Remember that Social Security benefits are never taxed on your state or city returns. However, you can still take the deductions I talked about in the beginning. Something of a personal note...don't get mad at your accountant if he or she isn't up on the taxation and deductions associated with Social Security benefits. Tax preparation is a tough job. The rules are always changing.

At BINDER & BINDER® we've been doing this for a long time. And that's what it takes to really know this specialized field.

And finally, if you or your tax preparer have any questions, please feel free to call our tax department at (631) 361-6699. We're always glad to help.

Here at BINDER & BINDER® we work hard to be sure you get your full benefits. But too often, the government gives with one hand and takes back more than it should with the other. That usually happens when our clients do their own returns, or when their tax preparers are not fully familiar with the specific demands of Social Security Disability law.

A tax return is like a blood test. When you get the results of a blood test, your bad cholesterol should be low, and your good cholesterol should be high. Ideally, within the constraints of honesty, when you finalize your tax return, your income should be low, and your deductions should be high.

That's pretty obvious. What's not obvious is how can we (honestly) make it work out that way when it impacts on Social Security benefits.

"It's not what you get from the government. It's how much you get to keep." - Harry J. Binder