Whether you have to file a tax return if you receive Social Security depends on whether you receive any additional income and how much it is. If you only receive Social Security with no other income, you may not have to file a tax return. If you have other income, that income plus 50% of your Social Security benefit determines whether you need to file. You'll need to file if that total is $25,000 or more if you're a single filer, $32.000 if you're married filing jointly, $25,000 if you're married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for the entire year, and $0 if you're married filing separately and you lived together for some part of the year.