I am receiving long-term disability. Is it considered taxable?

Generally, you must report as income any amount you receive for your disability through an accident or health insurance plan paid for by your employer.

If both you and your employer have paid the premiums for the plan, only the amount you receive for your disability that is due to your employer's payments is reported as income. If you pay the entire cost of a health or accident insurance plan, do not include any amounts you receive for your disability as income on your tax return. If you pay the premiums of a health or accident insurance plan through a cafeteria plan, and the amount of the premium was not included as taxable income to you; the premiums are considered paid by your employer, and the disability benefits are fully taxable.

Refer to Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income, for more details. If the amounts are taxable, you can submit a Form W-4S (PDF), Request for Federal Income Tax Withholding, to the insurance company, or make estimated tax payments by filing Form 1040-ES (PDF), Estimated Tax for Individuals.

Amounts you receive from your employer while you are sick or injured are part of your salary or wages. Report the amount you receive on line 7, Form 1040 (PDF); line 7, Form 1040A (PDF); or line 1, Form 1040EZ (PDF). You must include in your income sick pay from any of the following:

A welfare fund.

A state sickness or disability fund.

An association of employers or employees.

An insurance company, if your employer paid for the plan.

Payments you receive from qualified long-term care insurance contracts will generally be excluded from income as reimbursement of medical expenses received for personal injury or sickness under an accident and health insurance contract. Also, certain payments received under a life insurance contract on the life of a terminally or chronically ill individual (accelerated death benefits) can be excluded from income. Refer to Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax, Chapter 13, Other Income.

You may be able to deduct your out of pocket expenses for medical care above any reimbursements, if you are eligible to itemize your deductions. You will need to review Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses.

For more information, refer to Publication 907, Tax Highlights for Persons with Disabilities.

References:

• Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses
• Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income
• Publication 907, Tax Highlights for Persons with Disabilities
• Tax Topic 422, Nontaxable Income
• Form 1040 (PDF), U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
• Form 1040A (PDF), U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
• Form 1040EZ (PDF), U.S. Individual Income Tax Return for Single and Joint Filers with No Dependents
• Form W-4S (PDF), Request for Federal Income Tax Withholding

Are social security disability benefits taxed just like social security retirement benefits?

There is no difference in the formula for determining the taxation of social security benefits - whether the benefits are age-related or disability-related, except social security benefits do not include supplemental security income (SSI) payments, which are not taxable.

References:

• Publication 915, Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits
• Tax Topic 423, Social security and equivalent railroad retirement benefits

Is social security income paid to a disabled dependent child taxable income on the parent's return?

The income is reportable on the return of the person who has the legal right to receive the benefits. The social security benefits belonging to your dependent child must be added to your child's other income to see whether any of those benefits are taxable to the child. Whether the benefits are taxable will depend on the amount of benefits and amount of other income including interest or dividends.

References:

• Publication 915, Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits
• Tax Topic 423, Social security and equivalent railroad retirement benefits