Social Security Q&A

Q: What is the estimated average Social Security payment that a person receives each month?

A: The estimated average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker in 2025 is $1,976.00. The average monthly Social Security benefit for a worker with a disability in 2025 is $1,580.00.

Q: I recently retired and am approaching the age when I can start receiving Medicare. What is the monthly premium for Medicare Part B?

A: In 2025, the standard Medicare Part B premium for medical insurance is $185.00 per month. Some people with higher incomes must pay higher monthly premiums for their Medicare coverage. You can get details at www.medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) (TTY 1-877-486-2048).

Q: Do we have to withhold Social Security taxes from our housekeeper’s earnings?

A: It depends on how much you’re paying the housekeeper. If you pay a housekeeper or other household worker $2,800 or more in cash wages throughout the year, you must deduct Social Security and Medicare taxes. This holds true for a cleaning person, cook, gardener, babysitter or anyone else who provides services for you. In addition, you must report these wages once a year. There are exceptions, for example, when you are hiring a company or independent contractor and paying them a fee for services instead of wages to a person. You can learn more about household workers and tax deductions by reading our publication, “Household Workers” at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10021.pdf.