Social Security and Medicare

Income tax on Social Security benefits

38 public statements from 2026 candidates · 1 related bill

§1The range of views

Why this matters: Ending the tax would leave more money with the retirees who pay it, and keeping it brings in money the government would otherwise have to raise or do without.

Drafted by AI, then checked for neutral wording in a separate AI review. It describes the question and the main positions, not any candidate's view. Facts link to their sources.

Whether people with incomes above set levels should pay federal income tax on part of their Social Security benefits, as they do now; a 2025 law added an extra deduction of up to $6,000 for people 65 and older from 2025 through 2028, which lowers their taxable income.1,2

  1. End income tax on Social Security benefits
  2. Keep the extra deduction for people 65 and older past 2028, or make it permanent
  3. Keep taxing part of the benefits of people with higher incomes, and let the extra deduction end after 2028

These options describe policies, not people. The order is not a ranking.

§2What candidates have said

Why this matters: Statements candidates made publicly, summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Candidates who haven't spoken publicly on this issue aren't listed.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

End income tax on Social Security benefits (15)

  • Mary Peltola AK Senate
    Her campaign website says she would work to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits.3
  • John McBride CA-9
    His campaign website lists no tax on Social Security among his economic priorities.4
  • Larry Thompson CA-32
    His campaign website calls for no taxes on Social Security.5,6
  • Mike Cargile CA-35
    His campaign website says Social Security benefits should be completely tax-free.7
  • Gus Michael Bilirakis FL-12
    His campaign website says he delivered the new $6,000 senior tax exemption and co-sponsored legislation to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits.8,9
  • Anna Paulina Luna FL-13
    Her campaign website says she co-sponsored legislation to eliminate taxes on seniors' Social Security benefits.10
  • "Mike" Nichols LA-4
    His campaign flyer lists no tax on Social Security among the things he supports.11
  • Monique Appeaning LA-6
    Her campaign website lists no tax on Social Security among her priorities.12
  • John Deaton MA Senate
    His campaign website says Social Security benefits should not be taxed.13
  • Peggy Flanagan MN Senate
    Her campaign website says she supports eliminating the tax on Social Security.14
  • Eric Pratt MN-2
    His campaign website says he supports eliminating the federal income tax on Social Security benefits.15
  • Alani Bankhead MT Senate
    Her campaign website says she would end the federal tax on Social Security benefits.16
  • Jeff Van Drew NJ-2
    The page says he has sponsored a bill to end federal income taxes on Social Security income for seniors. It also lists his July 2025 vote for a new $6,000 tax credit for seniors, which it says, combined with a larger standard deduction, means 88 percent of American seniors will owe no federal tax on their Social Security income.17
  • Joe Hathaway NJ-11
    His campaign platform says retirees should not owe tax on Social Security benefits they paid into through their work, and that he supports the Working Families Tax Cut Act provision it describes as ending federal taxes on Social Security income.18
  • Afzal "Bobby" Khan NV-1
    His campaign website says he supports eliminating federal taxes on retirement income of every kind, naming Social Security benefits, pensions and retirement account withdrawals.19,20

Statements that don't match one option (23)

  • Barry Moore AL Senate
    His campaign website credits President Trump with cutting taxes on Social Security.21
  • Tom Cotton AR Senate
    His campaign website says he passed no tax on Social Security.22
  • French Hill AR-2
    His campaign website says he helped pass a new tax deduction for seniors that lowers their taxes, including on Social Security income.23
  • Eric Jones CA-4
    His campaign website says people who live mainly on Social Security should stop being taxed on it, noting that the income thresholds have not been updated since 1984.24,25
  • Kat Cammack FL-3
    Her campaign website lists among her accomplishments promoting the 2025 tax law, which it says created a new $6,000 deduction for seniors.26
  • Greg Steube FL-17
    His campaign website lists a new $6,000 deduction for people 65 and older from 2025 through 2028, and up to $12,000 for a married couple, among the provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill.27
  • Mario Diaz-Balart FL-26
    His campaign website lists relief for seniors on Social Security among the signed tax relief that it says helped block a tax increase on district families.28
  • Ashley Hinson IA Senate
    Her campaign's affordability plan calls for making no tax on Social Security permanent.29
  • Sarah Zabel ID-1
    Her Social Security plan says she would subject all benefits of single filers with adjusted gross income above $100,000 and joint filers above $125,000 to income tax.30
  • Darin LaHood IL-16
    His campaign website says the Working Families Tax Cut, which he helped deliver, provided tax relief for seniors on Social Security.31
  • Ron Estes KS-4
    His campaign website lists a senior tax deduction that it says essentially covers Social Security taxes for most Americans among the tax changes Republicans delivered in 2025.32
  • Andy Barr KY Senate
    His campaign website says the 2025 tax law he voted for ended taxes on Social Security for seniors.33
  • Mikel Wein KY-5
    His campaign website lists the You Earned It You Keep It Act, which it says ends federal income taxes on Social Security benefits and removes the payroll cap to pay for it, among the pending legislation on its Wealth page.34
  • John Moolenaar MI-2
    His campaign website says he was proud this year to cut taxes on Social Security and Medicare benefits for seniors, and it lists tax relief for seniors among the provisions of the Working Families Tax Cuts law.35,36
  • Tim Walberg MI-5
    His campaign website lists no tax on Social Security for 88% of seniors among the provisions of the Working Families Tax Cuts law he supported.37,38
  • Ann Wagner MO-2
    Her campaign website says she voted for the Working Families Tax Cut, which it says removes taxes on Social Security.39
  • Aaron Flint MT-1
    His campaign website lists no tax on Social Security among the recent tax breaks for working families that he would make permanent.40
  • Pete Ricketts NE Senate
    His campaign website says he voted for Social Security tax cuts that it says end federal taxes on Social Security benefits for 88% of seniors.41,42
  • Mike Flood NE-1
    His campaign website lists his vote for no tax on Social Security among his efforts to leave Nebraskans with more of their paychecks.43,44
  • Adrian Smith NE-3
    His campaign website lists among his accomplishments helping write the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill, which it says reduces taxes on Social Security benefits.45
  • Anthony DiLorenzo NH-1
    His campaign website lists protecting the elimination of taxes on Social Security among his priorities.46
  • Greggory D Hull NM Governor
    His campaign website says that if the full income tax plan does not pass the Legislature, he would seek to end the remaining state income tax on Social Security benefits, pension and retirement pay, and military retirement pay.47
  • Annie Andrews SC Senate
    Her affordability plan says Congress should expand the 2025 tax cut on Social Security and make it permanent.48,49

§3Related bills

Why this matters: Bills from 2023–2026 that bear on this issue, with how Congress handled them.