Do I Have to Pay Taxes on Survivors Benefts?

Full question:

I retired 5/1/10, started to receive Widows B. , Is this taxable? I made less than 25,000 when working. Pulled money out of IRA the past year, do this matter?

Answer:

According to the Social Security Administration, taxes may have to be paid on social security benefits, depending on your benefits, income level and tax filing status. As of May 2010, the SSA noted that less than 1/3 of social security recipients pay taxes on their benefits.

Whether your IRA withdrawal is taxable depends on whether it is a traditional or Roth IRA. Withdrawals from a traditional IRA are taxable, unlike a Roth IRA. However, withdrawals before age 59 ½ are subject to a penalty.

Please see also:

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10084.html
http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq/0,,id=199773,00.html
http://beginnersinvest.about.com/cs/iras/a/aairafees.htm

This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.

FAQs

Withdrawals from a Roth IRA are generally not taxable, provided certain conditions are met. Contributions to a Roth IRA are made with after-tax dollars, meaning you don't pay taxes on the money when you withdraw it in retirement. However, to avoid taxes on earnings, you must be at least 59 and a half years old and have held the account for at least five years.