Social Security Administration

The states that do have Social Security benefit taxes don't require all seniors to pay them. The federal government can tax seniors' benefits, regardless of ...

If you choose the latter, each check you receive will be smaller, but you won't have to worry about a surprise bill. It's important to be aware of the possibility and budget appropriately if you think you're going to owe taxes on some of your Social Security benefits. And the government can tax up to 85% of your benefit if your provisional income exceeds $34,000 for a single adult or $44,000 for a married couple. government takes a cut of seniors' checks if their provisional incomes are high enough. Each state sets its own rules that determine when a senior must pay taxes on their Social Security checks. Social Security has been steadily losing buying power for over 20 years, something that many seniors are undoubtedly aware of after battling this latest round of inflation.