Despite fresh tax rate reductions from the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, the top marginal tax bracket for many retirees is often a whopping fouthy-six.3%. Why? Because Social Security benefits are subject to income income tax. Those affected are Social Security recipients who have the good fortune (misfortune?) pertaining to being subject to both the 25% taxes bracket and also the 85% inclusion rate for Social Security benefits.
The federal income tax statutes echos the language of the 16th amendment in praoclaiming that it reaches "all income from whatever source derived," (26 USC s.