Publication 915 Form is now available to help taxpayers report their foreign financial assets. This form is important to file if you have any foreign holdings, and it's important to understand the new changes for 2016. Read on for more information about this year's form and what changes you need to be aware of. The Publication 915 Form has been released by the IRS in order to help taxpayers report their foreign financial assets. This form will be important for those who have any holdings overseas, so it's essential that you understand the changes which were made for 2016. Keep reading below to get a better understanding of what this tax form entails and how it can benefit you.
Below are some details about publication 915. It is advised that you read this material before you decide to start editing the PDF.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Form Name | Publication 915 |
Form Length | 33 pages |
Fillable? | No |
Fillable fields | 0 |
Avg. time to fill out | 8 min 15 sec |
Other names | pub 915, irs publication 915, publication 915 for 2020, irs publication 915 for 2020 |
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Publication 915
Cat. No. 15320P
Social
Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits
For use in preparing 2021 Returns
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Contents |
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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 |
11 |
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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
For more information and to set up an account, go to SSA.gov/myaccount.
Tuition and fees deduction not available. The tuition and fees deduction is not available after 2020. Instead, the income limitations for the lifetime learning credit have been increased. See Form 8863 and its instructions.
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
Jan 06, 2022
these children home by looking at the photographs and calling
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 2021, you should have received a Form
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
•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
What isn’t covered in this publication. This publication doesn’t cover the tax rules for the following railroad retire- ment benefits.
•
•Tier 2 benefits.
•Vested dual benefits.
•Supplemental annuity benefits.
For information on these taxable pension benefits, see Pub. 575, Pension and Annuity Income.
Page 2
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.
Comments and suggestions. We welcome your com- ments about this publication and suggestions for future 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,
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. Don’t 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 by using the search feature or viewing the categories listed.
Getting tax forms, instructions, and publications. Go to IRS.gov/Forms to download current and
Ordering tax forms, instructions, and publications. Go to IRS.gov/OrderForms to order current forms, instruc- tions, and publications; call
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
Forms (and Instructions)
Publication 915 (2021)
See How To Get Tax Help at the end of this publication for information about getting these publications and forms.
Are Any of Your
Benefits Taxable?
To find out whether any of your benefits shown on Forms
1.
2.All your other income, including
Exclusions. When making this comparison, don’t reduce your other income by any exclusions for:
•Interest from qualified U.S. savings bonds,
•
•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
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
an error in the original. A corrected Form
Figuring total income. To figure the total of
If you are married and file a joint return for 2021, 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 2021 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 2021;
•$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 2021.
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.
Publication 915 (2021) |
Page 3 |
Worksheet A. A Quick Way To Check if Your Benefits May Be Taxable
Note. If you plan to file a joint income tax return, include your spouse's amounts, if any, on lines A, C, and D.
A.Enter the total amount from box 5 of ALL your Forms
you received more than one form, combine the amounts from box 5 and enter the total.) . . . . . A.
Note. If the amount on line A is zero or less, stop here; none of your benefits are taxable this year.
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
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deductions, exclusions (listed earlier), or exemptions |
C. |
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D. |
Enter any |
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Add lines B, C, and D |
E. |
Note. Compare the amount on line E to your base amount for your filing status. If the amount on line E equals or is less than the base amount for your filing status, none of your benefits are taxable this year. If the amount on line E is more than your base amount, some of your benefits may be taxable. You need to complete Worksheet 1. If none of your benefits are taxable, but you otherwise must file a tax return, see Benefits not taxable, later, under How To Report Your Benefits.
Example. You and your spouse (both over 65) are filing a joint return for 2021 and you both received social security benefits during the year. In January 2022, you received a Form
Even though none of your benefits are taxable, you must file a return for 2021 because your taxable gross income ($27,900) exceeds the minimum filing requirement amount for your filing status.
Note. If you plan to file a joint income tax return, include your spouse's amounts, if any, on lines A, C, and D.
A. |
Enter the total amount from box 5 of ALL your Forms |
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full amount of any |
$7,600 |
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you received more than one form, combine the amounts from box 5 and enter the total.) . . . . . A. |
Note. If the amount on line A is zero or less, stop here; none of your benefits are taxable this year.
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
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deductions, exclusions (listed earlier), or exemptions |
C. |
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D. |
Enter any |
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Add lines B, C, and D |
E. |
3,800
27,900
$31,700
Note. Compare the amount on line E to your base amount for your filing status. If the amount on line E equals or is less than the base amount for your filing status, none of your benefits are taxable this year. If the amount on line E is more than your base amount, some of your benefits may be taxable and you will need to complete Worksheet 1. If none of your benefits are taxable, but you otherwise must file a tax return, see Benefits not taxable, later, under How To Report Your Benefits.
Page 4 |
Publication 915 (2021) |
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.
Repayment of benefits. Any repayment of benefits you made during 2021 must be subtracted from the gross ben- efits you received in 2021. It doesn’t matter whether the repayment was for a benefit you received in 2021 or in an earlier year. If you repaid more than the gross benefits you received in 2021, see Repayments More Than Gross Benefits, later.
Your gross benefits are shown in box 3 of Form
Example. In 2020, you received $3,000 in social se- curity benefits, and in 2021 you received $2,700. In March 2021, the SSA notified you that you should have received only $2,500 in benefits in 2020. During 2021, you repaid $500 to the SSA. The Form
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
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
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 (2021)
The RRB will withhold U.S. tax from your benefits un- less you file 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
•A copy of the Form
•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
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
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
Reporting on Form 1040 or
Benefits not taxable. Report your net benefits (the total amount from box 5 of all your Forms
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
•You are married filing separately and lived with your spouse at any time during 2021.
Which worksheet to use. A worksheet you can use to figure your taxable benefits is in the Instructions for Form 1040. 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.
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
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
Form 1040, for more information.
Page 6 |
Publication 915 (2021) |
Examples
Example 1. George White is single and files Form 1040 for 2021. In addition to receiving social security payments, he received a fully taxable pension of $18,600, wages from a
To figure his taxable benefits, George completes Worksheet 1, shown below. On line 6a of his Form 1040, George enters his net benefits of $5,980. On line 6b, he enters his taxable benefits of $2,990.
Keep for Your Records |
Before you begin:
• If you are married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021, enter “D” to the right of the word “benefits” on Form 1040 or
• Don’t use this worksheet if you repaid benefits in 2021 and your total repayments (box 4 of Forms
• If you are filing Form 8815, Exclusion of Interest From Series EE and I U.S. Savings Bonds Issued After 1989, don’t include the amount from line 2b of Form 1040 or
1. Enter the total amount from box 5 of ALL your Forms |
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$5,980 |
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enter this amount on Form 1040 or |
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3. Combine the amounts from: |
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Form 1040 or |
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4. Enter the amount, if any, from Form 1040 or |
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5. Enter the total of any exclusions/adjustments for: |
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Adoption benefits (Form 8839, line 28), |
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Foreign earned income or housing (Form 2555, lines 45 and 50), and |
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Certain income of bona fide residents of American Samoa (Form 4563, line 15) or Puerto |
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6. Combine lines 2, 3, 4, and 5 |
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7. Enter the total of the amounts from Schedule 1 (Form 1040), lines 11 through 20, and 23 and 25 |
7. |
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8. Is the amount on line 7 less than the amount on line 6? |
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No. |
STOP |
None of your social security benefits are taxable. Enter |
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line 6b. |
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Yes. |
Subtract line 7 from line 6 |
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8. |
9. If you are:
• Married filing jointly, enter $32,000
• Single, head of household, qualifying widow(er), or married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021, enter $25,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.
Note. If you are married filing separately and you lived with your spouse at any time in 2021, 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 9 less than the amount on line 8?
No. |
STOP |
None of your benefits are taxable. Enter |
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are married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021, be |
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sure you entered “D” to the right of the word “benefits” on Form 1040 or |
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line 6a. |
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Yes. |
Subtract line 9 from line 8 |
10. |
Enter $12,000 if married filing jointly; $9,000 if single, head of household, qualifying widow(er), or married |
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12. |
filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021 |
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Subtract line 11 from line 10. If zero or less, enter |
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Enter the smaller of line 10 or line 11 |
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Multiply line 13 by 50% (0.50) |
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Enter the smaller of line 2 or line 14 |
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Multiply line 12 by 85% (0.85). If line 12 is zero, enter |
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Add lines 15 and 16 |
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Multiply line 1 by 85% (0.85) |
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Taxable benefits. Enter the smaller of line 17 or line 18. Also enter this amount on Form 1040 or |
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2,990
28,990
31,980
25,000
6,980
9,000
$2,990
If you received a
TIP complete Worksheet 2 or 3 and Worksheet 4 to see if you can report a lower taxable benefit.
Publication 915 (2021) |
Page 7 |
Example 2. Ray and Alice Hopkins file a joint return on Form 1040 for 2021. Ray is retired and received a fully taxable pension of $15,500. He also received social security benefits, and his Form
Keep for Your Records |
Before you begin:
• If you are married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021, enter “D” to the right of the word “benefits” on Form 1040 or
• Don’t use this worksheet if you repaid benefits in 2021 and your total repayments (box 4 of Forms
• If you are filing Form 8815, Exclusion of Interest From Series EE and I U.S. Savings Bonds Issued After 1989, don’t include the amount from line 2b of Form 1040 or
1. Enter the total amount from box 5 of ALL your Forms |
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$5,600 |
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enter this amount on Form 1040 or |
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3. Combine the amounts from: |
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Form 1040 or |
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4. Enter the amount, if any, from Form 1040 or |
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5. Enter the total of any exclusions/adjustments for: |
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Adoption benefits (Form 8839, line 28), |
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Foreign earned income or housing (Form 2555, lines 45 and 50), and |
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Certain income of bona fide residents of American Samoa (Form 4563, line 15) or Puerto |
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Rico . . . |
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6. Combine lines 2, 3, 4, and 5 |
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7. Enter the total of the amounts from Schedule 1 (Form 1040), lines 11 through 20, and 23 and 25 |
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8. Is the amount on line 7 less than the amount on line 6? |
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No. |
STOP |
None of your social security benefits are taxable. Enter |
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line 6b. |
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Yes. |
Subtract line 7 from line 6 |
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8. |
9. If you are:
• Married filing jointly, enter $32,000
• Single, head of household, qualifying widow(er), or married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021, enter $25,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.
Note. If you are married filing separately and you lived with your spouse at any time in 2021, 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 9 less than the amount on line 8?
No. |
STOP |
None of your benefits are taxable. Enter |
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are married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021, be |
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sure you entered “D” to the right of the word “benefits” on Form 1040 or |
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line 6a. |
11. |
Yes. |
Subtract line 9 from line 8 |
10. |
Enter $12,000 if married filing jointly; $9,000 if single, head of household, qualifying widow(er), or married |
11. |
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12. |
filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021 |
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Subtract line 11 from line 10. If zero or less, enter |
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13. |
Enter the smaller of line 10 or line 11 |
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Multiply line 13 by 50% (0.50) |
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Enter the smaller of line 2 or line 14 |
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Multiply line 12 by 85% (0.85). If line 12 is zero, enter |
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Add lines 15 and 16 |
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Multiply line 1 by 85% (0.85) |
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19. |
Taxable benefits. Enter the smaller of line 17 or line 18. Also enter this amount on Form 1040 or |
19. |
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2,800
29,750
31,550
32,000
If you received a
TIP complete Worksheet 2 or 3 and Worksheet 4 to see if you can report a lower taxable benefit.
Page 8
Example 3. Joe and Betty Johnson file a joint return on Form 1040 for 2021. Joe is a retired railroad worker and in 2021 received the SSEB portion of tier 1 railroad retirement benefits. Joe's Form
Keep for Your Records |
Before you begin:
• If you are married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021, enter “D” to the right of the word “benefits” on Form 1040 or
• Don’t use this worksheet if you repaid benefits in 2021 and your total repayments (box 4 of Forms
• If you are filing Form 8815, Exclusion of Interest From Series EE and I U.S. Savings Bonds Issued After 1989, don’t include the amount from line 2b of Form 1040 or
1. Enter the total amount from box 5 of ALL your Forms |
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$10,000 |
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enter this amount on Form 1040 or |
1. |
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Multiply line 1 by 50% (0.50) |
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2. |
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3. Combine the amounts from: |
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3. |
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Form 1040 or |
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4. Enter the amount, if any, from Form 1040 or |
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5. Enter the total of any exclusions/adjustments for: |
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• |
Adoption benefits (Form 8839, line 28), |
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Foreign earned income or housing (Form 2555, lines 45 and 50), and |
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Certain income of bona fide residents of American Samoa (Form 4563, line 15) or Puerto |
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5. |
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• |
Rico . . . |
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6. Combine lines 2, 3, 4, and 5 |
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7. Enter the total of the amounts from Schedule 1 (Form 1040), lines 11 through 20, and 23 and 25 |
7. |
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8. Is the amount on line 7 less than the amount on line 6? |
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No. |
STOP |
None of your social security benefits are taxable. Enter |
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line 6b. |
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Yes. |
Subtract line 7 from line 6 |
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8. |
9. If you are:
• Married filing jointly, enter $32,000
• Single, head of household, qualifying widow(er), or married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021, enter $25,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.
Note. If you are married filing separately and you lived with your spouse at any time in 2021, 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 9 less than the amount on line 8?
No. |
STOP |
None of your benefits are taxable. Enter |
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are married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021, be |
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sure you entered “D” to the right of the word “benefits” on Form 1040 or |
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line 6a. |
11. |
Yes. |
Subtract line 9 from line 8 |
10. |
Enter $12,000 if married filing jointly; $9,000 if single, head of household, qualifying widow(er), or married |
11. |
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12. |
filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021 |
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Subtract line 11 from line 10. If zero or less, enter |
12. |
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13. |
Enter the smaller of line 10 or line 11 |
13. |
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14. |
Multiply line 13 by 50% (0.50) |
14. |
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15. |
Enter the smaller of line 2 or line 14 |
15. |
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16. |
Multiply line 12 by 85% (0.85). If line 12 is zero, enter |
16. |
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17. |
Add lines 15 and 16 |
17. |
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18. |
Multiply line 1 by 85% (0.85) |
18. |
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19. |
Taxable benefits. Enter the smaller of line 17 or line 18. Also enter this amount on Form 1040 or |
19. |
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5,000
40,500
45,500
32,000
13,500
12,000
1,500
12,000
6,000
5,000
1,275
6,275
8,500
$6,275
If you received a
TIP complete Worksheet 2 or 3 and Worksheet 4 to see if you can report a lower taxable benefit.
Publication 915 (2021) |
Page 9 |
Example 4. Bill and Eileen Jones are married and live together, but file separate Form 1040 returns for 2021. Bill earned $8,000 during 2021. The only other income he had for the year was $4,000 net social security benefits (box 5 of his Form
Keep for Your Records |
Before you begin:
• If you are married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021, enter “D” to the right of the word “benefits” on Form 1040 or
• Don’t use this worksheet if you repaid benefits in 2021 and your total repayments (box 4 of Forms
• If you are filing Form 8815, Exclusion of Interest From Series EE and I U.S. Savings Bonds Issued After 1989, don’t include the amount from line 2b of Form 1040 or
1. Enter the total amount from box 5 of ALL your Forms |
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$4,000 |
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Also enter this amount on Form 1040 or |
1. |
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Multiply line 1 by 50% (0.50) |
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2. |
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3. Combine the amounts from: |
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3. |
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Form 1040 or |
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4. Enter the amount, if any, from Form 1040 or |
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. . . |
. . . . . . . . |
4. |
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5. Enter the total of any exclusions/adjustments for: |
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|
|||
• |
Adoption benefits (Form 8839, line 28), |
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||
Foreign earned income or housing (Form 2555, lines 45 and 50), and |
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• |
Certain income of bona fide residents of American Samoa (Form 4563, line 15) or Puerto |
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5. |
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• |
Rico . . . |
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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6. Combine lines 2, 3, 4, and 5 |
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7. Enter the total of the amounts from Schedule 1 (Form 1040), lines 11 through 20, and 23 and 25 |
7. |
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8. Is the amount on line 7 less than the amount on line 6? |
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No. |
STOP |
None of your social security benefits are taxable. Enter |
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line 6b. |
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Yes. |
Subtract line 7 from line 6 |
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
8. |
9. If you are:
• Married filing jointly, enter $32,000
• Single, head of household, qualifying widow(er), or married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021, enter $25,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.
Note. If you are married filing separately and you lived with your spouse at any time in 2021, 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 9 less than the amount on line 8?
No. |
STOP |
None of your benefits are taxable. Enter |
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are married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021, be |
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sure you entered “D” to the right of the word “benefits” on Form 1040 or |
|
|
line 6a. |
11. |
Yes. |
Subtract line 9 from line 8 |
10. |
Enter $12,000 if married filing jointly; $9,000 if single, head of household, qualifying widow(er), or married |
11. |
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12. |
filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of 2021 |
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Subtract line 11 from line 10. If zero or less, enter |
12. |
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13. |
Enter the smaller of line 10 or line 11 |
13. |
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14. |
Multiply line 13 by 50% (0.50) |
14. |
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15. |
Enter the smaller of line 2 or line 14 |
15. |
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16. |
Multiply line 12 by 85% (0.85). If line 12 is zero, enter |
16. |
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17. |
Add lines 15 and 16 |
17. |
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18. |
Multiply line 1 by 85% (0.85) |
18. |
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19. |
Taxable benefits. Enter the smaller of line 17 or line 18. Also enter this amount on Form 1040 or |
19. |
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2,000
8,000
10,000
8,500
3,400
$3,400
If you received a
TIP complete Worksheet 2 or 3 and Worksheet 4 to see if you can report a lower taxable benefit.
Page 10 |
Publication 915 (2021) |