Your Social Security Benefit Statement
It’s that time of year again: time to start preparing to file your taxes. If you receive Social Security benefits, one of the documents you will need when filing your federal income tax return is your Social Security Benefit Statement (Form SSA-1099).
Your Social Security benefits may be taxable. This includes monthly retirement, survivor and disability benefits. About one-third of people receiving Social Security benefits must pay taxes on some of these benefits, depending on the amount of their taxable income. This usually happens only if you have other substantial income — such as wages, self-employment, interest, dividends, and other taxable income that must be reported on your tax return — in addition to your Social Security benefits. You will never have to pay taxes on more than 85 percent of your Social Security benefits, based on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules.
To find out if you must pay taxes on your benefits, you will need your Social Security Benefit Statement (Form SSA-1099). You should automatically receive your 1099 form each January. It shows the total amount of benefits you received from Social Security in the previous year so you know how much Social Security income to report to the IRS on your tax return. The 1099 form is not available for people who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), as SSI payments are not taxable.
Whether you file your taxes early or wait until the deadline, Social Security makes it easy to obtain a replacement 1099 form if you didn’t receive one or misplaced yours. You can get an instant replacement quickly and easily by using your secure online my Social Security account. If you don’t already have an account, you can create one in minutes. Follow the link to the my Social Security page, and go to “Sign In” or “Create an Account.” Once you are logged in, select the “Replacement Documents” tab to obtain your replacement 1099 form. If you create a my Social Security account, you can also use it to keep track of your earnings each year, manage your benefits, and more.
You can also obtain a replacement 1099 form by calling us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or by contacting your local Social Security office. If you live outside of the United States, please contact your nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
With a my Social Security account, gathering your Social Security information for tax season has never been easier. Open your own personal my Social Security account today at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.
Kylle’ McKinney, SSA Public Affairs Specialist, can be reached by e-mail at kylle.mckinney@ssa.gov.
Grants will enhance Alabama’s parks and trails
- Buck’s Pocket State Park may soon become a destination for enthusiasts of all-terrain vehicles, thanks to a $526,996 grant awarded by Gov. Robert Bentley.
- Funds will be used to construct a 15- to 25-mile-long trail for off-highway vehicles at the park located along a section of Sand Mountain that straddles the borders of Jackson, DeKalb and Marshall counties. The grant was part of $1.6 million in Recreation Trail grants awarded by Bentley for 15 projects in Alabama.
- Of the total appropriation provided to the state by the Federal Highway Administration, $856,996 will benefit the state’s parks, which suffered budget cuts this year. Another $100,000 was awarded for recreational improvement of public trust land and the remaining funds went to seven municipalities to improve their parks.
- Below is a description of the other grants geographically from north to south:
- Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville was awarded $80,000 to build a trail shelter and do major trail restoration.
- The Land Trust of North Alabama will use a $100,000 grant to acquire 80 additional acres at the Wade Mountain Preserve in north Huntsville.
- Fort Payne was awarded $80,000 to build Citadel Rock Mountain Trail, a multi-use trail.
- Scottsboro was awarded $100,000 to build a 5,000-foot-long extension along Lake Guntersville of its Goose Pond Colony Resort trail.
- Gadsden was awarded $100,000 to build a 6 to 7-mile trail for hikers and bicyclists from Noccalula Falls Park to Black Creek Road and Tuscaloosa Avenue.
- Rickwood Caverns State Park near Warrior was awarded $35,000 to improve lighting along the .9-mile cavern trail.
- Alabama State Parks was awarded $65,000 to purchase equipment to build and maintain trails for the northeast Alabama region.
- The Central Alabama Chapter of the Backcountry Horsemen of America will use a $20,000 grant to construct a metal roof on a trail barn at Oak Mountain State Park.
- The Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham was awarded a $30,000 grant and in cooperation with the Alabama Trail Commission will conduct a pilot program at Oak Mountain State Park to determine trail accessibility for people with physical disabilities and chronic health conditions.
- The Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau will use a $100,000 grant to build three miles of new trail at Chewacla State Park.
- Troy will use a $100,000 grant to extend a multi-purpose trail at the Troy Sportsplex.
- Coffeeville in Clarke County will use its $100,000 grant to build a 3,500-foot-long multi-use trail.
- The city of Geneva was awarded a $100,000 grant to improve Robert Fowler Memorial Park.
- Gulf Shores was awarded a $100,000 grant to widen the Fort Morgan Road Trail.
