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wait i just realized something... since they index earnings from past years, wouldn't that mean that $15,000 loss from the 1970s would actually be like a $60,000 loss in today's dollars? does that matter at all for the calculation? or is it still just treated as zero regardless of the year and inflation?
No, that's not how it works. Indexing only applies to positive earnings, not losses. A zero is always just zero in the calculation, regardless of when it occurred. The indexing factor is applied only to years where you had earnings and paid Social Security taxes.
I remember reading something about how self-employment losses could be carried forward for income tax purposes, but I'm pretty sure that has absolutely nothing to do with Social Security calculations. Like the others have said, for SS purposes, a loss year is just a zero - nothing more, nothing less. There are so many confusing details with Social Security. I've been retired for 2 years now and I'm still learning new things about how it all works!
Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! Sounds like the consensus is clear - my loss year is just a zero in the calculation, and since I have well over 35 years of work, it probably won't affect my benefit at all. Really appreciate all the insights.
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Just remember SSA doesn't actually send ANYTHING monthly. They aren't like a utility company sending statements. Online is the way to go now. My parents still get confused about this too
Thank you everyone for your help! I found what I needed by clicking on the actual payment amount in my MySocialSecurity account as several of you suggested. I can now see the breakdown showing my Medicare premium and tax withholding for each month. This will be perfect for our tax planning. I appreciate all the quick responses!
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theres actually a form you need to get - i think its W4-V or something close to that. You pick the percentage you want taken out. My sister had a heart attack when she got a $4000 tax bill her first year on SS!! dont let that happen to you!!
It's Form W-4V (the V stands for Voluntary). And you're limited to requesting 7%, 10%, 12%, or 22% - you can't choose any random percentage. Just clarifying in case anyone's looking for the form.
I'm still confused about how they tax Social Security in the first place. I thought we already paid taxes on our earnings before paying into the system?? So isn't this double taxation?? And with these new tax brackets I'm hearing about for 2025, will that change how much of my benefits are taxed? Sorry to hijack your thread but this whole system is so confusing.
The taxation of Social Security benefits is definitely confusing! Up to 85% of benefits may be taxable (not 100%), which partially accounts for the fact that you paid FICA with after-tax dollars. Whether your benefits are taxed depends on your "combined income" (AGI + non-taxable interest + 50% of SS benefits). For individuals: Below $25,000 = 0% taxed; $25,000-$34,000 = up to 50% taxed; Above $34,000 = up to 85% taxed. The 2025 tax changes mainly affect income tax brackets, not specifically how SS benefits are taxed. But if they change your overall income level, that could indirectly affect SS taxation.
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To address your follow-up question - yes, the WEP reduction will apply to all retroactive payments. And you absolutely need to specifically request retroactive benefits when you apply - they don't automatically give you retroactive benefits even if you're eligible. Regarding the 6 vs. 12 months confusion: The law allows up to 12 months retroactive for retirement and spousal benefits when you're past FRA. However, spousal benefits cannot begin before your spouse started receiving their benefits. So if your wife only started her benefits 6 months ago (which doesn't appear to be your case), that would limit your spousal retroactive period. Given that your wife has been collecting for 3 years, you should be eligible for the full 12 months retroactive on both benefits.
That makes so much more sense now! Thank you for clearing up my confusion. I'll make sure to specifically request the full 12 months retroactive for both benefits when I apply.
watch out for taxes too!! my friend got a big retroactive payment and it pushed him into a higher tax bracket that year and he wasnt ready for the big tax bill!!
This is an excellent point. A large lump sum retroactive payment could significantly impact your tax situation. You may want to consult with a tax professional about potentially using the special lump-sum election on your tax return, which might help reduce the tax impact.
Luca Romano
wait so is it the box 1 wages or the box 3 ss wages that count? im still confused
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Zara Rashid
•For the Social Security earnings test, you generally need to count gross earnings, which would align more closely with Box 1 (wages, tips, other compensation) plus any pre-tax retirement contributions. Box 3 (Social Security wages) already has certain pre-tax deductions removed, so it's not the right number to use for the earnings test in most cases. This is a common point of confusion because the terminology is similar but the calculations are different for different purposes.
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Sean Doyle
Thank you all for the helpful responses! I clearly misunderstood how this works. We'll go back and check his actual gross earnings to make sure we're tracking correctly for 2025. And we'll be setting aside some emergency funds just in case we accidentally go over and have to deal with benefit withholding. It's frustrating that something seemingly simple gets so complicated. Hopefully when he reaches Full Retirement Age in a few years, we can stop worrying about all this earnings limit stuff!
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