Does Social Security count as income for premium tax credit?
Andrew Mclaughlin
Published Feb 10, 2026
Yes, Social Security benefits are counted as income in determining eligibility for premium tax credits in the Marketplace.
Does lump sum social security affect premium tax credit?
If you receive a lump-sum payment of Social Security benefits reflecting amounts attributable to prior years, you can elect to use income from the prior years to figure the taxable portion of benefits attributable to those years.
How much tax will I owe on my Social Security benefits?
Multiply your total Social Security benefits ($12,000) by 85% to get $10,200. The individual would pay the lesser of the result from Step 7 or the result from Step 8. In this case, they would owe taxes on $9,600 of their Social Security benefits rather than $10,200. You can follow the same steps for any combined income or tax filing status.
What’s the maximum amount of credits you can earn for Social Security?
In 2021, you earn one Social Security or Medicare credit for every $1,470 in covered earnings each year. You must earn $5,880 to get the maximum four credits for the year. During your lifetime, you might earn more credits than the minimum number you need to be eligible for benefits. These extra credits do not increase your benefit amount.
How to claim Social Security Disability Tax Credit?
To claim the Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled, you’ll need to fill out Schedule R and use Form 1040 or Form 1040A for your tax return (not 1040EZ). The maximum amount you can claim ranges from $3,750 to $7,500 depending on your filing status. There’s a worksheet on Schedule R that you can use to calculate the amount of your credit.
Who is eligible for the premium tax credit?
In general, an individual is eligible for the PTC if his or her household income is at least 100% but not more than 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL) for the individual’s family size, no one can claim the individual as a dependent, and, if married, the individual files a joint return.