Ask Rusty: Your Social Security Advisor

Dear Rusty: I am getting hammered with taxes on my Social Security (SS). I am retired and draw a meager work pension and SS benefits. When my wife and I filed our joint tax return we owed the IRS a substantial amount of money – they took 85% of my SS in taxes. We are just barely over the minimal amount of income allowed for SS tax exemption. Is there anything I can do so I do not have to pay all this money at once at the end of the year? I didn’t get any tax advice when I started drawing my SS and the guy who prepared our tax return couldn’t have cared less. No one ever told me that I would get double-taxed on the SS that I worked so hard for. Any help or advice is appreciated, I cannot take another hit like this again. Signed: Double-Taxed

What is Ask Rusty: Your Social Security Advisor?

Russ “Rusty” Gloor is a member of the AMAC Foundation’s accredited Social Security Advisory staff. With each episode of “Ask Rusty” he will tell you about an actual Social Security question received at the AMAC Foundation offices.

These recordings are intended for information purposes only and do not represent legal or financial guidance. They present the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation, and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.>