Whether you get a tax refund depends on how much you earned and whether you owe taxes

A tax refund is money the government sends back to you because you paid more in taxes than you actually owed. Whether you get one while receiving SSDI depends on two separate things: whether any of your SSDI benefits are taxable (which you learned about on the previous page), and whether your total income — including any taxable SSDI — triggers a tax bill in the first place.

If you earned wages or had other income that year, you may owe taxes even if SSDI is part of your income. If you paid taxes through withholding on those wages and your total tax bill turns out to be smaller than what was withheld, you get the difference back as a refund. SSDI itself does not automatically create a refund or prevent one — it depends on your whole financial picture for that year.

Key Takeaways

  • You get a tax refund only if you paid more in taxes during the year than you actually owed, which is separate from whether SSDI is taxable.
  • If you have no earned income and your SSDI is not taxable, you typically owe no federal income tax and receive no refund.
  • If you earned wages or had other income, you may still get a refund even while receiving SSDI, depending on how much was withheld from your paychecks.
  • You must file a tax return to receive a refund, even if you are not required to file — the IRS will not send money back without one.

When SSDI recipients typically do not get a refund

Most people receiving only SSDI and no other income do not file a tax return and do not get a refund. This is because their SSDI is not taxable (if they have no other income), so they owe no federal income tax. With no tax bill, there is nothing to refund.

The IRS does not send refunds to people who do not file a return, even if they would be may have access to to one. You have to file a tax return to claim a refund. If your only income is SSDI and it is not taxable, filing a return would not change that — you would still owe nothing and receive nothing back.

When SSDI recipients can get a refund

You can get a refund while receiving SSDI if you had other income that year — typically wages from work. If your employer withheld federal income tax from your paychecks, and your total tax bill (including any taxable SSDI) is less than what was withheld, the IRS sends you the difference.

For example: you worked part-time and earned $8,000, with $600 withheld for federal income tax. You also received $12,000 in SSDI. Depending on your filing status and other factors, your actual tax bill might be $400. You would file a return, and the IRS would send you a $200 refund ($600 withheld minus $400 owed).

The refund comes from the taxes withheld on your wages, not from SSDI. SSDI itself does not generate withholding unless you specifically request it, which most recipients do not do.

How to request tax withholding on SSDI

If you want the Social Security Administration to withhold federal income tax directly from your SSDI payments, you can request it using Form W-4V. This is optional — most SSDI recipients do not do this because their benefits are not taxable or because they prefer to handle taxes at filing time.

If you do request withholding, you choose the amount: 7%, 10%, 15%, or 25% of your monthly benefit. The SSA will withhold that amount each month and send it to the IRS. This can help you avoid owing a large tax bill at the end of the year if some of your SSDI is taxable.

You can get Form W-4V from the Social Security Administration website, or call 1-800-772-1213 to request one by mail. You return the completed form to your local Social Security office or mail it to the address on the form.

What happens if you do not file a return but are owed a refund

If you are owed a refund and do not file a tax return, the IRS keeps the money. There is no automatic refund for SSDI recipients or anyone else. You must file a return to claim it, even if you are not required to file based on your income level.

The IRS does not know you are owed money unless you tell them by filing. If you think you might be owed a refund — because you had wages withheld or paid estimated taxes — it is worth filing a return to find out. You have up to three years to claim a refund before the IRS keeps it permanently.

Filing a tax return when you receive SSDI

If you have income other than SSDI, you may need to file a tax return. The IRS has income thresholds that determine whether you must file, and these change each year. Your filing requirement depends on your age, filing status, and total income (including any taxable SSDI).

You can file a return on your own using tax software, through a tax professional, or for free through the IRS Free File program if your income is below a certain level. When you file, you report all income, including any SSDI that is taxable. The IRS then calculates what you owe and either sends you a refund or tells you what you owe.

Social Security sends you a Form SSA-1099 each January showing how much SSDI you received that year. You use this form when you file your tax return.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a refund if I only receive SSDI and no other income?

No, not typically. If SSDI is your only income and it is not taxable, you owe no federal income tax and have nothing to refund. You would need to file a return to receive a refund, but filing would not change the fact that you owe nothing.

Do I have to file a tax return to get my refund?

Yes. The IRS will not send a refund without a tax return. Even if you are not required to file based on your income level, you must file if you want to claim a refund from taxes you paid during the year.

What if I had taxes withheld from my SSDI but do not owe any taxes?

You would get a refund of the full amount withheld. File a tax return showing your SSDI income and the withholding, and the IRS will send back the money that was taken out.

How do I know if my SSDI is taxable?

Your SSDI is taxable only if your combined income (SSDI plus other income like wages) exceeds certain thresholds. These thresholds depend on your filing status. The Social Security Administration website has a worksheet to help you figure this out, or a tax professional can tell you.

Can I request that Social Security withhold taxes from my SSDI?

Yes, using Form W-4V. You choose to withhold 7%, 10%, 15%, or 25% of your monthly benefit. This is optional and helps some recipients avoid a large tax bill at the end of the year if part of their SSDI is taxable.