Originally Posted by Melonie
If future benefit eligibility rules are changed to 'means testing', as has already been proposed by some in Washington as a way to resolve the future cost problems with Social Security, it is a distinctly possible that the $12,000 or $15,000 or $18,000 in future taxable income will cause the amount of money you receive in Social Security checks to be reduced. It is also distinctly possible that the $12-15-18k in additional taxable income may make you ineligible for property tax abatements, utility bill assistance programs etc. that retirees with lower taxable incomes would be eligible for. Money withdrawn from a Roth IRA account, which does NOT count as taxable income in the year it is withdrawn, would not create a corresponding reduction in Social Security checks or eligibility for other retiree benefit programs.