For example, let's assume that ur only income source is ur Soc.Sec. benefits, $2,800*12=$33,600; So $33,600>$32,000 threshold for MFJ, married filing jointly status. Ur taxable soc. sec. benfits r $800; Lesser of 50% of ur soc. sec. benefits or 50% of excess of ur provisional incoem, in this particular case $33,600; Ur marginal individual incoem tax rate is imposed on the taxable soc. sec. benefits, $800. Suppose ur tax bracket is 25%, then ur tax liaiblity on the taxable benefit b $200; U report $800 on line 21b on form 1040, provided u file ur1040 tax form.
In the case of other retirement benefits, I mean,i.e., retirement pension or annuities, suppose u receive the benefits from a qualified employer retirement plan, the amounts you receive may be fully taxable, or partially taxable, depending on if you have no cost in the contract ; for instance, if ur employer did not withhols any cent from ur paycheck, or u actually never contributed any cent into the benefit plan(s); then all of the benfit distributions r taxable, FULLY, not partially, bud!!!
But if u contributed ur after tax dollars from ur paycheck into the plan, then ur distributions r partially taxable.
Report ur IRA distributions on line 15 of form 1040. Report ur pension and annuity distributions on line 16 of 1040.
If u rolled over ur IRA, enter the amount u rolled over in line 15a and write the word "Rollover" next to line 15b
and so on...
Hope this helps, bud~~~~~~~