Social Security disability benefits may be taxable if you have other income that puts you over a certain threshold. However, many people who receive Social Security disability benefits do not have to pay taxes on their benefits because most people who meet the strict criteria to qualify for the program have little or no additional income.

How Social Security Disability Works

President Franklin D. Roosevelt included the Social Security program as part of his New Deal government reforms of the 1930s. The purpose of the New Deal was to lift the country out of the Great Depression and restore its economy. Social Security was designed to provide a financial safety net for older Americans and those with qualifying 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:disabilities.

People who receive Social Security benefits due to a disability do not have to be of a particular age to receive benefits (although they do need to have paid into the Social Security system while they were working). Instead, their disability must meet the strict criteria laid out by the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Social Security Administration (SSA).

First, the SSA says, "Your condition must significantly limit your ability to do basic work such as lifting, standing, walking, sitting, and remembering—for at least 12 months." The condition must prevent you from doing the kind of work you did previously, and based on your age, education, experience, and transferable skills, you are unable to perform other work.

Additionally, you must not currently be working so much that your "澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:substantial gainful activity" monthly income exceeds $1,620 in 2025. (It was $1,550 for 2024.) The threshold for blind recipients is $2,700 per month in 2025. (It was $2,590 per month in 2024.) The specific type of disability must be included on the SSA's approved list or otherwise judged to be of equal severity to a condition on the list.

When Disability Benefits Are Taxed

Whether Social Security disability benefits are taxed depends on your total income. You won't pay taxes on your Social Security disability benefits if your total income—which is determined by adding one-half of your disability benefits to all other sources of earned income, including tax-exempt interest—is below the threshold set by the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If you file your taxes as an individual, the threshold amount is $25,000. If you are married and file jointly, it is $32,000.

The Bottom Line

In some situations and in some states, your Social Security disability benefits may be taxable. It depends on your income, which is calculated using a formula set by the Social Security Administration. There are two income thresholds: $25,000 for single filers and $32,000 for those who file jointly. If you're income exceeds these amounts, you will need to pay taxes on your Social Security benefits.