Do you support Democrats' plan to ELIMINATE taxes on Social Security benefits?

[Buttoneer]

I do.
https://act.democratic-strategy.org/survey/eliminate-social-security-taxes-2024?source=20240304_p2p_md_pet_b1_em-don-2_T4_rs

[MOMFUDSKI]

1. Yes.

Yes

[brooklynite]

2. What plan is that?

I'm sure someone has proposed it but I'm not aware its a Party goal.

And the DEMOCRATIC STRATEGY INSTITUTE is a PAC I've never heard of (and a lot reach out to me). This poll is, in the trade, known as a "butterfly net" to collect contact information for fundraising purposes.

[TwilightZone]

3. A bill was reintroduced in January.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/win-win-bill-eliminate-taxes-115000255.html

[brooklynite]

6. A Bill with seven co-sponsors (none in Leadership) doesn't sound like its going anywhere.

[TwilightZone]

8. Not sure how that's relevant.

You asked if there was a plan. The answer is yes. Took 30 seconds in Google to confirm.

[brooklynite]

10. I was think more like a plan the the Democratic Caucus was behind.

Hundreds of symbolic Bills are introduced every year, never to see the light of day.

And I don't need to say "yes I'd support that" to a PAC with no track record of actually getting a Bill passed.

[DBoon]

4. Yes!

and raise the minimum disbursement

[WarGamer]

12. The minimum BASE SS payment should be 1500/mo

Just meet the same "number of quarters of work" as today

With annual increases set at annual inflation PLUS .25%

[leftstreet]

37. +1

[Silent Type]

20. Obama tried to do that and even Democrats blasted him calling it the "Catfood Commission."

One of the main recommendations was raising payments for those on lower end.

We are going to keep kicking the SS can down the road until it’s critical. We better hope GOPers aren’t in control.

[KPN]

43. The "catfood" stuff was around real concern about

his plan adopting the concept favored by Rs of “chained cpi” in determining annual SS benefit increases. Are you familiar with chained cpi? The concern was legitimate as is the moniker “catfood commission” in that light.

[Silent Type]

45. Very familiar. In fact, since that time there were a few years where we would have fared better.

Think it was a compromise worth making. When Congress decides they can’t keep kicking this issue down the road, I bet we wish we’d taken Chained-CPI with some other impressive, especially for those on lower end.

[Hekate]

5. Hell yes. We already PAID a tax -- it IS a tax. It always feels like an insult to pay a tax on top of a tax.

[Fiendish Thingy]

11. SS is not a tax. Nt

[Hekate]

19. It is/originates in/ a payroll tax. I distinctly remember it coming out of my pitiful paychecks at age 15.

I remember it coming out of my paychecks the rest of my working life.

And now that I am in my 70s and retired, while my husband continues to work as a Data Base Admin because he actually loves it — he arranges to pay my taxes, including the taxes on my Social Security check.

[Fiendish Thingy]

21. Not everything withheld from your paycheck is a tax

You are contributing to a benefit fund, from which you will later draw benefits.

[Hekate]

24. Indeed, and for which I get taxed when I draw on it. I knew I could count on someone to quibble.

[Eko]

27. Pretty sure the money comes out of your paycheck pre tax.

Is so then you never paid taxes on that wage.

[Thunderbeast]

31. Not true

Social Security (FICA) is an after-tax deduction, meaning YOU DID pay income tax on the earnings as well as the payroll tax.

The rationale for taxing Social Security benefits arises from the fact that most retirees can expect to collect more in benefits than they paid in to the system over their working career. This was the deal worked out between Reagan and Tip O'Neil.

The current plan adds a bit of progressivity to the system, but with the tax kicking in at 35K AGI, most retirees pay federal tax on 85% of their benefit.

[Eko]

33. Not on my paystub or W2.

[ancianita]

39. I don't receive SS, and am not sure if it's actually insurance, but FICA means Federal Insurance Contributions Act.

People exempt from FICA are international students, scholars, professors, teachers (who usually pay into 'defined benefit' pension funds), trainees, researchers, physicians, au pairs, summer camp workers, and other aliens temporarily present in the United States in F-1,J-1,M-1, or Q-1/Q-2 nonimmigrant status are exempt from FICA taxes on wages

https://hr.vanderbilt.edu/international-tax/FICAexemptions.php#:~:text=International%20students%2C%20scholars%2C%20professors%2C,allowed%20by%20USCIS%20and%20have

Many retired union teachers get a union pension and are not allowed to receive SS; having had other jobs prior to teaching, I've had around 16 quarter FICA payments deducted. Many immigrants who will never receive Soc Sec have FICA deductions on their paychecks, as well. In this country there are millions of FICA payees who never end up receiving Social Security.

[Hekate]

41. TY

[Captain Stern]

66. That isn't so.

Your Social Security contribution is taken out of your check before your taxable income is calculated.

So, the amount that we are paying towards social security is not subject to income tax.

[Freddie]

79. No it isn't

Payroll admin here. Federal tax is based on your gross wage minus things like pension contributions, 401k, health insurance (section 125). FICA & Medicare is based on your gross wage minus section 125, with a YTD wage cap on the FICA portion.

[dlk]

80. FICA is a payroll deduction.

You can call it a tax or not; it’s still a payroll deduction that is not elective (unless you’re a member of an LLC). Social Security recipients pay tax, again.

[Freddie]

81. True

I figure if it comes out of your pay involuntarily it’s a tax.

[Fiendish Thingy]

32. I'm on SS too - I don't resent being taxed for income I receive

I would, however like to see CEO’s and billionaires pay their fair share.

[Mariana]

60. The Social Security Adminstration says it's a tax.

The OASDI tax rate for wages paid in 2024 is set by statute at 6.2 percent for employees and employers, each.

https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/cbb.html

[Demsrule86]

69. The idea is to stop taxing social security.

And I think we should.

[Fiendish Thingy]

72. The deficit would soar

Unless, at the same time, the Trump tax cuts were repealed, billionaires paid their fair share, and the IRS was funded sufficiently to go after wealthy tax cheats.

[bamagal62]

18. I agree. It's BS

[samplegirl]

7. Don't we wish

this would come to fruitation.

[Fiendish Thingy]

9. Bullshit website - Dems do not plan to eliminate taxes on SS.

I’m guessing that is some sort of push poll voter manipulation scheme.

If you think it’s real, can you provide any other links to official Democratic Party/Biden campaign policy positions that support this? (You can’t)

Not even Bernie Sanders is pushing to eliminate taxes on SS.

[Baitball Blogger]

13. Oh, yes.

But they need to remind everyone, who was responsible for requiring taxes on SS, and who were the ones to rescind that requirement.

[jimfields33]

28. The house and senate in 1986.

[PlutosHeart]

14. Yes. Most

retired people probably have no secondary income such as a pension and are falling well into poverty. When the paltry increases come they are swooped up by a combination of insurance increases and utilities. Then add some. Some shortfalls can easily be made by small increases elsewhere probably.

[Eko]

15. Im not so sure of that.

I dont think we should eliminate it but change the amount where you start to owe taxes on it.
Right now its
File a federal tax return as an "individual" and your combined income* is
Between $25,000 and $34,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50% of your benefits.
More than $34,000, up to 85% of your benefits may be taxable.
File a joint return, and you and your spouse have a combined income* that is
Between $32,000 and $44,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50% of your benefits.
More than $44,000, up to 85% of your benefits may be taxable.
Are married and file a separate tax return, you probably will pay taxes on your benefits.

I think it should be higher, say 65,000 of combined income is where you have to start to pay for single filers and the others up about the same. Thoughts?

[TexasBushwhacker]

26. Exactly. Those are the same limits they used when

they passed the law 40 years ago! No COLAS - at all! As if a single person could live on $25K anywhere!

[CousinIT]

16. YES! N/t

[Igel]

17. It's a fundraiser disguised as a push-poll.

Which, oddly, itself undermines a lot of (D) messaging over the OASI Trust Fund's drawdown as debt neutral. If it's debt neutral, it cannot be affected by any debt ceiling.

The trust fund is debt, but owed by a part of the government by the government. The feds pay interest but none of it is farmed out through T-bills of some kind held by citizens. Draw down the trust fund and it's now external debt, owed to private folk.

[usonian]

22. Tax on Social Security is a double tax.

I am not an accountant. I just hate paying it.

[TheBlackAdder]

23. Yep. It's a crap shoot if one can actually claim what they & their companies contributed into it.

[Happy Hoosier]

25. Of course...

That‘s the way it was until 1984.

It would be a great way to reduce elder poverty and boost retirement income for all retirees.

[Aussie105]

29. Retirement income is taxed?

Golly!

My current annual retirement income is around $50K AU dollars, from both government largesse and superannuation (Australian compulsory retirement scheme everyone contributes to while working) and I could step my income up to much higher if I wanted.

Haven't needed to fill out a tax form or pay tax since retiring. Bliss!

Taxes were paid during my working life and the compulsory contributions.
Why double dip on the tax thing?

DISCLAIMER: I'm not in America.

EDIT: I worked as a classroom teacher for 40 years, wife hasn't worked in the last 30.
So not a massive income while working.
Our current combined income exceeds our day to day needs, I'm slowly stashing money into term deposits at 5% interest for when a big bill needs paying. Like paying cash for a new car, but the current ones will probably outlive me.

[Rebl2]

30. Right now

a person is (SS) taxed on the first $168,000 they earn. After that you no longer pay the social security tax on your earnings. They need to increase that taxing on income to maybe three or four hundred thousand. At least it would help add to SS fund. Likely will never happen unfortunately.

[NNadir]

34. No. I am required to collect SS at my age although I still work. I am pleased to pay taxes...

...as payment toward living in a civilized nation.

[surfered]

35. Income taxation of SS benefits...

Your SS benefits may be taxable if the total of (1) one-half of your benefits, plus (2) all of your other income, including tax-exempt interest, is greater than the base amount for your filing status.

The base amount for your filing status is:

$25,000 if you're single, head of household, or qualifying surviving spouse,
$25,000 if you're married filing separately and lived apart from your spouse for the entire year,
$32,000 if you're married filing jointly,

So, the more total income you have, the more of your SS benefits are taxed. The maximum amount of benefits subject to tax is capped at 85%.

The Social Security Administration estimates 56% of SS beneficiaries’ benefits are subject to tax.

[liberal N proud]

36. As I am now of the age, I could receive said benefit (I am not taking it for 5 years)

I do favor the end of taxation on Social Security.

[Warpy]

38. Given how heavily they're about to fall on other Boomers, oh yes.

I would like to see an income threshold, though, one that would be indexed to inflation, above which the taxes would kick in.

Then again, I want to see the progressive tax schedule restored, again indexed to inflation so another Reagan couldn't flimflam the working public out of their money and give it to his rich cronies through a modified flat tax scheme.

[Trueblue Texan]

40. Hell yess! Nt

[AllaN01Bear]

42. yes, early stupid ronald raygun attempt to privatize . we need to have a wealth tax again.

[AllyCat]

44. Yes!

[Silent Type]

46. Ain't gonna happen. Another irritant, those of us still working into 70s paying SS tax

on earnings. I’m OK with it because it’s going for others’ SS, but still.

It's like I tell my neighbors who think they shouldn't pay school taxes, it benefits us
unless you want a moron removing your gallbladder, technical services by the unqualified, etc.

Plus, it’s not going to change.

[Silent Type]

47. Sorry, duplicate.

[tosh]

48. Big YES

[dlk]

49. It's a tax on the tax

Of course. First FICA taxes are paid into Social Security. Then recipients are taxed again

[MichMan]

75. So are sales taxes

[Bev54]

50. I wish they would do it in Canada as well.

[AkFemDem]

51. No

taxes should be income based and people living off of SS should be low enough income they aren’t taxed- those of us who earn plenty through other retirement, investments and income can afford to continue to pay into the national coffers- SS in particular is fragile and should be preserved for future generations who are currently funding it.

[onecaliberal]

52. Yes! Poor people like me get to pay into the feds because of this taxation.

[marble falls]

53. Yes. SSI is a big part of my personal income.

[Stinky The Clown]

54. I gotta tell ya, that form looks like some sort of phishing activity

While I would love to not pay tax on my Social Security, but it is NOT double taxed. FICA is not a tax. It is my contribution to a federally sanctioned retirement fund.

[pansypoo53219]

55. yes. but we need to fix ss fubding. we kill the cap + lower the %. greenspan's biggest fuckup.

[greatauntoftriplets]

56. Absolutely.

[rainy]

57. Yes

[Ferrets are Cool]

58. FUCK YES!!!!

God, I hate that shit.

[bullimiami]

59. It was never income and should never have been taxed.

[Bayard]

61. Damn right!

Even though I usually get most of it back. But paying for the Medicare alphabet takes a big chunk.

[H2O Man]

62. Yes

[Kaleva]

63. That's like asking the poor to support a tax cut for the higher classes

Getting $1492 a month SS, plus a $179 a month VA pension, I don't come anywhere close to paying tax on SS

[standingtall]

64. No not unless the cap is raised to offset the loss of revenue

[TheRealNorth]

71. Exactly

We already have long term funding issues with SS, and people want to exacerbate the issue.

[North Shore Chicago]

65. Illinois

Illinois doesn't tax Social Security or any other type of retirement income. Social Security benefits, pensions, IRA, and 401(k) distributions are tax-exempt. However, Illinois has a flat income tax rate of 4.95%, so earnings from other sources (such as investment income) are taxable.

With the exception of some wicked weather, I love northern Illinois!

[Jimbo S]

67. A means test(?)

I've always seen it as a means test. The SSI distribution formula already has a means test built in as well.

I don't have a strong opinion either way.

[Demsrule86]

68. Yes.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

70. Yes

[sellitman]

73. They think we should do away with SS altogether

Send all our saved money to help Trump pay his legal bills.

Vote Republican, and this will probably happen.

Or vote blue down the whole ballot and save democracy.

The choices couldn't be more stark.

[walkingman]

74. I support it with one caveat. If you are paying taxes and not participating

the underground economy where you take cash and do not report your income or pay taxes. If everyone that works for cash reported their income it would help our situation with SS and even Medicare. The other problem is corporations and high earners use tax loopholes to reduce their taxes - eliminate the loopholes.

The reason this is not fixed has to little to do with low earners. It is about high earners that are able to buy our politicians in order to continue these programs and the people that can change the laws are usually wealthy themselves or their donors are.

Our social programs were not designed for cheaters - fake disability, cash not reported, and then using things like Sec. 8 and Medicaid because they are CHEATERS - yes, they are CHEATERS and working families are forced to pay their way through life.

[pamdb]

76. yes

yes yes yes

[OLDMDDEM]

77. Of course!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

78. Yes