The SSA-1099-SM is the Social Security Benefit Statement the Social Security Administration mails you each January, packaged as a self-mailer (that’s what the “SM” stands for). It reports the benefits you received during the prior year and itemizes what was withheld from those payments, including your Medicare premiums. You use the figures on it to complete your federal tax return, and, if you itemize, to claim a medical expense deduction.
What the “SM” Suffix Actually Means
“SM” refers to how the document is physically packaged for mailing, not to a separate Medicare version of the form. The SSA produces several editions of the SSA-1099 for different mailing and language needs, including domestic English, Spanish-language, foreign, updated, and corrected versions. All the self-mailer editions carry the “SM” suffix, and each one reports the same core information: gross benefits paid, any benefits repaid, net benefits, and the withholdings applied along the way.1Social Security Administration. POMS GN 05002.005 – The Social Security Benefit Statement
One boundary worth naming: if you’re a nonresident alien for tax purposes, the SSA sends you Form SSA-1042S instead. It reports similar information but applies the withholding rules that govern payments to foreign persons.2Social Security Administration. Nonresident Alien Tax Withholding
How to Read the Boxes
Box 3 shows the total gross benefits the SSA paid on your behalf during the year, before any deductions. Directly beneath that dollar figure, the “Description of Amount in Box 3” area itemizes every withholding that was applied. This is where your Medicare premium totals appear, with separate line items for Part B, Part C, and Part D.3Social Security Administration. POMS GN 05002.010 – Social Security Benefit Statement – Box 3, Benefits Paid
Other items you may see listed in that same area include voluntary federal income tax withholding, overpayment recoveries, attorney fees, garnishments, and Treasury offsets. Together they explain the gap between what the SSA paid on your behalf (Box 3) and what actually landed in your account.3Social Security Administration. POMS GN 05002.010 – Social Security Benefit Statement – Box 3, Benefits Paid
Box 4 reports any benefits you repaid to the SSA during the year. Box 5 is Box 3 minus Box 4, and it represents your net benefits. That Box 5 figure is the one you carry to your tax return.4Social Security Administration. POMS GN 05002.014 – Social Security Statement – Box 5, Net Benefits
Use the exact Medicare premium totals printed on the form rather than trying to reconstruct them from your monthly amount. Mid-year rate changes, late enrollment penalties, and Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) surcharges for higher earners can all push the annual figure away from what a simple twelve-month calculation would produce.
Using Box 5 on Your Federal Return
Whether any of your Social Security income is taxable depends on your “provisional income,” which is roughly half your net Social Security benefits (Box 5) plus all your other income. The IRS compares that total against fixed base amounts.5Internal Revenue Service. Publication 915 – Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits
For single filers:
- Below $25,000: benefits are not taxable
- $25,000 to $34,000: up to 50% of benefits may be taxable
- Above $34,000: up to 85% of benefits may be taxable
For married couples filing jointly:
- Below $32,000: benefits are not taxable
- $32,000 to $44,000: up to 50% of benefits may be taxable
- Above $44,000: up to 85% of benefits may be taxable
These thresholds aren’t indexed for inflation, so most retirees with even modest additional income from pensions, retirement account withdrawals, or investments end up owing federal tax on some portion of their benefits.6Internal Revenue Service. IRS Reminds Taxpayers Their Social Security Benefits May Be Taxable
Report the Box 5 amount on line 6a of Form 1040 and the taxable portion on line 6b. If you received more than one SSA-1099 during the year, combine the Box 5 figures before entering them. Publication 915 includes a worksheet that walks through the calculation.5Internal Revenue Service. Publication 915 – Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits
Deducting the Medicare Premiums on Schedule A
The Medicare premium totals from your SSA-1099-SM do double duty at tax time. Part B and Part D premiums both qualify as deductible medical expenses on Schedule A if you itemize, and any IRMAA surcharge included in those line items counts as well.7Internal Revenue Service. Publication 502 – Medical and Dental Expenses
The deduction has a floor: only medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income reduce your taxable income. At an AGI of $50,000, the first $3,750 of medical costs produces no tax benefit, and only amounts above that count.7Internal Revenue Service. Publication 502 – Medical and Dental Expenses
Itemizing also has to beat the standard deduction to be worth it. For 2026, that’s $16,100 for single filers and $32,200 for married couples filing jointly, plus an extra $2,050 (single) or $1,650 per spouse (married) for taxpayers 65 and older. For retirees with heavy medical bills, the Medicare premium line on the SSA-1099-SM is often the largest single piece of a viable medical deduction. For retirees with modest medical costs, the standard deduction usually wins.
Getting a Replacement or Corrected Form
The SSA mails benefit statements between early January and January 31 each year, with replacements available online beginning February 1.1Social Security Administration. POMS GN 05002.005 – The Social Security Benefit Statement If yours hasn’t arrived or you’ve lost it, you have three ways to get another copy:
- Sign in to your my Social Security account at ssa.gov, select “Replace Your Tax Form SSA-1099/SSA-1042S,” pick the year, and download it. Replacements are available for any of the past six years.8Social Security Administration. How Can I Get a Replacement Form SSA-1099/1042S, Social Security Benefit Statement
- Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and the SSA will mail a paper copy to your address on file.8Social Security Administration. How Can I Get a Replacement Form SSA-1099/1042S, Social Security Benefit Statement
- Visit a local Social Security office to request a printed copy in person.
If the amounts look wrong, contact the SSA through the same channels to request a review. When a correction is warranted, the SSA issues a corrected statement designated SSA-1099-SM-C. File or amend using only the corrected form.1Social Security Administration. POMS GN 05002.005 – The Social Security Benefit Statement
One timing note: when a beneficiary’s monthly benefit is less than their Part B premium, the SSA makes manual adjustments to make sure the premium amount is correctly reflected in Box 3. Those corrections are generally completed by February 28, so an early-January form in that situation may not yet show the final figures.1Social Security Administration. POMS GN 05002.005 – The Social Security Benefit Statement