Video: Can Disability Beneficiaries File for Taxes?
Wondering whether you can still file a tax return despite receiving some type of disability income? You may still have to file a return and pay taxes on this income. Watch this video to learn more about disability beneficiaries and how you should file your taxes.
The One Big Beautiful Bill that passed includes permanently extending tax cuts from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including increasing the cap on the amount of state and local or sales tax and property tax (SALT) that you can deduct, makes cuts to energy credits passed under the Inflation Reduction Act, makes changes to taxes on tips and overtime for certain workers, reforms Medicaid, increases the Debt ceiling, and reforms Pell Grants and student loans. Updates to this article are in process. Check our One Big Beautiful Bill article for more information.
Video transcript:
Wondering if disability benefits are taxable? Let's break this down
in this edition of Tax Tips by TurboTax.
Navigating the tax considerations of your disability benefits can help you manage your finances with ease.
Basically, there are four kinds of disability income: Disability pensions, Social Security payments, Supplemental Security Income, and worker's compensation.
Here is the breakdown.
One: A disability pension usually comes from a private plan that your former employer pays for. This income is likely taxable.
Two: Social Security payments are for workers who have contributed to the Social Security Trust Fund through a dedicated payroll tax. These payments may be taxable if you earn additional income during the year.
Three: Supplemental Security Income or SSI payments are based strictly on financial need and not work history. These benefits are not taxable.
And four: Payments received under a worker's compensation statute Or from the Department of Veterans Affairs, are for work related injury or illness.
By law, your employer must provide workers compensation benefits if you get hurt or sick due to your job. These payments are also not taxable.
Other government disability payments from organizations like the Foreign Service are usually not taxable if they're for a work related injury or illness.
But do all disability beneficiaries have to file a tax return? You are only required to file when your total income is at least equal to the Standard Deduction for your filing status.
This is not including tax exempt disability benefits and tax exempt income. If you do end up owing tax on your disability income and you're retired on permanent and total disability, you might be eligible for the elderly and disabled tax credit.
Learn more about this tax credit by clicking the link in this video's description.
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