Sometimes, people are surprised to find out that their social security benefits are taxable. For the person who may only make $30,000 a year and receive social security benefits, getting taxed on these benefits can be a huge burden. To avoid any unfortunate surprises, some tax planning is required on the part of an individual. You can prepare for any taxes on social security benefits by having a portion of your social security benefits withheld from a paycheck. There are different amounts of money you may choose to have withheld from a paycheck. You may choose to have anywhere between 7% to 25% of your benefits withheld.