Confused about 'work deductions' on SS survivor benefits 1099 form when I'm fully retired

same thing on mine!! $2875 for "work deductions" but im 72 and havent worked since 2020. its probly a mistake but good luck getting thru to them to fix it lol

This is likely related to the Annual Earnings Test (AET) if you had any earnings in 2024, or could be a recalculation based on your deceased spouse's earnings record. The SSA-1099 Box 4 "Work or Other Deductions" can include several things beyond just work deductions: 1. Medicare premiums 2. Tax withholding (which you said you don't have) 3. Garnishments or overpayment recoveries 4. Adjustments from previous years Are you enrolled in Medicare Part B or D? Those premiums are usually deducted from Social Security benefits and would show up in this box. The amount you mentioned ($4,216.50) is close to what annual Part B premiums might be for someone with higher income.

Medicare premiums are definitely what you're seeing. Box 4 on the SSA-1099 is poorly named and confuses many people. It should really be called "Total Deductions" since it includes ALL money withheld from your benefits, not just work-related deductions. For 2025, standard Part B is $174.70/month, but if your income was higher in 2023 (the year they use for 2025 premiums), you might be paying an IRMAA surcharge. With Part D premiums added in, that $4,216.50 figure makes perfect sense. This won't negatively affect your taxes. In fact, Medicare premiums can sometimes be deductible as medical expenses if you itemize and exceed the threshold.

if ur paying that much for medicare u should look into advantage plans cheaper and cover more my sister pays zero premium

i spent 3 days trying to reach SS about my 1099 issue and finally got thru using that claimyr.com service someone on this forum told me about. they charge a fee but got me connected to an actual agent in 20 mins!! u can see how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU worth every penny cuz i was going CRAZY with the constant busy signals

I dealt with this EXACT same issue last year! The SSA-1099 form is INCREDIBLY MISLEADING. What the previous responders said is correct - it's your Medicare premiums. I was in a panic too until a tax preparer explained it to me. The total should match what you're paying for Part B + Part D + any IRMAA surcharges. The SSA really needs to update their forms because this confuses thousands of seniors every tax season!!! If you're worried, you can verify by checking your monthly benefit deposits against your full benefit amount - the difference should equal your monthly Medicare premiums.

Did you work at all last year? Even part time? Because if you're under FRA and earn over the earnings limit ($22,320 for 2025), they do take $1 for every $2 you earn above the limit from survivor benefits. Just another possibility.

Just to give you peace of mind for tax filing: This doesn't change how you report your SS benefits on your tax return. You'll use the amount in Box 5 of your SSA-1099 ("Net Benefits"), which is already reduced by these deductions. Box 3 shows total benefits before deductions, and Box 4 shows what was deducted (your Medicare premiums). The only real tax impact is that those Medicare premiums might be deductible as medical expenses if you itemize deductions on Schedule A and your total medical expenses exceed 7.5% of your AGI.