The social security program is financed mainly by payroll taxes. This means that workers' taxes today will help fund retirees' benefits, and as soon as they start receiving Social Security, young workers will be the ones to fund your monthly allowances.
The amount you pay in Social Security taxes depends on your income, but there are limits to how much you can owe. But the costs don't stop when you start claiming benefits; in some cases, you may have to pay taxes on your Social Security benefits even after retirement.
How much tax will you owe?
When it comes to taxes, workers want to limit the amount they pay. But in the case of Social Security taxes, the higher tax you pay, the more you can expect to receive in the future.
The value of your social security benefit is based on your earnings over the 35 highest-earning years of your career. The higher your income, the more benefits you will receive, and the more social security taxes you will pay each year.
But, once you attain a certain income limit, you will no longer have to pay income tax above that limit. For 2021, the upper limit of taxable income is $142,800. Anything you earn above this annual limit will not be subject to Social Security taxes. Also, the value of your future benefits will not increase when your income exceeds the maximum taxable income limit.
If you earn $142,800 in 2021, the maximum amount you will pay in Social Security taxes is 6.2% of your income or $ 8,853.60. Your employer will pay an additional $8,853.60 per year. If you are an entrepreneur, you will pay double (or $ 17,707.20 per year), as you will be responsible for employer and employee taxes.
How will these taxes affect your benefits in retirement?
Even if you are no longer subject to payroll taxes after retirement, you may still be subject to income tax on your benefits.
Your Social Security benefits are subject to state and federal income tax. Fortunately, only 13 states have tax benefits, so you may already be free depending on where you live. But federal taxes will depend on your earnings, and many retirees will not be able to avoid this type of tax.
To determine whether or not you owe federal taxes, you will need to know your "provisional income." This number is equal to half of your annual benefit plus adjusted gross income and any non-taxable interest. Please note that Roth IRA withdrawals are not considered provisional income.
If you have a provisional income of $ 25,000 or more per year (or $ 32,000 or more per year for joint-filing couples), you have to pay federal income tax on some of your benefits. However, the good news is that you don't have to pay federal tax for more than 85% of the benefit amount, no matter your income.
Social security taxes can be confusing. However, they can affect your income during your working years and your retirement income. The more you understand how your income will affect your career and your retirement taxes, the easier it will be to prepare for your senior age.
The $ 17,166 Social Security premium that most retirees overlook
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Carmen Garcia