als.

U.S. citizens residing abroad. U.S. citizens who are residents of the following countries are exempt from U.S. tax on their benefits.

•Canada.

•Egypt.

•Germany.

•Ireland.

•Israel.

•Italy. (You must also be a citizen of Italy for the ex- emption to apply.)

•Romania.

•United Kingdom.

The SSA won’t withhold U.S. tax from your benefits if you are a U.S. citizen.

Publication 915 (2020)

The RRB will withhold U.S. tax from your benefits un- less you file Form RRB-1001, Nonresident Questionnaire, with the RRB to provide citizenship and residency infor- mation. If you don’t file Form RRB-1001, the RRB will con- sider you a nonresident alien and withhold tax from your railroad retirement benefits at a 30% rate. Contact the RRB to get this form.

Lawful permanent residents. For U.S. income tax pur- poses, lawful permanent residents (green card holders) are considered resident aliens until their lawful permanent resident status under the immigration laws is either taken away or is administratively or judicially determined to have been abandoned. Social security benefits paid to a green card holder are not subject to 30% withholding. If you are a green card holder and tax was withheld in error on your social security benefits because you have a foreign ad- dress, the withholding tax is refundable by the Social Se- curity Administration (SSA) or the IRS. The SSA will re- fund taxes erroneously withheld if the refund can be processed during the same calendar year in which the tax was withheld. If the SSA can’t refund the taxes withheld, you must file a Form 1040 or 1040-SR with the Internal Revenue Service Center, Austin, TX 73301, to determine if you are entitled to a refund. You must also attach the fol- lowing information to your Form 1040 or 1040-SR.

•A copy of the Form SSA-1042S, Social Security Bene- fit Statement.

•A copy of the “green card” unless you are a bona fide resident of American Samoa.

•A signed declaration that includes the following state- ments:

“The SSA should not have withheld federal income tax from my social security benefits because I am a U.S. law- ful permanent resident and my green card has been nei- ther revoked nor administratively or judicially determined to have been abandoned. I am filing a U.S. income tax re- turn for the tax year as a resident alien reporting all of my worldwide income. I have not claimed benefits for the tax year under an income tax treaty as a nonresident alien.”

Nonresident aliens. A nonresident alien is an individual who isn’t a citizen or resident of the United States. If you are a nonresident alien, the rules discussed in this publi- cation don’t apply to you. Instead, 85% of your benefits are taxed at a 30% rate, unless exempt (or subject to a lower rate) by treaty. You will receive a Form SSA-1042S or Form RRB-1042S showing the amount of your benefits. These forms will also show the tax rate and the amount of tax withheld from your benefits.

Under tax treaties with the following countries, resi- dents of these countries are exempt from U.S. tax on their benefits.

•Canada.

•Egypt.

•Germany.

•Ireland.

•Israel.

Page 5

•Italy.

•Japan.

•Romania.

•United Kingdom.

Under a treaty with India, benefits paid to individuals who are both residents and nationals of India are exempt from U.S. tax if the benefits are for services performed for the United States, its subdivisions, or local government authorities.

If you are a resident of Switzerland, your total benefit amount will be taxed at a 15% rate.

For more information on whether you are a nonresident alien, see Pub. 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens.

Exemption from withholding. If your social security benefits are exempt from tax because you are a resident of one of the treaty countries listed, the SSA won’t with- hold U.S. tax from your benefits.

If your railroad retirement benefits are exempt from tax because you are a resident of one of the treaty countries listed, you can claim an exemption from withholding by fil- ing Form RRB-1001 with the RRB. Contact the RRB to get this form.

Canadian or German social security benefits paid to U.S. residents. Under income tax treaties with Canada and Germany, social security benefits paid by those coun- tries to U.S. residents are treated for U.S. income tax pur- poses as if they were paid under the social security legis- lation of the United States. If you receive social security benefits from Canada or Germany, include them on line 1 of Worksheet 1.

How To Report Your Benefits

If part of your benefits are taxable, you must use Form 1040 or 1040-SR.

Reporting on Form 1040 or 1040-SR. Report your net benefits (the total amount from box 5 of all your Forms SSA-1099 and Forms RRB-1099) on line 6a and the taxa- ble part on line 6b. If you are married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2020, also enter “D” to the right of the word “benefits” on line 6a.

Benefits not taxable. Report your net benefits (the total amount from box 5 of all your Forms SSA-1099 and Forms RRB-1099) on Form 1040 or 1040-SR, line 6a. En- ter -0- on Form 1040 or 1040-SR, line 6b. If you are mar- ried filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2020, also enter “D” to the right of the word “ben- efits” on Form 1040 or 1040-SR, line 6a.

How Much Is Taxable?

If part of your benefits are taxable, how much is taxable depends on the total amount of your benefits and other in- come. Generally, the higher that total amount, the greater the taxable part of your benefits.

Maximum taxable part. Generally, up to 50% of your benefits will be taxable. However, up to 85% of your bene- fits can be taxable if either of the following situations ap- plies to you.

•The total of one-half of your benefits and all your other income is more than $34,000 ($44,000 if you are mar- ried filing jointly).

•You are married filing separately and lived with your spouse at any time during 2020.

Which worksheet to use. A worksheet you can use to figure your taxable benefits is in the Instructions for Forms 1040 and 1040-SR. You can use either that worksheet or Worksheet 1 in this publication, unless any of the following situations applies to you.

1.You contributed to a traditional individual retirement arrangement (IRA) and you or your spouse is covered by a retirement plan at work. In this situation, you must use the special worksheets in Appendix B of Pub. 590-A to figure both your IRA deduction and your taxable benefits.

2.Situation 1 doesn’t apply and you take an exclusion for interest from qualified U.S. savings bonds (Form 8815), for adoption benefits (Form 8839), for foreign earned income or housing (Form 2555), or for income earned in American Samoa (Form 4563) or Puerto Rico by bona fide residents. In this situation, you must use Worksheet 1 in this publication to figure your tax- able benefits.

3.You received a lump-sum payment for an earlier year. In this situation, also complete Worksheet 2 or 3 and Worksheet 4 in this publication. See Lump-Sum Elec- tion, later.

Examples

A few examples you can use as a guide to figure the taxa- ble part of your benefits follow.

Be sure to consider the adjustment to income for TIP charitable contributions on Form 1040 or 1040-SR, line 10b, when deciding whether to itemize. You can only claim that adjustment to income if you take the standard deduction. See the Instructions for

Forms 1040 and 1040-SR, for more information.

 2.

 3.

 4.

 5.

 6.

 7.

 8.

 9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

2,990

28,990 -0-

-0- 31,980

-0-

31,980

25,000

6,980

9,000 -0- 6,980 3,490 2,990 -0- 2,990 5,083

$2,990

 2.

 3.

 4.

 5.

 6.

 7.

 8.

 9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

2,800

29,750 -0-

-0- 32,550

1,000

31,550

32,000

 2.

 3.

 4.

 5.

 6.

 7.

 8.

 9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

5,000

40,500 -0-

-0- 45,500

-0-

45,500

32,000

13,500

12,000

1,500

12,000

6,000

5,000

1,275

6,275

8,500

$6,275

 2.

 3.

 4.

 5.

 6.

 7.

 8.

 9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

2,000

8,000 -0-

-0- 10,000

-0-

10,000

8,500

3,400

$3,400

Lump-Sum Election

You must include the taxable part of a lump-sum (retroac- tive) payment of benefits received in 2020 in your 2020

Page 10

income, even if the payment includes benefits for an ear- lier year.

Publication 915 (2020)

This type of lump-sum benefit payment shouldn’t TIP be confused with the lump-sum death benefit that both the SSA and RRB pay to many of their bene- ficiaries. No part of the lump-sum death benefit is subject

to tax.

Generally, you use your 2020 income to figure the taxa- ble part of the total benefits received in 2020. However, you may be able to figure the taxable part of a lump-sum payment for an earlier year separately, using your income for the earlier year. You can elect this method if it lowers your taxable benefits.

Under the lump-sum election method, you refigure the taxable part of all your benefits for the earlier year (includ- ing the lump-sum payment) using that year's income. Then, you subtract any taxable benefits for that year that you previously reported. The remainder is the taxable part of the lump-sum payment. Add it to the taxable part of your benefits for 2020 (figured without the lump-sum pay- ment for the earlier year).

Because the earlier year's taxable benefits are in- ! cluded in your 2020 income, no adjustment is CAUTION made to the earlier year's return. Don’t file an

amended return for the earlier year.

Will the lump-sum election method lower your taxa- ble benefits? To find out, take the following steps.

1.Complete Worksheet 1 in this publication.

2.Complete Worksheet 2 and Worksheet 3 as appropri- ate. Use Worksheet 2 if your lump-sum payment was for a year after 1993. Use Worksheet 3 if it was for 1993 or an earlier year. Complete a separate Work- sheet 2 or Worksheet 3 for each earlier year for which you received the lump-sum payment.

3.Complete Worksheet 4.

4.Compare the taxable benefits on line 19 of Worksheet 1 with the taxable benefits on line 21 of Worksheet 4.

If the taxable benefits on Worksheet 4 are lower than the taxable benefits on Worksheet 1, you can elect to report the lower amount on your return.

Making the election. If you elect to report your taxable benefits under the lump-sum election method, follow the instructions at the bottom of Worksheet 4. Don’t attach the completed worksheets to your return. Keep them with your records.

Once you elect this method of figuring the taxable ! part of a lump-sum payment, you can revoke your

CAUTION election only with the consent of the IRS.

Lump-sum payment reported on Form SSA-1099 or RRB-1099. If you received a lump-sum payment in 2020 that includes benefits for one or more earlier years after 1983, it will be included in box 3 of either Form SSA-1099 or Form RRB-1099. That part of any lump-sum payment for years before 1984 isn’t taxed and won’t be shown on the form. The form will also show the year (or years) the payment is for. However, Form RRB-1099 will not show a breakdown by year (or years) of any lump-sum payment for years before 2017. You must contact the RRB for a breakdown by year for any amount shown in box 9.

Example

Jane Jackson is single. In 2019, she applied for social se- curity disability benefits but was told she was ineligible. She appealed the decision and won. In 2020, she re- ceived a lump-sum payment of $6,000, of which $2,000 was for 2019 and $4,000 was for 2020. Jane also re- ceived $5,000 in social security benefits in 2020, so her total benefits in 2020 were $11,000. Jane's other income for 2019 and 2020 is as follows.

To see if the lump-sum election method results in lower taxable benefits, she completes Worksheets 1, 2, and 4 from this publication. She doesn’t need to complete Work- sheet 3 because her lump-sum payment was for years af- ter 1993.

Jane completes Worksheet 1 to find the amount of her taxable benefits for 2020 under the regular method. She completes Worksheet 2 to find the taxable part of the lump-sum payment for 2019 under the lump-sum election method. She completes Worksheet 4 to decide if the lump-sum election method will lower her taxable benefits.

After completing the worksheets, Jane compares the amounts from Worksheet 4, line 21; and Worksheet 1, line 19. Because the amount on Worksheet 4 is smaller, she chooses to use the lump-sum election method. To do this, she prints “LSE” to the left of Form 1040 or 1040-SR, line 6a. She then enters $11,000 on Form 1040 or 1040-SR, line 6a, and her taxable benefits of $2,500 on line 6b.

Jane's filled-in worksheets (1, 2, and 4) follow.

 2.

 3.

 4.

 5.

 6.

 7.

 8.

 9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

5,500

25,500 -0-

-0- 31,000

-0-

31,000

25,000

6,000

9,000 -0- 6,000 3,000 3,000 -0- 3,000 9,350

$3,000

 2.

 3.

 4.

 5.

 6.

 7.

 8.

 9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

1,000

23,000

-0- -0- 24,000 -0- 24,000

25,000

-0-

Deductions Related to Your Benefits

You may be entitled to deduct certain amounts related to the benefits you receive.

Disability payments. You may have received disability payments from your employer or an insurance company that you included as income on your tax return in an ear- lier year. If you received a lump-sum payment from the SSA or RRB, and you had to repay the employer or insur- ance company for the disability payments, you can take an itemized deduction for the part of the payments you in- cluded in gross income in the earlier year. If the amount you repay is more than $3,000, you may be able to claim a tax credit instead. Claim the deduction or credit in the same way explained under Repayment of benefits re- ceived in an earlier year in the section Repayments More Than Gross Benefits next.

Repayments More Than Gross Benefits

In some situations, your Form SSA-1099 or Form RRB-1099 will show that the total benefits you repaid (box 4) are more than the gross benefits (box 3) you re- ceived. If this occurred, your net benefits in box 5 will be a negative figure (a figure in parentheses) and none of your benefits will be taxable. Don’t use Worksheet 1 in this case. If you receive more than one form, a negative figure in box 5 of one form is used to offset a positive figure in box 5 of another form for that same year.

If you have any questions about this negative figure, contact your local SSA office or your local RRB field office.

Joint return. If you and your spouse file a joint return, and your Form SSA-1099 or RRB-1099 has a negative figure in box 5, but your spouse's doesn’t, subtract the amount in box 5 of your form from the amount in box 5 of your spouse's form. You do this to get your net benefits when figuring if your combined benefits are taxable.

Example. John and Mary file a joint return for 2020. John received Form SSA-1099 showing $3,000 in box 5. Mary also received Form SSA-1099 and the amount in box 5 was ($500). John and Mary will use $2,500 ($3,000 minus $500) as the amount of their net benefits when fig- uring if any of their combined benefits are taxable.

Repayment of benefits received in an earlier year. If the total amount shown in box 5 of all of your Forms

SSA-1099 and RRB-1099 is a negative figure, you may be able to deduct part of this negative figure that represents benefits you included in gross income in an earlier year, if the figure is more than $3,000. If the figure is $3,000 or less, it is a miscellaneous itemized deduction and can no longer be deducted.

Deduction more than $3,000. If this deduction is more than $3,000, you should figure your tax two ways.

1.Figure your tax for 2020 with the itemized deduction included on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 16.

2.Figure your tax for 2020 in the following steps.

a.Figure the tax without the itemized deduction in- cluded on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 16.

b.For each year after 1983 for which part of the neg- ative figure represents a repayment of benefits, re- figure your taxable benefits as if your total benefits for the year were reduced by that part of the nega- tive figure. Then, refigure the tax for that year.

c.Subtract the total of the refigured tax amounts in

(b) from the total of your actual tax amounts.

d.Subtract the result in (c) from the result in (a).

Compare the tax figured in methods 1 and 2. Your tax for 2020 is the smaller of the two amounts. If method 1 re- sults in less tax, take the itemized deduction on Sched- ule A (Form 1040), line 16. If method 2 results in less tax, claim a credit for the amount from step 2c above on Schedule 3 (Form 1040), line 12d. Enter “I.R.C. 1341” on the entry line. If both methods produce the same tax, de- duct the repayment on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 16.

Worksheets

Blank Worksheets 1 through 4 are provided in this sec- tion.

1.Worksheet 1, Figuring Your Taxable Benefits.

2.Worksheet 2, Figure Your Additional Taxable Benefits (From a Lump-Sum Payment for a Year After 1993).

3.Worksheet 3, Figure Your Additional Taxable Benefits (From a Lump-Sum Payment for a Year Before 1994).

4.Worksheet 4, Figure Your Taxable Benefits Under the Lump-Sum Election Method (Use With Worksheet 2 or 3).

 2.

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11.

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19.

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 5. Enter any tax-exempt interest received in the earlier year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 6. Add lines 2 through 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 7. Enter your taxable benefits for the earlier year that you previously reported . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 8. Subtract line 7 from line 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 9. Enter $25,000 ($32,000 if married filing jointly for the earlier year; -0- if married filing separately for the earlier year and you lived with your spouse at any time during the earlier year) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10. Is the amount on line 8 more than the amount on line 9? No. Skip lines 10 through 13 and enter -0- on line 14.

Yes. Subtract line 9 from line 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11. Multiply line 10 by 50% (0.50) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12. Refigured taxable benefits. Enter the smaller of line 2 or line 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

13. Enter your taxable benefits for the earlier year (or as refigured due to a previous lump-sum payment for the year) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

14. Additional taxable benefits. Subtract line 13 from line 12. Also enter this amount on Worksheet

4, line 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 2.

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Note. If line 1 is zero or less, skip lines 2 through 18, enter -0- on line 19, and go to line 20. Otherwise, go to line 2.

 2. Multiply line 1 by 50% (0.50) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 3. Enter the amount from Worksheet 1, line 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 4. Enter the amount from Worksheet 1, line 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 5. Enter the amount from Worksheet 1, line 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 6. Combine lines 2, 3, 4, and 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 7. Enter the amount from Worksheet 1, line 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 8. Subtract line 7 from line 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 9. Enter the amount from Worksheet 1, line 9. But if you are married filing separately and lived with your spouse at any time during 2020, skip lines 9 through 16, multiply line 8 by 85% (0.85), and enter the result on line 17. Then, go to line 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10.Is the amount on line 8 more than the amount on line 9?

No. Skip lines 10 through 18, enter -0- on line 19, and go to line 20.

Yes. Subtract line 9 from line 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11. Enter the amount from Worksheet 1, line 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12. Subtract line 11 from line 10. If zero or less, enter -0- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

13. Enter the smaller of line 10 or line 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

14. Multiply line 13 by 50% (0.50) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

15. Enter the smaller of line 2 or line 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16. Multiply line 12 by 85% (0.85). If line 12 is zero, enter -0- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

17. Add lines 15 and 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18. Multiply line 1 by 85% (0.85) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

19. Enter the smaller of line 17 or line 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20. Enter the total of the amounts from Worksheet 2, line 21, and Worksheet 3, line 14, for all earlier years for which the lump-sum payment was received . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

21. Taxable benefits under lump-sum election method. Add lines 19 and 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 2.

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Appendix

This appendix explains items shown on Form SSA-1099 and Form RRB-1099. Forms SSA-1042S and RRB-1042S, for nonresident aliens, contain the same items plus a few additional ones. These are also ex- plained.

appeared when this publication went to print. The informa- tion on the illustrated forms should essentially be the same as the information on the form you received from ei- ther the SSA or the RRB. You should, however, compare the form you received with the one shown in this publica- tion to note any differences.

this form. It contains a worksheet to help you figure if any of your benefits are taxable. Don’t mail Notice 703 to ei- ther the IRS or the SSA.

Box 1—Name

The name shown in this box refers to the person for whom the social security benefits shown on the statement were paid. If you received benefits for yourself, your name will be shown.

Box 2—Beneficiary's Social Security Number

This is the U.S. social security number, if known, of the person named in box 1.

In all your correspondence with the SSA, be sure TIP to use the claim number shown in box 8.

Form SSA-1099, Social Security Benefit Statement 2020

Every person who received social security benefits will re- ceive a Form SSA-1099. If you receive benefits on more than one social security record, you may get more than one Form SSA-1099. IRS Notice 703 will be enclosed with

Box 3—Benefits Paid in 2020

The figure shown in this box is the total benefits paid in 2020 to you (the person named in box 1). This figure may not agree with the amounts you actually received because adjustments may have been made to your benefits before

Box 1. Name

Box 2. Beneficiary’s Social Security Number

Box 3. Benefits Paid in 2020

Box 4. Benefits Repaid to SSA in 2020

Box 5. Net Benefits for 2020 (Box 3 minus Box 4)

DESCRIPTION OF AMOUNT IN BOX 3

DESCRIPTION OF AMOUNT IN BOX 4

you received them. An asterisk (*) after the figure shown in this box means that it includes benefits received in 2020 for one or more earlier years.

Description of Amount in Box 3

This part of the form describes the items included in the amount shown in box 3. It lists the benefits paid and any adjustments made. Only the adjustments that apply to you will be shown. If no adjustments were made to the bene- fits paid, the word “none” will be shown.

Paid by check or direct deposit. This is the amount you actually received or that was deposited directly into your account in a financial institution in 2020.

Additions. The following adjustment items may have been deducted from your benefits in 2020. If amounts ap- pear on your Form SSA-1099 next to these items, they will be added to the amount shown in “Paid by check or direct deposit.”

Don’t reduce the amount of net social security TIP benefits (box 5) by any of the items listed below. security.Use the amount in box 5 to figure taxable social

Medicare premiums deducted from your benefits. If you have Medicare premiums deducted from your bene- fits, this is the amount withheld during 2020. The basic monthly premium in 2020 was $144.60 for most people, but it could be higher if you were a new enrollee in 2020, you enrolled after you were first eligible, you had a break in coverage, or the modified adjusted gross income shown on your 2018 federal income tax return is greater than $87,000 ($174,000 if married filing jointly).

Medicare Part C, Medicare Advantage Premium; and Medicare Part D, Prescription Drug Premium, are other Medicare deductions you may have. These premiums may vary.

Workers' compensation offset. If you are disabled and receive workers' compensation or Part C Black Lung payments, your benefits are subject to a payment limit. An entry will be shown here if your benefits were reduced to stay within this limit. An entry will also be shown here if your benefits were reduced because the person on whose social security record you were paid is disabled and also received workers' compensation or Part C Black Lung payments.

Disability payments (including Social Security Dis- ability Insurance (SSDI) payments). These payments are generally not included in income if they are for injuries incurred as a direct result of a terrorist attack directed against the United States or its allies. If these payments are incorrectly reported as taxable on Form SSA-1099, don't include the nontaxable portion of income on your tax return. You may receive a notice from the IRS regarding the omitted payments. Follow the instructions in the notice to explain that the excluded payments aren't taxable. For more information about these payments, see Pub. 3920, Tax Relief for Victims of Terrorist Attacks.

Paid to another family member. This entry shows total payments withheld from your benefits if you are re- quired to pay child support or alimony.

Deductions for work or other adjustments. Amounts withheld from your benefits because of work or to recover an overpayment of any type of benefit are ben- efits paid to you and will be shown here. They may also be treated as benefits repaid to the SSA and included in the amount in box 4.

Attorney fees. If you had an attorney handle your so- cial security claim, the figure shown here is the fee with- held from your benefits and paid directly to your attorney.

Voluntary federal income tax withheld. This shows the total amount of federal income tax withheld from your benefits. Include this amount on your income tax return as tax withheld.

Treasury benefit payment offset, garnishment, and/or tax levy. Part of your Title II Social Security bene- fit may be withheld on behalf of the Treasury Department to recover debts you owe to other federal agencies; part of your Title II Social Security benefits may be withheld to pay child support, alimony, or court ordered victim restitu- tion; and/or part of your Title II Social Security benefits may be withheld to pay your debt to the IRS.

Total additions. The figure shown here is the sum of the amounts paid by check or direct deposit plus all the addi- tions described previously.

Subtractions. The following adjustment items may have been included in the payments you received in 2020. If amounts appear on your Form SSA-1099 next to these items, they will be subtracted from the figure in Total Addi- tions.

Payments for months before December 1983. The figure shown here is the amount of benefits you received in 2020 that was for months before December 1983. These benefits aren’t taxable no matter when they are paid.

Lump-sum death payment. The lump-sum death payment isn’t subject to tax. An entry here means you re- ceived this kind of payment in 2020.

Amounts refunded to you. The amount shown here may include Medicare premiums you paid in excess of the amount actually due. It may also include amounts withheld in 2020 to pay your attorney in excess of the fee actually paid.

Nontaxable payments. This entry shows nontaxable payments such as lump-sum death payments.

Amounts paid to you for other family members. This entry shows benefit payments paid to you on behalf of a minor child or disabled adult.

Total subtractions. The figure shown here is the sum of all the subtractions described previously.

Benefits for 2020. The amount shown here is the result of subtracting the figure in Total subtractions, earlier, from the figure in Total additions, earlier. This amount is the same as that shown in box 3.

*Box 3 includes $ paid in 2020 for 2019, 2018, and other tax years. The figure shown here is the amount of any lump-sum benefit payment received in 2020 that is for an earlier year after 1983. See Lump-Sum Election, earlier, for a full discussion on how these pay- ments are handled.

Box 4—Benefits Repaid to SSA in 2020

The figure shown in this box is the total amount of benefits you repaid to the SSA in 2020.

Description of Amount in Box 4

This part of the form describes the items included in the amount shown in box 4. It lists the amount of benefit checks you returned to the SSA and any adjustments for other types of repayments. The amounts listed include all amounts repaid in 2020, no matter when the benefits were received. Only the repayments that apply to you will be shown. If you didn’t make any repayments, the word “none” will be shown.

Checks returned to the SSA. If any of your benefit checks were returned to the SSA, the total is shown here.

Deductions for work or other adjustments. If any amounts were withheld from your benefits because of work or to recover an overpayment of retirement, survi- vors, or disability benefits, the total will be shown here. This may also be shown as Deductions for work or other adjustments under Description of Amount in Box 3, ear- lier.

Other repayments. This is the amount you repaid to the SSA by direct remittance.

Benefits repaid to the SSA in 2020. The amount shown here is the sum of all your repayments. This total is the same as that shown in box 4.

Box 5—Net Benefits for 2020 (Box 3 minus Box 4)

The figure in this box is the net benefits paid to you for the year. It is the result of subtracting the figure in box 4 from the figure in box 3. Enter this amount on line A of IRS No- tice 703, or on line 1 of Worksheet 1, shown earlier, or on the worksheet in the Instructions for Forms 1040 and 1040-SR.

If parentheses are around the figure in box 5, it means that the figure in box 4 is larger than the figure in box 3. This is a negative figure and means you repaid more money than you received in 2020. If you have any ques- tions about this negative figure, contact your local SSA of- fice. For more information, see Repayments More Than Gross Benefits, earlier.

Box 6—Voluntary Federal Income Tax Withheld

This shows the total amount of federal income tax with- held from your benefits. Include this amount on your in- come tax return as tax withheld.

Form SSA-1042S, Social Security

Benefit Statement 2020 (Nonresident

Aliens)

This form is for nonresident aliens. It contains the follow- ing four additional items that don’t appear on Form SSA-1099.

Box 6—Rate of Tax

This is the rate at which tax was withheld from 85% of your benefits. If tax was withheld at more than one rate during the year, the percentage shown will be the tax rate in December 2020. The tax rate for most nonresident ali- ens is 30%. If you are a resident of Switzerland, your total benefit amount will be taxed at a 15% rate. The figure “0” will appear in this box if you were not taxed in December or if you were exempt under a tax treaty. Benefits received by residents of Canada, Egypt, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Romania, and the United Kingdom are ex- empt from U.S. tax.

Under a treaty with India, benefits paid to individuals who are both residents and nationals of India are exempt from U.S. tax if the benefits are for services performed for the United States, its subdivisions, or local government authorities. See Pub. 519 for more information on nonresi- dent aliens.

Box 7—Amount of Tax Withheld

This is the amount of tax taken out of your social security checks. Tax is withheld for any month in which you were a nonresident alien (unless you were exempt under a tax treaty).

Box 8—Amount of Tax Refunded

An amount in this box shows any tax the SSA refunded to you. When the SSA withholds tax from your checks by mistake, they try to return it to you during the same calen- dar year. If the SSA is unable to send the refund to you before the year ends, you must file a federal income tax return to get a refund of this tax.

Box 9—Net Tax Withheld During 2020 (Box 7 minus Box 8)

The figure in this box is the result of subtracting the figure in box 8 from the figure in box 7. This is the net amount of tax withheld from your benefits.

Box 1. Name

Box 2. Beneficiary’s Social Security Number

Box 3. Benefits Paid in 2020

Box 4. Benefits Repaid to SSA in 2020

Box 5. Net Benefits for 2020 (Box 3 minus Box 4)

Form RRB-1099, Payments by the Railroad Retirement Board 2020

This section explains the items shown on Form RRB-1099. Form RRB-1099 is issued to citizens and resi- dents of the United States. If you received, repaid, or had tax withheld from the social security equivalent benefit (SSEB) portion of tier 1 railroad retirement benefits or spe- cial guaranty benefits during 2020, you will receive Form RRB-1099.

If you received, repaid, or had tax withheld from any non-social security equivalent benefit (NSSEB) portion of tier 1, tier 2, vested dual benefits, or supplemental annuity benefits during 2020, you will receive Form RRB-1099-R, Annuities or Pensions by the Railroad Retirement Board. For more information concerning Form RRB-1099-R, see Pub. 575.

Each beneficiary will receive his or her own Form TIP RRB-1099. If you receive benefits on more than one railroad retirement record, you may get more than one Form RRB-1099. To help ensure that you get

your form timely, make sure the RRB always has your cur- rent mailing address.

Box 1—Claim Number and Payee Code

Your RRB claim number is a 6- or 9-digit number prece- ded by an alphabetical prefix and is the number under which the SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits or special guar- anty benefits were paid. Your payee code is the number following your claim number and is used by the RRB to identify you under your claim number. In all your contacts with the RRB, be sure to use the claim number and payee code shown in this box.

Box 2—Recipient's Identification Number

This is the U.S. social security number (SSN), individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN), or employer

identification number (EIN), if known, for the person or es- tate listed as the recipient.

Box 3—Gross Social Security Equivalent Benefit Portion of Tier 1 Paid in 2020

The figure shown in this box is the gross SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits or special guaranty benefits paid to you in 2020. It is the amount before any deductions were made for:

•Federal income tax withholding;

•Medicare premiums;

•Legal Process Garnishment payments;

•Overall minimum assignment payments;

•Recovery of an overpayment, including recovery of Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act benefits re- ceived while awaiting payment of your railroad retire- ment annuity; and

•Workers' compensation offset (explained in the de- scription of box 6, later).

The figure in box 3 is the amount after any deductions were made for:

•Social security benefits,

•Age reduction,

•Public service pensions or public disability benefits,

•Dual railroad retirement entitlement under another RRB claim number,

•Work deductions,

•Actuarial adjustment,

•Annuity waiver, and

•Legal Process Partition payments.

Social security benefits paid through the RRB ! aren’t reported on Form RRB-1099 or CAUTION RRB-1042S. They are reported on Form

SSA-1099 or Form SSA-1042S issued by the SSA.

Example 1. For the period January through March 2020, you received $300 ($100 × 3 months) Railroad Un- employment Insurance. You were eligible for the SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits of $509 a month beginning Janu- ary 1, 2020, but you didn’t receive your first payment until April 2020. The payment you received in April was for the first 3 months of 2020. However, because you received unemployment benefits during the same period, $300 was deducted from your initial benefit payment. Instead of re- ceiving $1,527 ($509 × 3 months), you received $1,227 ($1,527 − $300). For the months of April through Novem- ber, you were paid your regular monthly SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits of $509. Box 3 of your Form RRB-1099 will show $5,599 ($509 × 11 months) as the gross SSEB por- tion of tier 1 benefits paid to you in 2020, even though you didn’t actually receive that amount. This is because box 3 shows the gross amount of your benefits before any re- ductions were made for the unemployment benefits paid to you.

Example 2. You received tier 1 benefits of $600 a month for the months of January 2020 through June 2020. Your $600 monthly tier 1 benefits consist of an SSEB por- tion of $250 and an NSSEB portion of $350. Beginning in July 2020, you became entitled to Medicare, and $144.60 a month was deducted from your benefit checks for Medi- care premiums. Therefore, the tier 1 payments you re- ceived for the rest of the year were $455.40 ($600 − $144.60) a month. Box 3 of your Form RRB-1099 will show the gross SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits of $3,000 ($250 × 12 months), because it’s the gross SSEB amount before deductions for your Medicare premiums. Box 11 of your Form RRB-1099 will show your Medicare premiums of $867.60 ($144.60 × 6 months) deducted from July through December 2020. The remainder of your tier 1 payments, the NSSEB portion of $4,200 ($350 × 12 months), will be shown on the Form RRB-1099-R that you will receive along with your Form RRB-1099. The $4,200 is the gross NSSEB amount before deductions for your Medicare premiums. (The Medicare Premium Total box shown on your Form RRB-1099-R will be blank because the Medicare total will be shown in box 11 of your Form RRB-1099.) For more information on Form RRB-1099-R, see Pub. 575.

Benefits paid for earlier years. The figure in box 3 includes any lump-sum benefit payment you received in 2020 that is for an earlier year after 1983. If you received a payment for an earlier year, it will be shown in box 7, 8, or 9 (described later). See Lump-Sum Election, earlier, for information on how to treat the payment.

Publication 915 (2020)

Box 4—Social Security Equivalent Benefit Portion of Tier 1 Repaid to RRB in 2020

The figure shown in this box is the total SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits you repaid to the RRB in 2020. You may have repaid a benefit by returning a payment, making a cash refund, or having an amount withheld from your pay- ments. In addition, an amount may have been withheld from your benefits to recover the SSEB overpayment in- curred by someone else who is also receiving benefits un- der your claim number. Also, an amount may have been withheld from another benefit, such as a social security benefit, to recover an SSEB overpayment you received.

The amount in box 4 also includes any SSEB benefits you repaid in 2020 that were for 2020 or for 1 or more years before 2020. All tier 1 repayments for years before 1986 are treated entirely as SSEB benefits.

Example 1. You returned to work for your last railroad employer for the months of June through August 2020. The SSEB portion of your tier 1 benefits was $450 for each of those months. Since you aren’t allowed to receive benefits for any month you returned to railroad service, you have to make a repayment to the RRB. You returned the benefit payment for June through August 2020. Box 4 of your Form RRB-1099 will show $1,350 ($450 × 3 months) as the SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits you repaid to the RRB.

Example 2. From January through April 2020, you were overpaid $800 in the SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits. From May through August 2020, $200 a month was with- held from your benefit payment to fully recover the $800 overpayment. Box 4 of your Form RRB-1099 will show $800 ($200 × 4 months) as the SSEB portion of tier 1 ben- efits you repaid to the RRB.

Example 3. As a retired railroad employee, you have been receiving a railroad retirement annuity, including an SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits, since 2019. You also be- came entitled to, and received from the SSA, a social se- curity benefit of $300 a month beginning May 1, 2020. The SSA later authorized the RRB to pay that benefit. In Au- gust 2020, the RRB began paying your social security benefit to you and reduced the SSEB portion of your monthly tier 1 benefit by $300. Social security benefits of $900 ($300 × 3 months) covering the period May through July 2020 were kept by the RRB to offset your $900 SSEB overpayment for that same period. Box 4 of your Form RRB-1099 will show $900 as the SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits you repaid to the RRB.

Note. The SSA will send you Form SSA-1099, which will include the $900 in benefits paid by them for the months of May through July 2020.

Box 5—Net Social Security Equivalent Benefit Portion of Tier 1 Paid in 2020

The figure shown in this box is the net amount of the SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits paid to you in 2020. It is the result of subtracting the amount in box 4 from the amount

Page 25

in box 3. If you received more than one Form RRB-1099 for 2020, you should add the amounts in box 5 of all Forms RRB-1099 to determine your net amount of SSEB payments for 2020. Use this amount to determine if any of your benefits are taxable. See Are Any of Your Benefits Taxable, earlier.

If parentheses are around the figure in box 5, it means that the figure in box 4 is larger than the figure in box 3. This is a negative figure and means you repaid more money than you received in 2020. For more information, see Repayments More Than Gross Benefits, earlier.

Box 6—Workers' Compensation Offset in 2020

The figure shown in this box is the amount you received in workers' compensation benefits during the year that was used to offset the full amount of your tier 1 payments. The SSEB portions of your tier 1 benefits shown in boxes 3 and 5 include amounts by which your SSEB payments were reduced for workers' compensation benefits. Your workers' compensation amount is shown in this box sepa- rately only for your information. If you didn’t receive work- ers' compensation benefits, box 6 is blank.

Example. For 2020, your tier 1 benefit of $450 a month is reduced to $400 because of a $50-a-month workers' compensation offset. Boxes 3 and 5 of your Form RRB-1099 will show $5,400 ($450 × 12 months) as the SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits paid to you by the RRB. The $5,400 is the amount before any deductions were made for the workers' compensation offset. Box 4 will show zero because you didn’t make any repayments dur- ing the year. Box 6 of your form will show $600 ($50 work- ers' compensation × 12 months). In figuring if any of your benefits are taxable, you must use $5,400 (box 5) as the amount of the SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits paid to you.

Boxes 7 and 8—Social Security Equivalent Benefit Portion of Tier 1 Paid for 2019 or 2018

The figure shown in each applicable box is the amount of SSEB benefits paid to you in 2020 that was for 2019 or 2018. This amount is included in the amount shown in box 3.

Box 9—Social Security Equivalent Benefit Portion of Tier 1 Paid for Years Prior to 2018

The figure shown in this box is the amount of SSEB bene- fits paid to you in 2020 that was for 2017 and earlier years after 1983. This amount is included in the amount shown in box 3. Any tier 1 benefit paid for a period before 1986 is treated as SSEB.

Box 10—Federal Income Tax Withheld

The figure shown in this box is the total amount of U.S. federal income tax withheld on your 2020 tier 1 SSEB or special guaranty benefit payments. This total is based on the amount of SSEB tax withholding requested on IRS Form W-4V, Voluntary Withholding Request. Include this amount on your income tax return as tax withheld.

Box 11—Medicare Premium Total

This is the total amount of Part B, Part C, and/or Part D Medicare premiums deducted from your railroad retire- ment annuity payments shown on your Form RRB-1099.

Form RRB-1042S, Payments by the Railroad Retirement Board 2020 (Nonresident Aliens)

This form is for nonresident aliens. It has undergone re- cent revisions.

Note. If your country of legal residence changed or your tax withholding rate changed during the year, you may receive more than one Form RRB-1042S. To deter- mine your total amounts for the year, you should add the amounts shown on all Forms RRB-1042S you received for that year.

Box 1—Income Code

The figure shown in this box indicates the amounts are ei- ther SSEB payments or pension payments.

Box 2—Chapter Indicator

The figure shown in this box indicates the amounts on the statement were withheld pursuant to Chapter 3 rules.

Boxes 3 and 4—Chapter 3 or 4 Status Code

The status code shown in each applicable box indicates the RRB is a U.S. withholding agent.

Box 5—Employee Contributions

This is the amount of taxes withheld from your railroad employment earnings that exceeds the amount of taxes that would have been withheld had the earnings been covered under the social security system. The amount shown is your total employee contribution amount attribut- able to a railroad account number and must be shared by all annuitants eligible to use it. It is the latest amount re- ported for 2020 and may have increased or decreased from a previous Form RRB-1042S. A change in the amount may affect the nontaxable portion of your contrib- utory amounts paid. You may need to refigure the nontax- able amount and/or file original or amended income tax return(s) using the amount reported on this form. If this box is blank, it means that your contributory amount paid and total gross paid are fully taxable. For more informa- tion, see Pub. 575, Pension and Annuity Income; and Pub. 939, General Rule for Pensions and Annuities.

Box 6—Claim Number and Payee Code

Your RRB claim number is a 6- or 9-digit number prece- ded by an alphabetical prefix and is the number under which the SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits or special guar- anty benefits were paid. Your payee code is the number following your claim number and is used by the RRB to identify you under your claim number. In all your contacts with the RRB, be sure to use the claim number and payee code shown in this box.

Box 7—Recipient’s U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)

This is the U.S. social security number (SSN), individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN), or employer identifi- cation number (EIN), if known, for the person or estate lis- ted as the recipient.

Publication 915 (2020)

Box 8—Recipient’s Chapter 3 Status Code

The status code shown in this box indicates the amounts on the form were paid to an individual.

Box 9—Recipient’s Date of Birth

The date of birth of the recipient.

Box 10—Gross Benefit Paid in 2020

The figure shown in this box is the total amount of benefits paid to you in 2020. It includes any benefits paid in 2020 that were for prior years. It is the amount before any de- ductions were made for:

•Federal income tax withholding;

•Medicare premiums;

•Legal Process Garnishment payments;

•Overall minimum assignment payments;

•Recovery of an overpayment, including recovery of Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act benefits re- ceived while awaiting payment of your railroad retire- ment annuity; and

•Workers’ compensation offset.

The figure in box 10 is the amount after any deductions were made for:

•Social security benefits,

•Age reduction,

•Public service pensions or public disability benefits,

•Dual railroad retirement entitlement under another RRB claim number,

•Work deductions,

•Actuarial adjustment,

•Annuity waiver, and

•Legal Process Partition payments.

Social security benefits paid through the RRB ! aren’t reported on Form RRB-1099 or CAUTION RRB-1042S. They are reported on Form

SSA-1099 or Form SSA-1042S issued by the SSA.

Example 1. For the period January through March 2020, you received $300 ($100 × 3 months) Railroad Un- employment Insurance. You were eligible for the SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits of $509 a month beginning Janu- ary 1, 2020, but you didn’t receive your first payment until April 2020. The payment you received in April was for the first 3 months of 2020. However, because you received unemployment benefits during the same period, $300 was deducted from your initial benefit payment. Instead of re- ceiving $1,527 ($509 × 3 months), you received $1,227 ($1,527 − $300). For the months of April through Novem- ber, you were paid your regular monthly SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits of $509. Box 10 of your Form RRB-1042S will show $5,599 ($509 × 11 months) as the gross SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits paid to you in 2020, even though

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you didn’t actually receive that amount. This is because box 10 shows the gross amount of your benefits before any reductions were made for the unemployment benefits paid to you.

Example 2. You received tier 1 benefits of $600 a month for the months of January through June 2020. Your $600 monthly tier 1 benefits consist of an SSEB portion of $250 and an NSSEB portion of $350. Beginning in July 2020, you became entitled to Medicare, and $144.60 a month was deducted from your benefit checks for Medi- care premiums. Therefore, the tier 1 payments you re- ceived for the rest of the year were $455.40 ($600 − $144.60) a month. Box 10 of your Form RRB-1042S will show the gross SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits of $3,000 ($250 × 12 months), because it’s the gross SSEB amount before deductions for your Medicare premiums. Box 17 of your Form RRB-1042S will show your Medicare premiums of $867.60 ($144.60 × 6 months) deducted from July through December 2020. The remainder of your tier 1 payments, the NSSEB portion of $4,200 ($350 × 12 months), will be shown on the Form RRB-1099-R that you will receive along with your Form RRB-1042S. The $4,200 is the gross NSSEB amount before deductions for your Medicare premiums. (The Medicare Premium Total box shown on your Form RRB-1099-R will be blank because the Medicare total will be shown in box 17 of your Form RRB-1042S.) For more information on Form RRB-1042S, see Pub. 575.

Benefits paid for earlier years. The figure in box 10 includes any lump-sum benefit payment you received in 2020 that is for an earlier year after 1983. See Lump-Sum Election, earlier, for information on how to treat the pay- ment.

Box 11—Benefit Repaid to RRB in 2020

The figure shown in this box is the total amount of benefits you repaid to the RRB in 2020, including any benefits you repaid in 2020 for prior years. You may have repaid a ben- efit by returning a payment, by making a cash refund, or by having an amount withheld from your annuity for over- payment recovery purposes. In addition, an amount may have been withheld from your benefits to recover an over- payment incurred by someone else who is also receiving benefits under your claim number.

The amount in box 11 also includes any SSEB benefits you repaid in 2020 that were for 2020 or for 1 or more years before 2020. All tier 1 repayments for years before 1986 are treated entirely as SSEB benefits.

Example 1. You returned to work for your last railroad employer for the months of June through August 2020. The SSEB portion of your tier 1 benefits was $450 for each of those months. Since you aren’t allowed to receive benefits for any month you returned to railroad service, you have to make a repayment to the RRB. You returned the benefit payment for June through August 2020. Box 4 of your Form RRB-1099 will show $1,350 ($450 × 3 months) as the SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits you repaid to the RRB.

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Example 2. From January through April 2020, you were overpaid $800 in the SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits. From May through August 2020, $200 a month was with- held from your benefit payment to fully recover the $800 overpayment. Box 4 of your Form RRB-1099 will show $800 ($200 × 4 months) as the SSEB portion of tier 1 ben- efits you repaid to the RRB.

Example 3. As a retired railroad employee, you have been receiving a railroad retirement annuity, including an SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits, since 2019. You also be- came entitled to, and received from the SSA, a social se- curity benefit of $300 a month beginning May 1, 2020. The SSA later authorized the RRB to pay that benefit. In Au- gust 2020, the RRB began paying your social security benefit to you and reduced the SSEB portion of your monthly tier 1 benefit by $300. Social security benefits of $900 ($300 × 3 months) covering the period May through July 2020 were kept by the RRB to offset your $900 SSEB overpayment for that same period. Box 11 of your Form RRB-1042S will show $900 as the SSEB portion of tier 1 benefits you repaid to the RRB.

Note. The SSA will send you Form SSA-1099, which will include the $900 in benefits paid by them for the months of May through July 2020.

Box 12—Net Benefit Paid in 2020

The figure shown in this box is the net amount of benefits paid to you in 2020. It is the result of subtracting the amount in box 11 from the amount in box 10. If you re- ceived more than one Form RRB-1042S for 2020, you should add the amounts in box 12 of all Forms RRB-1042S to determine your net amount payments for 2020. Use this amount to determine if any of your benefits are taxable. See Are Any of Your Benefits Taxable, ear- lier.

If parentheses are around the figure in box 12, it means that the figure in box 11 is larger than the figure in box 10. This is a negative figure and means you repaid more money than you received in 2020. For more information, see Repayments More Than Gross Benefits, earlier.

Box 13—Federal Tax Withheld

The figure shown in this box is the total amount of U.S. federal income tax withheld from your benefits in 2020 while you were a known or assumed resident for tax pur- poses of the country shown in box 14. If no taxes were withheld, -0- will be shown in this box. If you received more than one Form RRB-1042S for 2020, add the amounts in box 13 of all Forms RRB-1042S to determine your total amount of U.S. federal income tax withheld from SSEB payments for 2020. Tax is withheld for any month in which you were a nonresident alien (unless you claimed exemption under a tax treaty).

Box 14—Country

The country where you maintain your legal residence is shown in this box. If you maintained legal residence in

Publication 915 (2020)

more than one country during the year, you will receive a separate Form RRB-1042S for each country of legal resi- dence during the year.

Box 15—Tax Rate

The figure shown in this box is the rate at which U.S. fed- eral income tax was withheld from the benefits shown on this Form RRB-1042S. If tax was withheld at more than one rate during the year, you will receive a separate Form RRB-1042S for each rate change during the year. The tax rate for most nonresident aliens is 30%. The figure “0%” or “15%” may appear in this box if you claimed a tax treaty exemption by filing Form RRB-1001 with the RRB. For more information, see Nonresident aliens, earlier, under Are Any of Your Benefits Taxable.

Box 16—Exemption Code

If a figure is shown in this box, it indicates a reduction in the applicable nonresident alien tax rate due to a treaty exemption.

Box 17—Medicare Premium Total

This is the total amount of Part B, Part C, and/or Part D Medicare premiums deducted from your railroad retire- ment annuity payments shown on your Form RRB-1042S.

See Pub. 519 for more information on nonresident ali- ens.

You should contact your nearest RRB field office TIP (if you reside in the United States) or U.S. consu- late/embassy (if you reside outside of the United States) for assistance with your RRB tax statement inqui- ries. If you are in the United States or Canada, you can call the RRB toll free at 877-772-5772. You can also visit them at RRB.gov. If you have any questions about how to figure your taxable payments or what amounts to show on

your income tax returns, contact the IRS.

How To Get Tax Help

If you have questions about a tax issue, need help prepar- ing your tax return, or want to download free publications, forms, or instructions, go to IRS.gov and find resources that can help you right away.

Preparing and filing your tax return. After receiving all your wage and earning statements (Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, 1099-MISC, 1099-NEC, etc.); unemployment compensation statements (by mail or in a digital format) or other government payment statements (Form 1099-G); and interest, dividend, and retirement statements from banks and investment firms (Forms 1099), you have sev- eral options to choose from to prepare and file your tax re- turn. You can prepare the tax return yourself, see if you qualify for free tax preparation, or hire a tax professional to prepare your return.

Free options for tax preparation. Go to IRS.gov to see your options for preparing and filing your return online or in your local community, if you qualify, which include the following.

•Free File. This program lets you prepare and file your federal individual income tax return for free using brand-name tax-preparation-and-filing software or Free File fillable forms. However, state tax preparation may not be available through Free File. Go to IRS.gov/ FreeFile to see if you qualify for free online federal tax preparation, e-filing, and direct deposit or payment op- tions.

•VITA. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to people with low-to-moderate incomes, persons with disabilities, and limited-English-speaking taxpayers who need help preparing their own tax returns. Go to IRS.gov/ VITA, download the free IRS2Go app, or call

800-906-9887 for information on free tax return prepa- ration.

•TCE. The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) pro- gram offers free tax help for all taxpayers, particularly those who are 60 years of age and older. TCE volun- teers specialize in answering questions about pen- sions and retirement-related issues unique to seniors. Go to IRS.gov/TCE, download the free IRS2Go app, or call 888-227-7669 for information on free tax return preparation.

•MilTax. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces and qualified veterans may use MilTax, a free tax service offered by the Department of Defense through Military OneSource.

Also, the IRS offers Free Fillable Forms, which can be completed online and then filed electronically regardless of income.

Using online tools to help prepare your return. Go to IRS.gov/Tools for the following.

•The Earned Income Tax Credit Assistant (IRS.gov/ EITCAssistant) determines if you’re eligible for the earned income credit (EIC).

•The Online EIN Application (IRS.gov/EIN) helps you get an employer identification number (EIN).

•The Tax Withholding Estimator (IRS.gov/W4App) makes it easier for everyone to pay the correct amount of tax during the year. The tool is a convenient, online way to check and tailor your withholding. It’s more user-friendly for taxpayers, including retirees and

self-employed individuals. The features include the following.

–Easy to understand language.

–The ability to switch between screens, correct pre- vious entries, and skip screens that don’t apply.

–Tips and links to help you determine if you qualify for tax credits and deductions.

–A progress tracker.

–A self-employment tax feature.

–Automatic calculation of taxable social security ben- efits.

•The First Time Homebuyer Credit Account Look-up (IRS.gov/HomeBuyer) tool provides information on your repayments and account balance.

•The Sales Tax Deduction Calculator (IRS.gov/ SalesTax) figures the amount you can claim if you itemize deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040).

Getting answers to your tax questions. On IRS.gov, you can get up-to-date information on current events and changes in tax law.

•IRS.gov/Help: A variety of tools to help you get an- swers to some of the most common tax questions.

•IRS.gov/ITA: The Interactive Tax Assistant, a tool that will ask you questions on a number of tax law topics and provide answers.

•IRS.gov/Forms: Find forms, instructions, and publica- tions. You will find details on 2020 tax changes and hundreds of interactive links to help you find answers to your questions.

•You may also be able to access tax law information in your electronic filing software.

Need someone to prepare your tax return? There are various types of tax return preparers, including tax prepar- ers, enrolled agents, certified public accountants (CPAs), attorneys, and many others who don’t have professional credentials. If you choose to have someone prepare your tax return, choose that preparer wisely. A paid tax pre- parer is:

•Primarily responsible for the overall substantive accu- racy of your return,

•Required to sign the return, and

•Required to include their preparer tax identification number (PTIN).

Although the tax preparer always signs the return, you’re ultimately responsible for providing all the informa- tion required for the preparer to accurately prepare your return. Anyone paid to prepare tax returns for others should have a thorough understanding of tax matters. For more information on how to choose a tax preparer, go to Tips for Choosing a Tax Preparer on IRS.gov.

Coronavirus. Go to IRS.gov/Coronavirus for links to in- formation on the impact of the coronavirus, as well as tax

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relief available for individuals and families, small and large businesses, and tax-exempt organizations.

Tax reform. Tax reform legislation affects individuals, businesses, and tax-exempt and government entities. Go to IRS.gov/TaxReform for information and updates on how this legislation affects your taxes.

Employers can register to use Business Services On- line. The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers on- line services at SSA.gov/employer for fast, free, and se- cure online W-2 filing options to CPAs, accountants, enrolled agents, and individuals who process Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, and Form W-2c, Corrected Wage and Tax Statement.

IRS social media. Go to IRS.gov/SocialMedia to see the various social media tools the IRS uses to share the latest information on tax changes, scam alerts, initiatives, prod- ucts, and services. At the IRS, privacy and security are paramount. We use these tools to share public informa- tion with you. Don’t post your SSN or other confidential in- formation on social media sites. Always protect your iden- tity when using any social networking site.

The following IRS YouTube channels provide short, in- formative videos on various tax-related topics in English, Spanish, and ASL.

•Youtube.com/irsvideos.

•Youtube.com/irsvideosmultilingua.

•Youtube.com/irsvideosASL.

Watching IRS videos. The IRS Video portal (IRSVideos.gov) contains video and audio presentations for individuals, small businesses, and tax professionals.

Online tax information in other languages. You can find information on IRS.gov/MyLanguage if English isn’t your native language.

Free interpreter service. Multilingual assistance, provi- ded by the IRS, is available at Taxpayer Assistance Cen- ters (TACs) and other IRS offices. Over-the-phone inter- preter service is accessible in more than 350 languages.

Getting tax forms and publications. Go to IRS.gov/ Forms to view, download, or print all of the forms, instruc- tions, and publications you may need. You can also down- load and view popular tax publications and instructions (including the Instructions for Forms 1040 and 1040-SR) on mobile devices as an eBook at IRS.gov/eBooks. Or you can go to IRS.gov/OrderForms to place an order.

Access your online account (individual taxpayers only). Go to IRS.gov/Account to securely access infor- mation about your federal tax account.

•View the amount you owe, pay online, or set up an on- line payment agreement.

•Access your tax records online.

•Review your payment history.

Publication 915 (2020)

•Go to IRS.gov/SecureAccess to review the required identity authentication process.

Using direct deposit. The fastest way to receive a tax refund is to file electronically and choose direct deposit, which securely and electronically transfers your refund di- rectly into your financial account. Direct deposit also avoids the possibility that your check could be lost, stolen, or returned undeliverable to the IRS. Eight in 10 taxpayers use direct deposit to receive their refunds. The IRS issues more than 90% of refunds in less than 21 days.

Getting a transcript of your return. The quickest way to get a copy of your tax transcript is to go to IRS.gov/ Transcripts. Click on either “Get Transcript Online” or “Get Transcript by Mail” to order a free copy of your transcript. If you prefer, you can order your transcript by calling 800-908-9946.

Reporting and resolving tax-related identity theft is- sues.

•Tax-related identity theft happens when someone steals your personal information to commit tax fraud. Your taxes can be affected if your SSN is used to file a fraudulent return or to claim a refund or credit.

•The IRS doesn’t initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages, telephone calls, or social media channels to request personal or financial information. This includes requests for personal identification num- bers (PINs), passwords, or similar information for credit cards, banks, or other financial accounts.

•Go to IRS.gov/IdentityTheft, the IRS Identity Theft Central webpage, for information on identity theft and data security protection for taxpayers, tax professio- nals, and businesses. If your SSN has been lost or stolen or you suspect you’re a victim of tax-related identity theft, you can learn what steps you should take.

•Get an Identity Protection Pin (IP PIN). IP PINs are six-digit numbers assigned to eligible taxpayers to help prevent the misuse of their SSNs on fradulent federal income tax returns. When you have an IP PIN, it prevents someone else from filing a tax return with your SSN. To learn more, go to IRS.gov/IPPIN.

Checking on the status of your refund.

•Go to IRS.gov/Refunds.

•The IRS can’t issue refunds before mid-February 2021, for returns that claimed the EIC or the additional child tax credit (ACTC). This applies to the entire re- fund, not just the portion associated with these credits.

•Download the official IRS2Go app to your mobile de- vice to check your refund status.

•Call the automated refund hotline at 800-829-1954.

Making a tax payment. The IRS uses the latest encryp- tion technology to ensure your electronic payments are safe and secure. You can make electronic payments on- line, by phone, and from a mobile device using the

Publication 915 (2020)

IRS2Go app. Paying electronically is quick, easy, and faster than mailing in a check or money order. Go to IRS.gov/Payments for information on how to make a pay- ment using any of the following options.

•IRS Direct Pay: Pay your individual tax bill or estima- ted tax payment directly from your checking or sav- ings account at no cost to you.

•Debit or Credit Card: Choose an approved payment processor to pay online, by phone, or by mobile de- vice.

•Electronic Funds Withdrawal: Offered only when filing your federal taxes using tax return preparation soft- ware or through a tax professional.

•Electronic Federal Tax Payment System: Best option for businesses. Enrollment is required.

•Check or Money Order: Mail your payment to the ad- dress listed on the notice or instructions.

•Cash: You may be able to pay your taxes with cash at a participating retail store.

•Same-Day Wire: You may be able to do same-day wire from your financial institution. Contact your finan- cial institution for availability, cost, and cut-off times.

What if I can’t pay now? Go to IRS.gov/Payments for more information about your options.

•Apply for an online payment agreement (IRS.gov/ OPA) to meet your tax obligation in monthly install- ments if you can’t pay your taxes in full today. Once you complete the online process, you will receive im- mediate notification of whether your agreement has been approved.

•Use the Offer in Compromise Pre-Qualifier to see if you can settle your tax debt for less than the full amount you owe. For more information on the Offer in Compromise program, go to IRS.gov/OIC.

Filing an amended return. You can now file Form 1040-X electronically with tax filing software to amend 2019 Forms 1040 and 1040-SR. To do so, you must have e-filed your original 2019 return. Amended returns for all prior years must be mailed. See Tips for taxpayers who need to file an amended tax return and go to IRS.gov/ Form1040X for information and updates.

Checking the status of your amended return. Go to IRS.gov/WMAR to track the status of Form 1040-X amen- ded returns. Please note that it can take up to 3 weeks from the date you filed your amended return for it to show up in our system and processing it can take up to 16 weeks.

Understanding an IRS notice or letter you’ve re- ceived. Go to IRS.gov/Notices to find additional informa- tion about responding to an IRS notice or letter.

Contacting your local IRS office. Keep in mind, many questions can be answered on IRS.gov without visiting an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC). Go to IRS.gov/ LetUsHelp for the topics people ask about most. If you still

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need help, IRS TACs provide tax help when a tax issue can’t be handled online or by phone. All TACs now pro- vide service by appointment, so you’ll know in advance that you can get the service you need without long wait times. Before you visit, go to IRS.gov/TACLocator to find the nearest TAC and to check hours, available services, and appointment options. Or, on the IRS2Go app, under the Stay Connected tab, choose the Contact Us option and click on “Local Offices.”

The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) Is Here To Help You

What Is TAS?

TAS is an independent organization within the IRS that helps taxpayers and protects taxpayer rights. Their job is to ensure that every taxpayer is treated fairly and that you know and understand your rights under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

How Can You Learn About Your Taxpayer Rights?

The Taxpayer Bill of Rights describes 10 basic rights that all taxpayers have when dealing with the IRS. Go to TaxpayerAdvocate.IRS.gov to help you understand what these rights mean to you and how they apply. These are your rights. Know them. Use them.

What Can TAS Do For You?

TAS can help you resolve problems that you can’t resolve with the IRS. And their service is free. If you qualify for their assistance, you will be assigned to one advocate who will work with you throughout the process and will do everything possible to resolve your issue. TAS can help you if:

•Your problem is causing financial difficulty for you, your family, or your business;

•You face (or your business is facing) an immediate threat of adverse action; or

•You’ve tried repeatedly to contact the IRS but no one has responded, or the IRS hasn’t responded by the date promised.

How Can You Reach TAS?

TAS has offices in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Your local advocate’s number is in your local directory and at TaxpayerAdvocate.IRS.gov/ Contact-Us. You can also call them at 877-777-4778.

How Else Does TAS Help Taxpayers?

TAS works to resolve large-scale problems that affect many taxpayers. If you know of one of these broad issues, please report it to them at IRS.gov/SAMS.

TAS for Tax Professionals

TAS can provide a variety of information for tax professio- nals, including tax law updates and guidance, TAS pro- grams, and ways to let TAS know about systemic prob- lems you’ve seen in your practice.

Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs)

LITCs are independent from the IRS. LITCs represent in- dividuals whose income is below a certain level and need to resolve tax problems with the IRS, such as audits, ap- peals, and tax collection disputes. In addition, clinics can provide information about taxpayer rights and responsibili- ties in different languages for individuals who speak Eng- lish as a second language. Services are offered for free or a small fee for eligible taxpayers. To find a clinic near you, visit TaxpayerAdvocate.IRS.gov/About-Us/Low-Income- Taxpayer-Clinics-LITC/ or see IRS Pub. 4134, Low Income Taxpayer Clinic List.

A

Assistance (See Tax help)

B

Base amount 3

C

Canadian social security benefits 6 Children's benefits 3 Comments on publication 2

D

Deductions related to benefits 15 $3,000.01 or more 15

Disability benefits repaid 15

E

Estimated tax 5

F

Form 1040 or 1040-SR 6

Form RRB-1042S 26

Form RRB-1099 11, 24

Form SSA-1042S 22

Form SSA-1099 11, 20

Form W-4V 5

Future Developments:

Product Page 1

G

German social security benefits 6

I

Identity theft 31

J

Joint returns 15

L

Lump-sum election 10

Example 11

Worksheet 1:

Filled-in 12

Worksheet 2:

Blank 17

Filled-in 13

Worksheet 3, blank 18

Worksheet 4:

Blank 19

Filled-in 14

M

Missing children, photographs of 1 my Social Security account 1

N

Nonresident aliens 5

Form RRB-1042S 26

Form SSA-1042S 22

Nontaxable benefits 6

P

Permanent resident aliens 5 Publications (See Tax help)

R

Railroad retirement benefits 2 Repayments:

Benefits received in earlier year 5, 15

Disability benefits 15

Gross benefits 5, 15

Reporting requirements 6

Lump-sum payment 11

S

Social Security benefits 2

Suggestions for publication 2

T

Taxable benefits:

Determination of 3, 6

Maximum taxable part 6

Person receiving benefits

determines 5 Worksheets:

Examples 6, 15

Quick calculation, sample 4

Which to use 6

Tax help 29

Total income, figuring 3

U

U.S. citizens residing abroad 5 U.S. residents:

Canadian or German social security benefits paid to 6

W

Withholding 5

Exemption from 6

Form W-4V 5

Voluntary 5

Worksheets:

Lump-sum election:

Blank Worksheet 4 19

Filled-in Worksheet 4 14

Lump-sum payment:

Blank Worksheet 2 17

Blank Worksheet 3 18

Filled-in Worksheet 1 12

Filled-in Worksheet 2 13

Taxable benefits:

Blank Worksheet 1 15

Filled-in Worksheet 1 7–10