How to Have Social Security Withheld Taxes

What Social Security tax withholding is and when you can request it

If you receive Social Security benefits, you can ask Social Security to take out federal income tax from each monthly payment. This is called voluntary tax withholding.

The request applies to your Social Security payment. It isn't the same as payroll tax taken from a paycheck, and the available information here only covers federal income tax withholding.

You have two ways to make the request:

1. Use a personal my Social Security account online.
2. Complete IRS Form W-4V, the form used to request federal income tax withholding from certain government payments, including Social Security benefits.

The online route is the most direct choice if you have a personal my Social Security account. The form route is useful when you want to send in a paper request, or when you need to start, change, or stop withholding through Form W-4V.

You can request withholding after benefits have started. You can also change or stop an existing request.

The four withholding rates available from Social Security

Social Security provides four withholding choices. Each rate is a percentage of your monthly benefit payment.

For example, the percentage is applied to the monthly benefit amount used for the withholding request. The available research does not provide a separate calculator or say which rate is right for a particular person.

That means you shouldn't treat one rate as a general recommendation. Your best choice depends on your own tax situation, including income and other factors that aren't covered here. If you're unsure, ask a tax professional for advice based on your circumstances.

How to start withholding online through a my Social Security account

A personal my Social Security account can be used to check, start, change, or stop a Voluntary Tax Withholding request.

Here's the online path:

1. Go to your personal my Social Security account.
2. Sign in, or create an account if you don't already have one.
3. Find the section for Voluntary Tax Withholding.
4. Choose the option to start a withholding request.
5. Select one of the four rates: 7%, 10%, 12%, or 22%.
6. Review the request and submit it through your account.

This is the answer to how to have Social Security withheld taxes online. It also answers the question, “Can you change Social Security tax withholding online?” Yes. The account can be used to review and change an existing voluntary withholding request, as well as start or stop one.

Keep the process focused on federal income tax withholding. The information available for this guide doesn't describe a separate online process for state taxes.

If you don't see the withholding option in your account, or the account doesn't let you complete the request, use the Form W-4V route instead.

How to start or change withholding with Form W-4V

IRS Form W-4V is used to request federal income tax withholding from government payments. Social Security payments are included.

You can use the form when you want to:

• Start federal withholding from your Social Security payment
• Change the withholding rate already in place
• Stop federal withholding through the form process

To start or change withholding with Form W-4V:

1. Get the current Form W-4V.
2. Complete the parts of the form that apply to your Social Security payment.
3. Choose one of the available rates: 7%, 10%, 12%, or 22%.
4. Check the form for missing or incorrect information.
5. Submit the completed form to your local Social Security office.

One key point from the available guidance is that people who already receive benefits, or who want to change or stop withholding, may need to use Form W-4V. The form is also the paper option for someone who wants to begin withholding instead of making the request online.

The form is for a withholding request. It does not tell you which rate you should choose. If you need help deciding how much federal tax to have taken out, get individual tax advice rather than choosing a rate based on a general rule.

How do I send W-4V to Social Security?

Complete Form W-4V and submit it to your local Social Security office. The available search information does not give a different mailing address or a detailed submission process, so check the current form instructions or contact Social Security if you need help confirming where to send it.

How to stop withholding from Social Security

You can stop voluntary federal income tax withholding in either of the two main ways.

Stop it online

If you have a personal my Social Security account:

1. Sign in.
2. Open the Voluntary Tax Withholding section.
3. Select the option to stop the existing request.
4. Review and submit the change.

The account can be used to stop a withholding request, so this is the online answer to how to stop tax withholding from Social Security.

Stop it with Form W-4V

You can also use Form W-4V to stop withholding through the form process:

1. Complete the current form.
2. Indicate that you want to stop federal income tax withholding.
3. Review the request.
4. Submit it to your local Social Security office.

Use the same form route if you are already receiving benefits and want to end an existing withholding request. Don't select a new percentage if your goal is to stop withholding. The request needs to clearly show that you want withholding stopped.

How to change an existing withholding request

Changing your rate is different from stopping withholding. If you want tax withheld but want a different percentage, choose a new rate from the four available options:

• 7%
• 10%
• 12%
• 22%

You have two paths:

Online: Sign in to your personal my Social Security account, open the Voluntary Tax Withholding section, and submit a change to the existing request.

By form: Complete Form W-4V, select the new withholding rate, and submit the form to your local Social Security office.

So, if you're asking can you change Social Security tax withholding online, the answer is yes through a personal my Social Security account. If you prefer the form process, or the online option doesn't work for you, use Form W-4V.

Make sure you are changing the rate rather than ending the request. Choosing a new percentage keeps withholding in place. Stopping the request ends it.

How much tax should come out of your benefit payment?

Social Security gives you four choices, but the available research doesn't say which one is suitable for each beneficiary. It also doesn't provide a personal tax formula or a recommendation based on your benefit amount.

The practical choice is therefore simple:

• If you want withholding, choose from 7%, 10%, 12%, or 22%.
• If you don't want federal income tax withheld, use the online or Form W-4V process to stop it.
• If you already have withholding and want a different amount, submit a change using your account or Form W-4V.

Your monthly payment will be lower when federal income tax is withheld. The withheld amount is based on the rate you select and your monthly benefit payment.

That still doesn't tell you which rate will cover your tax bill. A personal tax decision can depend on information not included in the Social Security withholding request. Before selecting a rate, speak with a qualified tax professional if you need advice for your own situation.

What the search results say about state tax withholding

The available information focuses on federal income tax withholding from Social Security benefits. It identifies the my Social Security account and Form W-4V as the ways to request, change, or stop that federal withholding.

It does not provide a detailed process for state tax withholding. It also doesn't establish that the same rates or request steps apply to state taxes.

For that reason, don't assume that choosing 7%, 10%, 12%, or 22% handles any state tax obligation. Check your state's rules separately or ask a tax professional for guidance.

If you want federal tax withheld, choose the path that fits you: use your personal my Social Security account for an online request, or complete Form W-4V and submit it to your local Social Security office. Before picking a rate, get individualized tax advice if you need help deciding what fits your situation.