Customized Financial Strategies

At Senior Financial Services we help our clients by designing a customized financial strategy that often combines more than one product. Each part of the strategy will often dovetail with the others to produce a comprehensive plan addressing asset protection and growth, income that meets or exceeds the client’s needs, efficient tax strategies as well as efficient methods of passing assets to your heirs. Contact Fred Orentlich at 800-679-2858

Maximize Your Retirement with Senior Financial Services Inc New Legislation and its Effects on Retirement Planning Part 4 (Senior earning $100,000.00)

At Senior Financial Services we don’t take shortcuts. Hard work and research are hallmarks of our practice.

For help with your retirement planning needs, contact Fred Orentlich of Senior Financial Services at 800-679-2858

 

Income Components

Let’s assume the senior’s $100,000 income comes from:

Source

Annual Amount

Social Security benefits

$35,000

401(k)/IRA withdrawals

$50,000

Dividends/interest

$15,000

Total

$100,000

Note: Social Security benefits are partially taxable based on combined income (MAGI + 50% of Social Security).


 Standard Deduction & Senior Deduction

Step 1: Standard Deduction

  • Single filer in 2025: $15,750
  • Additional senior deduction (age 65+): $6,000
  • Total deduction: $21,750

This reduces taxable income:



 Taxable Social Security

  • The IRS taxes Social Security only if “combined income” exceeds thresholds ($25,000 single, $32,000 married).
  • Combined income formula: MAGI + 50% of Social Security
  • MAGI here = 50k + 15k = 65k
  • 50% of SS = 17,500
  • Combined income = 65k + 17.5k = 82,500

Step 2: Determine taxable portion of Social Security

  • For a single filer, 50% of SS becomes taxable if combined income > $25,000
  • 85% of SS becomes taxable if combined income > $34,000
  • Here combined income = $82,500 → 85% of $35,000 is taxable = 29,750

So taxable Social Security = $29,750, but we must subtract the senior deduction portion already applied.


 Taxable Income Calculation


  • Other income: $50,000 (IRA) + $15,000 (dividends/interest) = $65,000
  • Add taxable SS: 29,750 → $94,750
  • Subtract deductions: 21,750 → $73,000 taxable income

 Federal Tax Estimate (2025 brackets)

Assuming 2025 tax brackets similar to TCJA:

Bracket

Rate

Up to 11,000

10%

11,001–44,725

12%

44,726–95,375

22%

  • Apply rates roughly:
  1. First 11,000 × 10% = 1,100
  2. Next 33,725 (44,725–11,000) × 12% = 4,047
  3. Remaining 28,275 (73,000–44,725) × 22% = 6,221

Total federal income tax ≈ 1,100 + 4,047 + 6,221 = 11,368

Without the senior deduction of $6,000, taxable income would be $79,000 → tax ≈ $12,581.
So senior deduction saves ≈ $1,200.


 Social Security Tax Relief

  • Social Security is partially taxed, but thanks to the enhanced deduction, the senior keeps some of that income untaxed.
  • Without the $6,000 senior deduction, taxable SS would slightly increase the tax owed → the deduction directly reduces the amount taxed on SS.

 Bottom Line for This Senior

Item

Amount

Total income

$100,000

Standard + senior deduction

$21,750

Taxable income

$73,000

Estimated federal tax

$11,368

Tax savings from senior deduction

~$1,200

 

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