By Hillary Hatch, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist
Questions and Answers
Question:
Do we have to withhold Social Security taxes from our housekeeper’s earnings?
Answer:
It depends on how much you’re paying the housekeeper. If you pay a housekeeper or other household worker $2,700 or more in cash wages throughout the year, you must deduct Social Security and Medicare taxes. This holds true for a cleaning person, cook, gardener, babysitter, or anyone else who provides services for you. In addition, you must report these wages once a year. There are exceptions, for example, when you are hiring a company or independent contractor and paying them a fee for services instead of wages to a person. You can learn more about household workers and tax deductions by reading our publication, Household Workers at
www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10021.pdf.
Question:
I am receiving Social Security retirement benefits and I recently went back to work. Do I have to pay Social Security (FICA) taxes on my income?
Answer:
Yes. By law, your employer must withhold FICA taxes from your paycheck. Although you are retired, you do receive credit for those new earnings. Each year Social Security automatically credits the new earnings. If your new earnings are higher than in any earlier year used to calculate your current benefit, your monthly benefit could increase. For more information, visit www.ssa.gov or call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
Question:
Do Members of Congress have to pay into Social Security?
Answer:
Yes. Members of Congress, the President and Vice President, federal judges, and most political appointees, have paid taxes into the Social Security program since January 1984. They pay into the system just like everyone else, no matter how long they have been in office. Learn more about Social Security benefits at www.ssa.gov.
Question:
My child, who gets Social Security, will be attending his last year of high school in the fall. He turns 18 in a few months. Do I need to fill out a form for his benefits to continue?
Answer:
Yes. You should receive a form, SSA-1372-BK, in the mail about 3 months before your son’s birthday. Your son needs to complete the form and take it to his school’s office for certification. Then, you need to return page2 and the certified page 3 back to Social Security for processing. If you can’t find the form we mailed to you, you can find it online at: www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-1372.pdf.
Question:
Are Social Security numbers reassigned after a person dies?
Answer:
No. We do not reassign Social Security numbers. In all, we have assigned more than 500 million Social Security numbers. Each year we assign about 5.5 million new numbers. There are over one billion combinations of the 9-digit Social Security number. As a result, the current system has enough new numbers to last for several more generations.
Question:
My daughter just joined a non-profit charity and is helping victims of natural disasters. She gets a salary. We were wondering if she has to pay Social Security tax.
Answer:
Yes, people who work for non-profits and who receive a salary must pay Social Security tax just like everyone else. Those wages and the Social Security tax she pays on them will offer her financial relief in the future when it comes time to apply for Social Security. For more information, visit our electronic publication, How You Earn Credits at
www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10072.pdf.
Hillary Hatch is the Public Affairs Specialist for West Michigan. You can write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525 or via email at hillary.hatch@ssa.gov