Do I Have to Include My SSA-1099 on My Federal Income Tax Return?

If you receive Social Security retirement or disability during the year, you'll get a Form SSA-1099 the following January, showing the total amount received. If you're a non-resident alien, you'll receive a SSA-1042S. These forms show total benefits as well as any federal tax that was withheld. If you expect to owe income tax on Social Security benefits, you can set up voluntary withholding. If there's a mistake on the form, contact the SSA immediately If the wrong amount is reported by Social Security to the IRS, you're going to have some issues.

You may have to pay taxes on Social Security benefits. It depends on the amount of your income from all sources, and your filing status. You add up your taxable income -- such as wages, interest, dividends, and pension distributions -- as well as your tax-exempt interest income, and one-half of your Social Security benefit amount. The IRS then applies one of three tax rates, depending on this "combined income" amount. If you're single, you pay no tax on Social Security benefits if the total income amount is less than $25,000. You pay taxes on 50 percent of the benefits if your income falls between $25,000 and $34,000, and you pay taxes on 85 percent of the benefits if your income is higher.

For those who are married filing jointly, the combined income thresholds are higher. You won't pay taxes on Social Security benefits if your combined income is less than $32,000. You pay taxes on half your benefits if your combined income falls between $32,000 and $44,000, and you pay taxes on 85 percent of your benefits if your combined income is more than $44,000. If you're filing a married, separate return, the IRS shows no mercy -- up to 85 percent of your benefits are taxable no matter how small your combined income.

You don't need to send the SSA-1099 in with your tax return, although you shouldn't prepare your taxes without it. This is true of all 1099 forms, which show a variety of miscellaneous income such as interest, dividends, and payments for independent contractors. The income reported on these forms is sent to the IRS by the payers. The agency already has the numbers in its system and will use them to cross-check the amounts you report. If there's a discrepancy, you'll get a letter from the IRS correcting your return and the new amount of your refund or payment. Keep the 1099 with a copy of your tax return in a safe place.