Does President Trump Normally Get a Monthly Social Security Payment? You May Find the Answer Quite Stunning...
In the twilight years of many retirees, Social Security income plays a crucial role. Despite an average monthly retired-worker benefit of $1,975.34 in 2025, according to a Gallup survey in April 2024, 88% of respondents acknowledged the importance of this financial support in meeting their expenses.
Furthermore, Social Security emerged as a significant safety net for millions of Americans in 2023. Estimates from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reveal that the program assisted 22 million individuals in surpassing the federal poverty line, with 16.31 million of those individuals being adults aged 65 and above.
average monthly retired-worker benefit to kick off 2025 was a modest $1,975.34, 88% of surveyed retirees in April 2024 told national pollster Gallup that their payout is needed, in some capacity, to cover their expenses.
To be eligible for monthly Social Security retired-worker benefits, individuals require a minimum of 40 lifetime work credits, with a maximum limit of four credits per year, and must reach the age of 62. This includes former President Donald Trump.
Social Security in 2023, 16.31 million of which were adults aged 65 and above.
Does President Trump Collect Social Security?
Since Nixon's tenure, presidential candidates and incumbents have traditionally disclosed their tax returns, with personal information redacted. Trump is an exception, being the only president since Nixon to maintain the secrecy of his tax returns. However, some of his tax returns from 2015 to 2020 were eventually released by the House Ways and Means Committee in December 2022.
same isn't true for former President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden. The Bidens file their taxes jointly and are currently collecting respective benefits from America's leading retirement program.
Interestingly, Trump's tax filings with the Internal Revenue Service show no income claimed in line 6a under "Social Security benefits." This suggests that despite qualifying for a monthly Social Security payout, Trump has not yet chosen to collect these benefits.
spousal benefits.
In contrast, former President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, file their taxes jointly and currently receive Social Security benefits. According to their 2023 tax returns, the Bidens collected $64,254 in benefits, translating to $5,354.50 per month. The breakdown shows $42,842 in benefits to Biden and $21,412 in spousal benefits to Jill Biden, highlighting her eligibility for a portion of Joe's retirement income.
Full retirement age
Social Security and High-Earning Workers
claiming age can wildly swing the payout pendulum. While retired-worker payouts can begin as early as age 62, there's a financial incentive to remain patient. For every year a worker waits to collect their payout, beginning at 62 and continuing until age 70, their benefit can grow by up to 8%.
Even wealthy individuals like Trump and Biden, with significant income histories, are subject to a benefit cap when they turn 62 and become eligible for Social Security benefits. In 2025, the maximum monthly payout at full retirement age is $4,018.
maximum monthly payout at full retirement age is $4,018.
The calculation of Social Security benefits takes four factors into account: full retirement age, claiming age, work history, and earnings history. The full retirement age determines eligibility for the full benefit payout and varies based on the year of birth. Claiming age has a significant impact on the benefit amount, with a delay in claiming leading to an increase in the monthly check until age 70. Work and earnings history also play a role, with the Social Security Administration basing the monthly benefit calculation on the 35 highest-earning, inflation-adjusted years.
Taxation of Social Security Benefits
taxation of benefits.
Social Security benefits are subject to taxation for high-earning retirees like Trump and Biden. The tax obligation stems from the fact that combined income (AGI, tax-free interest, and half of Social Security benefits) surpasses specific thresholds. For single filers, the threshold is $25,000, and for joint filers, it's $32,000.
provisional income (adjusted gross income + tax-free interest + one-half benefits) topped $25,000 for single filers and $32,000 for jointly filing couples. In 1993, a second tier was introduced that allowed up to 85% of benefits to be taxed if provisional income surpassed $34,000 for single filers and $44,000 for couples filing jointly.
Consequently, a portion of their Social Security benefits (up to 50%) would be taxed if their income falls within this range. For joint filers exceeding the threshold of $34,000 ($44,000 for joint filers), up to 85% of their benefits may be subject to federal income tax.
none of these thresholds have been adjusted for inflation over multiple decades, an increasingly larger percentage of senior households are affected by this tax each year.
Despite his preferences for eliminating Social Security benefit taxation, Trump would also face the same tax consequences as well-to-do retirees if he were to collect monthly benefits.
prefer to do away with taxing Social Security benefits, he would also be subject to this tax if he were collecting a monthly check.
- In 2025, the average monthly retired-worker benefit is projected to be $1,975.34, which many retirees acknowledge as crucial for meeting their expenses, as revealed in a Gallup survey.
- The Social Security Administration estimates that individuals need at least 40 lifetime work credits to become eligible for retired-worker benefits, with a maximum of four credits per year, and must reach the age of 62.
- The Bipartisan Policy Center suggests that by 2035, the program's trust fund will only be able to pay out 80% of scheduled benefits due to demographic changes and insufficient tax revenue, urging for bipartisan solutions to address this challenge.
- In the forthcoming years, policymakers will need to consider initiatives like gradually increasing the retirement age, adjusting benefit levels, or implementing taxes on higher income earners to ensure the program's long-term sustainability and preserve financial security for future retirees.