Mobile Courant

U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville and Tim Sheehy have introduced the Senior Citizens Tax Elimination Act, aiming to eliminate what they describe as a "double tax" on Social Security benefits. This legislation comes after Senator Tuberville's announcement of his role on the Senate Committee on Aging for the 119th Congress.

"Seniors work the majority of their adult lives so that they can spend their retirement comfortably," said Senator Tuberville. He emphasized that seniors should not face a second tax on their Social Security benefits after having already paid income tax on their earnings.

In parallel, U.S. Representative Thomas Massie has introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives. "Although seniors have already paid tax on their Social Security contributions via the payroll tax, they are still required to list these benefits as taxable income on their tax returns," said Rep. Massie. He criticized this practice as a method for Congress to increase federal revenue at seniors' expense.

The Congressional Research Service notes that before 1984, Social Security benefits were exempt from federal income tax. The proposed act seeks to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, removing tier I railroad retirement benefits and Social Security benefits from an individual's gross income calculation.

Senator Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is part of several committees including Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.