Each state has a different mix of tax breaks for retirees. Most exempt certain types of retirement income, but they tax others. Consider state taxes before you decide where to retire, unless you happen to live in a state with no income tax. But keep in mind that some of these states without income taxes have high taxes in other areas.
States That Exempt Social Security Benefits
Thirty states exempt all Social Security benefits from taxation:
AlabamaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaDelawareGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMississippiNew HampshireNew JerseyNew YorkNorth CarolinaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaSouth CarolinaTennesseeVirginiaWisconsin
Taxation of Social Security Benefits
Among the states with personal income taxes, nine include Social Security benefits in taxable income. They provide exclusions, exemptions, and deductions, however.
Colorado provides exclusions for $20,000 to $24,000 in Social Security, pension, and annuity income.Connecticut offers exemptions for single taxpayers and married taxpayers who file separate returns if their incomes are less than $75,000. This increases to $100,000 for married joint filers, qualifying widow(er)s, and heads of household.Kansas provides an exemption for Social Security for those with federal adjusted gross incomes (AGIs) of $75,000 or less.Minnesota offers a special tax deduction to taxpayers who are age 65 or older or disabled, but eligibility depends on income.Missouri’s state legislation includes a special deduction to taxpayers who are age 62 or older or disabled, but eligibility depends on AGI.New Mexico offers a tax deduction of up to $8,000 to taxpayers age 65 or older, depending on income.Rhode Island provides various tax breaks for Social Security, as well as provisions for pension income, military retirement pay, and retirement funds, including 401(k) and 403(b) accounts.Utah’s legislation provides for a retirement credit of up to $450 for taxpayers who were born on or before December 31, 1952.West Virginia offers a deduction of up to $8,000 on all sources of income to taxpayers who are age 65 or older or disabled.
State Tax Exemptions for Military Pensions
Several states exempt military pensions from taxation entirely. They include:
AlabamaHawaiiIllinoisIowaKansasLouisianaMassachusettsMichiganMississippiNew JerseyNew YorkOhioPennsylvaniaWisconsin
State Taxes and Government Pensions
Federal law dictates that state tax policies can’t discriminate against federal civil service pensions. States can’t provide more favorable tax treatment to state and local pensions than they do for federal pensions. They can create tax policies that discriminate between their own state pensions and other states’ pensions, however. Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, New York, and Oklahoma provide greater tax relief plans for their states’ pension plans than for out-of-state government pension plans. Only 10 states exclude all federal, state, and local pension income from taxation:
AlabamaHawaiiIllinoisKansasLouisianaMassachusettsMichigan (for taxpayers born before 1946)MississippiNew YorkPennsylvania
The Best and Worst States for Retirees
Alabama, Hawaii, and Illinois exempt nearly all retirement income. They exempt 100% of Social Security, military pensions, government pensions, and certain types of private pensions. Only Mississippi and Pennsylvania exempt all retirement income, including 401(k) and IRA distributions. Four states allow no exclusions for pension and other retirement income: Minnesota, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Vermont. California has only a small tax credit for senior citizens and excludes only Social Security benefits and railroad retirement benefits from taxation.
