Lines 6a and 6b Social Security Benefits

You should receive a Form SSA-1099 showing in box 3 the total social security benefits paid to you. Box 4 will show the amount of any benefits you repaid in 2025. If you received railroad retirement benefits treated as social security, you should receive a Form RRB-1099.

Use the Social Security Benefits Worksheet in these instructions to see if any of your benefits are taxable.

Exception.

Do not use the Social Security Benefits Worksheet in these instructions if any of the following applies.

You made contributions to a traditional IRA for 2025 and you or your spouse were covered by a retirement plan at work or through self-employment. Instead, use the worksheets in Pub. 590-A to see if any of your social security benefits are taxable and to figure your IRA deduction.

You repaid any benefits in 2025 and your total repayments (box 4) were more than your total benefits for 2025 (box 3). None of your benefits are taxable for 2025. Also, if your total repayments in 2025 exceed your total benefits received in 2025 by more than $3,000, you may be able to take an itemized deduction or a credit for part of the excess repayments if they were for benefits you included in income in an earlier year. For more details, see Pub. 915.

You file Form 2555, 4563, or 8815, or you exclude employer-provided adoption benefits or income from sources within Puerto Rico. Instead, use the worksheet in Pub. 915.

Social security information. Social security beneficiaries can now get a variety of information from the SSA website with a my Social Security account, including getting a replacement Form SSA‐1099 if needed. For more information and to set up an account, go to SSA.gov/myaccount .

Disability payments.

Don’t include in your income any disability payments (including Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments) you receive for injuries incurred as a direct result of a terrorist attack directed against the United States (or its allies), whether outside or within the United States. In the case of the September 11 attacks, injuries eligible for coverage by the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund are treated as incurred as a direct result of the attack. If these payments are incorrectly reported as taxable on Form SSA-1099, don’t include the nontaxable portion of income on your tax return. You may receive a notice from the IRS regarding the omitted payments. Follow the instructions in the notice to explain that the excluded payments aren’t taxable. For more information about these payments, see Pub. 3920.

Example.

You were a firefighter who was disabled as a direct result of the September 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. You began receiving SSDI benefits at age 54. Your full retirement age for social security retirement benefits is age 66. Your birthday is April 25. In the year you turned age 66, you received $1,500 per month in benefits from the SSA (for a total of $18,000 for the year). Because you became eligible for a full retirement benefit in May, the month after you turned age 66, you can exclude only 4 months (January through April) of your annual benefit from income ($6,000). You must report the remaining $12,000 on line 6a. You must also complete the Social Security Benefits Worksheet to find out if any part of the $12,000 is taxable.

Form RRB-1099. If you need a replacement Form RRB-1099, call the Railroad Retirement Board at 877-772-5772 or go to www.rrb.gov .

Accrued leave payment.

If you retire on disability, any lump-sum payment you receive for accrued annual leave is a salary payment. The payment is not a disability payment. Include it in your income in the tax year you receive it.