Are my SSA payments and my wife's TRSL payments taxable or exempt?

TRSL----teacher retirement?    Social Security and other retirement income like teacher retirement pension can be taxable  on your federal return depending on the total of your income.  State laws vary for taxing SS and/or other retirement income.

 Go to Federal> Wages & Income>>Retirement Plans and Social Security  (SSA1099 and 1099RRB) to enter your SSA1099.

To enter your retirement income, Go to  Federal> Wages and Income>Retirement Plans and Social Security>IRA  401 k) Pension Plan Withdrawals to enter your 1099R.

Up to 85% of your Social Security benefits can be taxable on your federal tax return.  There is no age limit for having to pay taxes on Social Security benefits if you have other sources of income along with the SS benefits.  When you have other income such as earnings from continuing to work, investment income, pensions, etc. up to 85% of your SS can be taxable. 

 What confuses people about this is that before you reach full retirement age, if you continue working while drawing SS, your benefits can be reduced if you earn over a certain limit. (For 2021 it was  $18,960.  For 2022 it was  $19,560  —  for 2023 $21,240)  For 2024, $22,320.  For 2025 it will be $23,400

After full retirement age, no matter how much you continue to earn, your benefits are not reduced by your earnings; your employer will still have to withhold for Social Security and Medicare.  If you work as an independent contractor then you will pay self-employment tax for Social Security and Medicare.

To see how much of your Social Security was taxable, look at lines 6a and 6b of your 2024 Form 1040

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/are-my-social-security-or-railroad-retirement-tier-i-benefits-taxable

You need to file a federal return if half your Social Security plus your other income is

Single or Head of Household      $25,000

Married Filing Jointly                  $32,000

Married Filing Separately            $0

Some additional information:  There are 9 states that tax Social Security—Colorado, Connecticut,, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont  and West Virginia These states offer varying degrees of income exemptions, but two mirror the federal tax schedule: MN and VT.

Information flows from your federal return to your state return, so the software will use your state's tax laws to determine whether SS or the pension is taxable in your state.

Yes.  These can be taxable income.  Social security is only taxable up to 85% depending on your other income.  

To enter the social security select the following:
• Click Federal
• Wages & Income
• See all income
• Scroll down to retirement click show more
• Click start next to SSA-1099
• Answer the questions and enter your SSA-1099

If you received a 1099-R for the TRSL enter it as follows:

• Federal
• wages and income 
• See full list
• Show More next to Retirement Plans and Social Security

 Start next to IRA, 401k, Pension Plan Withdrawals (1099-R)