How to set up tax withholding for Social Security retirement benefits - no form during application?
I just completed my Social Security retirement application online to start receiving benefits on January 1st (with first payment coming in February). I noticed there wasn't any question or section about withholding money for federal taxes during the application process. Will SSA send a separate letter or form later to set up tax withholding? I'd rather have taxes taken out monthly than deal with quarterly payments or a big bill next April. Has anyone else dealt with this recently? I'm wondering if I missed something or if this is handled separately after approval.
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Alina Rosenthal
they dont ask during application you need to fill out form W-4V to have taxes withheld
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Mohammad Khaled
•Thanks! Do you know if they'll automatically send me this W-4V form, or do I need to request it somehow?
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Finnegan Gunn
You need to complete Form W-4V (Voluntary Withholding Request) to have federal taxes withheld from your Social Security benefits. The SSA doesn't automatically send this form or ask about tax withholding during the application process. You can choose to have 7%, 10%, 12%, or 22% of your monthly benefit withheld. You can download the W-4V form from the IRS website, or call SSA to request it. After completing it, you'll need to mail or take it to your local Social Security office (not to the IRS). I'd recommend doing this soon so your withholding can start with your first payment if possible.
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Mohammad Khaled
•Thank you for the detailed explanation! I'll download the W-4V form today. Do you happen to know how long it typically takes for the withholding to start once they receive the form?
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Finnegan Gunn
•It usually takes 1-2 months for withholding to begin after submitting the W-4V. If you get it in quickly, there's a chance it could be set up by your first payment in February, but it might start with your March payment. The processing time can vary depending on how busy your local office is.
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Miguel Harvey
just so you know not everyone needs to withhold taxes from SS. depends on your other income. I don't have any withholding bc SS is my only income and it's below the taxable threshold.
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Ashley Simian
•This is actually a really important point! Up to 85% of your Social Security benefits might be taxable, but ONLY if your combined income (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half of your SS benefits) exceeds certain thresholds. If your only income is Social Security, you likely won't owe taxes at all. The thresholds for 2025 are roughly: - Individuals with combined income between $25,000-$34,000 may have up to 50% of benefits taxed - Individuals with combined income above $34,000 may have up to 85% of benefits taxed - Couples filing jointly with combined income between $32,000-$44,000 may have up to 50% of benefits taxed - Couples filing jointly with combined income above $44,000 may have up to 85% of benefits taxed So definitely consider your full financial picture before deciding on withholding!
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Mohammad Khaled
•Thanks for mentioning this! I do have other income (a small pension and some investment income), so I'll definitely need to have taxes withheld. I appreciate the reminder though - I'm sure this will be helpful for others reading this thread.
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Oliver Cheng
Am I the only one who finds it bizarre that SSA doesn't include tax withholding questions during the application process? Most other retirement income sources automatically ask about withholding. It's like they want people to be surprised by tax bills.
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Taylor To
•TOTALLY AGREE!! And then they make it complicated with a separate form you have to track down yourself. My neighbor didn't know about this and got hit with a HUGE tax bill her first year on SS. System is broken!!
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Alina Rosenthal
•agree its stupid. my cousin didnt withhold and owed $3000 last april couldnt pay it all
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Finnegan Gunn
Just a quick tip - if you want to get the W-4V processed as quickly as possible, I recommend taking it directly to your local SSA office rather than mailing it. You'll get a receipt showing they received it, which can be helpful if there are any issues later. Just be sure to call ahead for an appointment if your local office requires one.
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Mohammad Khaled
•That's a great suggestion, thank you! I'll check if my local office is taking walk-ins or if I need an appointment.
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Miguel Harvey
my wifes sister just went through this last year she said even after submitting the w4v it took 3 months to start the withholding so plan accordingly
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Ella Cofer
•This is why the whole system is frustrating. Everything takes forever and you can never get straight answers when you call. When my dad had this same issue last year, he kept getting disconnected when calling the main number. My brother recommended using Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got him through to a real person who could check on his withholding form status. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. Saved him hours of frustration and he found out his form was actually lost and needed to be resubmitted.
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Ashley Simian
Just want to add some helpful information for others who might be in a similar situation. If you don't want to wait for tax withholding to begin (or if it takes several months to process), another option is to make quarterly estimated tax payments using Form 1040-ES. This is what I ended up doing when my withholding took nearly 4 months to go into effect. The quarterly due dates are typically April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year. This can be a good backup plan if your W-4V isn't processed quickly. The IRS has an online payment system that makes it relatively easy.
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Mohammad Khaled
•That's really helpful information, thank you! I may need to do that for the first quarter if the withholding doesn't start right away.
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Alina Rosenthal
one more thing - they only withhold whole percentages (7%, 10%, 12%, 22%) nothing customized so you might still owe some or get refund
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Mohammad Khaled
•Good to know! I'll probably select 10% to start with and then adjust next year if needed. Thanks for pointing that out.
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