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Being Single Can Have Unintended Tax Consequences - Kiplinger
It is not uncommon for single people to pay higher taxes as they get older. Widow(er)s who suddenly find themselves single after losing their spouse are most likely to be caught off guard. You would think with less income, you would pay less taxes. This is not always the case. As a widow myself, I saw my tax liability go up, even though I had lost my spouse’s income when he passed away. Less income, higher taxes, hardly seems fair.
The main reason is how quickly you hit the 22% tax bracket when you are single. For 2026, the 22% tax bracket is $50,401 for single filers and $100.801 for married couples filing jointly. If you have other income besides your Social Security benefits, it does not take long to find yourself in that tax bracket.
One contributing factor to singles paying higher taxes on their Social Security benefits is that the thresholds for taxing Social Security benefits have never been indexed for inflation and remain unchanged since 1983. Until 1993, only up to 50% of your Social Security benefits were taxable. Beginning in 1993, they added a new level to tax up to 85% of your Social Security benefits.
For a single filer, the tax liability on your Social Security benefits is based on your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI), which is determined by adding your AGI, 50% of your Social Security benefits, and non-taxable interest. MAGI above $25,000 makes up to 50% of your Social Security benefits taxable. MAGI above $34,000 makes up to 85% of your Social Security benefits taxable.
Bottom line: if you have any other income, such as wages, mandatory retirement withdrawals, etc., your Social Security benefits will most likely be taxable. The additional $6,000 tax deduction in the One Big Beautiful Bill for people 65 or older helps reduce your taxes, but it is only guaranteed through December 31, 2028, and it will be up to the next administration to extend. If not extended, be prepared for a possible substantial tax hike.
Kelly R. Taylor has written an article on how tax strategies differ when you’re single. Read her entire article here… and see how these strategies may apply to you.
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