How to set up tax withholding on Social Security benefits after receiving first payment?
Just received my first Social Security retirement payment yesterday and realized no federal taxes were withheld! I know my total income (pension + SS + part-time work) will definitely put me over the threshold for paying taxes on 85% of my benefits, so I need to set up withholding ASAP. I've been poking around my mySocialSecurity account for 30 minutes and can't find where to set this up. Is it hidden somewhere on the website or do I need to call? Don't want to get hit with a huge tax bill or underpayment penalty next April!
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QuantumQuest
You need to fill out Form W-4V (Voluntary Withholding Request). Unfortunately, this isn't something you can do online through mySocialSecurity - it's one of those things they still handle the old-fashioned way. You can download the form from the IRS website, then mail or take it to your local SSA office. You can select 7%, 10%, 12%, or 22% withholding rate. Here's the direct link to the form: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4v.pdf
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Zoe Dimitriou
•Thank you!! I was going crazy looking for this online. So disappointing they don't have this integrated into the website yet - seems like such a basic function. Do you know how long it typically takes for withholding to start once they receive the form?
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CL G
•@Zoe Dimitriou You can now submit a tax withholding request from your online social security account. I believe this functionality was added recently. I just submitted tax withholding requests for myself. This option won t'show up until your benefits actually start. My application was approved on October 2, 2025 and a day or two later I noticed the option to submit the tax withholding request. I received confirmation immediately in the messages "section." You can specify the month you want it to start and you can change it yourself anytime throughout the year if your situation changes.
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Jamal Anderson
u can also call them to request the form be sent to u, thats what i did
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Mei Zhang
•Good luck with calling! I tried for THREE DAYS straight last month when I needed to update my address. Either got busy signals or was on hold for 2+ hours before getting disconnected. The whole system is designed to make you give up!!
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Liam McGuire
I just went through this last month! Mailed in my W-4V and it took about 3 weeks for the withholding to show up on my payments. I did 10% which should cover what I'll owe. Better than quarterly estimated payments IMO.
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Zoe Dimitriou
•That's really helpful, thanks! 3 weeks isn't too bad. I'll probably go with 12% to be safe.
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Amara Eze
I don't think you need to do this? I was told by my tax guy that SS benefits aren't taxable so I haven't been having anything withheld for the past 3 years. Never had an issue.
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QuantumQuest
•That information is incorrect. Social Security benefits are definitely taxable if your combined income exceeds certain thresholds. Up to 85% of your benefits can be taxable depending on your total income. You might want to consult with a different tax professional and review your past returns - you may have been underpaying.
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Giovanni Ricci
If you're in a hurry to get this sorted, I'd recommend using Claimyr to get through to a SSA agent quickly rather than waiting on hold for hours. I used their service when I needed to update my direct deposit info, and they got me connected to a real person in about 10 minutes instead of the usual 2+ hour wait. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU
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NeonNomad
•Is this legit? Seems suspicious that you have to pay just to talk to a government agency we already fund with our taxes...
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Giovanni Ricci
•It's completely legit - they don't work for SSA, they just help you get through the phone system faster. I was skeptical too at first, but when I was facing a deadline to fix my direct deposit, I tried it and it worked exactly as advertised. Saved me hours of frustration.
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Mei Zhang
While everyone's suggesting how to withhold taxes, has anyone considered that maybe the BIGGER problem is that our benefits are taxed at all?? We pay into the system our ENTIRE working lives with AFTER-TAX money, and then they have the AUDACITY to tax us AGAIN when we finally collect!!! It's highway robbery and nobody seems to care!
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NeonNomad
•Actually we pay FICA taxes with pre-tax dollars not after-tax, but I agree it feels like double taxation when they tax the benefits.
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QuantumQuest
One thing to note - even after you submit the W-4V, it's a good idea to check your first payment after it's supposed to take effect to make sure the withholding is actually happening. SSA sometimes makes processing errors with these forms. If you see no withholding after 4-5 weeks, follow up with them.
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Zoe Dimitriou
•Great tip! I'll definitely keep an eye on this. With my luck, they'd process it wrong and I wouldn't notice until tax time next year.
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Liam McGuire
Anybody know if you can change the withholding percentage later if you need to? Like if I start with 10% but realize I need more taken out?
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QuantumQuest
•Yes, you can change it anytime by submitting a new W-4V form with the updated percentage. Just check the "Change" box instead of "Start" on the form.
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Daniel Price
For what it's worth, I'd recommend calculating roughly what you'll owe before picking your withholding percentage. You can use the IRS worksheet in Publication 915 to estimate how much of your SS benefits will be taxable based on your total income. That way you're not over-withholding and giving the government an interest-free loan all year. I made that mistake my first year - had them withhold 22% when I only needed about 8% based on my actual tax situation.
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Savannah Weiner
•This is such good advice! I was leaning toward 12% just to be safe, but you're absolutely right - I should actually calculate what I'll need instead of just guessing. Publication 915 sounds like exactly what I need to figure this out properly. Thanks for the tip about not over-withholding too. I'd rather owe a little at tax time than give the IRS a free loan!
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GalacticGuru
Just wanted to add that if you're still having trouble finding the tax withholding option in your mySocialSecurity account, try logging out completely and logging back in. Sometimes the new features don't show up right away due to browser cache issues. Also, make sure you're looking under the "Benefits & Payment Details" section - that's where I found the tax withholding request option after my benefits started. The interface isn't super intuitive, but it's definitely there now for most people who are already receiving payments.
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