" Now do the "democrats wanted to raise them (taxes)" part."

Why blame Dems, instead of the authors who wrote the rates returning?

And if you're running deficit budgets, and extend expiring tax cuts ... aren't you just borrowing more and more???

"You get a tax credit. If you qualify."

There is no specific tax break for Social Security.

There will be a temporary $6K additional standard deduction for those 65 or older, whether they're on SS or not. That, along with income caps, means the benefits are limited. They'll also expire before Trump leaves office, just like with tips and overtime.

BTW, anyone who ONLY gets Social Security will owe no income tax. Even a pair of 70 yr olds getting the max $5108/mo CURRENTLY pay ZERO in federal income taxes.

On $122,000 of income.

" Even a pair of 70 yr olds getting the max $5108/mo CURRENTLY pay ZERO in federal income taxes."

Two things.

One, that's how it already is: if your only income is SS, you pay no federal income tax.

Two, if you have other income, it starts making SS taxable very quickly, where the first level is 35% of SS becomes taxable, then 50% taxable at the second level, then 85%. And if you're in a pocket where that percentage jumps levels, you might go from an expected 12% marginal rate to, say, a 31% rate on that last $1000.

Bottom line: Social Security, by itself, isn't taxable. It's OTHER income which makes it taxable. Generally speaking, the higher the other taxable income, the larger percentage of SS will be taxable.

One more thing: the income level at which SS becomes taxable has remained unchanged since the inception ... while most other caps and provisions are tied to COLAs, and rise every year.

Refusing to raise the cap is a de-facto annual tax increase.

It's the same thing I see on a state level, when year after year, refund credits (eg, for property taxes) keep the same income cap. More folks cease to qualify every year simply because they got a bump in Social Security.

" It expires with Trump's term because that's the only way it would pass."

Which is a crappy way to write tax law.

So are you FOR or AGAINST borrowing $5-6 Trillion (once interest is included) mostly to give away, in otherwise expiring tax cuts?

" Somebody's going to be in a trick bag."

Yeah. The American middle and lower classes.
Sincerely, Math