The IRS requires you to file a tax return when your gross income exceeds the sum of the standard deduction for your filing status plus one exemption amount. If Social Security is your sole source of income, then you don’t need to file a tax return.

What tax form do I use if I only get Social Security?

A Social Security 1099 or 1042S Benefit Statement, also called an SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S, is a tax form that shows the total amount of benefits you received from Social Security in the previous year.

How are Social Security benefits reported on Form 1040?

You report the taxable portion of your social security benefits on line 5b of Form 1040. Your benefits may be taxable if the total of (1) one-half of your benefits, plus (2) all of your other income, including tax-exempt interest, is greater than the base amount for your filing status.

Do you have to file a tax return if you get Social Security?

Generally, if Social Security benefits were the taxpayer’s only source of income, the benefits are not taxable and the taxpayer does not need to file a federal income tax return. If the taxpayer received Social Security benefits and other income, the Social Security Benefits Worksheet found in the Form 1040 Instructions is

When do I need to fill out the IRS Form 1040?

The basic form used for this is IRS Form 1040. Unlike Form 1040A and 1040EZ, both of which can only be used for specific types and levels of income, all taxpayers can use Form 1040 to report and file their annual taxes. You should file your 1040 or a request for extension every year by April 15.

What kind of tax form do I need for Social Security?

You should receive a form from the Social Security Administration called the SSA-1099 that includes the information you need to report, including how much in benefits you earned the previous year. Tax forms 1040 and 1040A have places to indicate how much you received in Social Security benefits.