How each state taxes retirement income
Where you retire changes how much of your retirement income you keep. Most states do not tax Social Security: among the states we track, only Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont tax any of it. Where states really differ is on pensions and on 401(k) and IRA withdrawals. The states with no income tax at all, so no tax on any retirement income, are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. The table compares them all; each row links to a full guide.
Which states tax retirement income?
| State | Social Security | Pensions | 401(k) / IRA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Not taxed | Not taxed | Taxed |
| Alaska | Not taxed | Not taxed | Not taxed |
| Arizona | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Arkansas | Not taxed | Partial | Not taxed |
| California | Not taxed | Taxed | Taxed |
| Colorado | Taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Connecticut | Taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Delaware | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| District of Columbia | Not taxed | Taxed | Taxed |
| Florida | Not taxed | Not taxed | Not taxed |
| Georgia | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Hawaii | Not taxed | Not taxed | Taxed |
| Idaho | Not taxed | Taxed | Taxed |
| Illinois | Not taxed | Not taxed | Not taxed |
| Indiana | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Iowa | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Kansas | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Kentucky | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Louisiana | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Maine | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Maryland | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Massachusetts | Not taxed | Taxed | Taxed |
| Michigan | Not taxed | Partial | Not taxed |
| Minnesota | Taxed | Taxed | Taxed |
| Mississippi | Not taxed | Not taxed | Not taxed |
| Missouri | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Montana | Taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Nebraska | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Nevada | Not taxed | Not taxed | Not taxed |
| New Hampshire | Not taxed | Not taxed | Not taxed |
| New Jersey | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| New Mexico | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| New York | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| North Carolina | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| North Dakota | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Ohio | Not taxed | Taxed | Taxed |
| Oklahoma | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Oregon | Not taxed | Taxed | Taxed |
| Pennsylvania | Not taxed | Not taxed | Not taxed |
| Rhode Island | Taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| South Carolina | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| South Dakota | Not taxed | Not taxed | Not taxed |
| Tennessee | Not taxed | Not taxed | Not taxed |
| Texas | Not taxed | Not taxed | Not taxed |
| Utah | Taxed | Taxed | Taxed |
| Vermont | Taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Virginia | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Washington | Not taxed | Not taxed | Not taxed |
| West Virginia | Not taxed | Partial | Not taxed |
| Wisconsin | Not taxed | Partial | Taxed |
| Wyoming | Not taxed | Not taxed | Not taxed |
Each row links to that state's full retirement tax guide. From each state's Department of Revenue. Reviewed October 4, 2026.
Which states don't tax retirement income at all?
The states with no individual income tax do not tax any retirement income, Social Security, pensions, or withdrawals from 401(k) plans and IRAs. Among those we track, that means Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming. Keep in mind that federal income tax still applies to withdrawals from traditional (pre-tax) accounts no matter where you live, and that property and sales taxes vary, so the state-tax picture is only part of the cost of retiring somewhere.
Which states tax Social Security?
Among the states we track, Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont tax at least part of Social Security benefits. Every other state leaves them alone. In some of these states the tax depends on your age and income: Colorado, for example, lets taxpayers 65 and older subtract all of the Social Security that is in their federal taxable income. Each state's guide gives its own rule and links the statute.
What else changes when you retire to another state?
Moving does not end your old state's claim on you by itself. A state can keep taxing you as a resident until you have clearly changed your domicile, and some count the days you spend there. Our sister site Spyglass Beacon explains how states decide who is a resident and has a free state residency day counter.
The same withdrawals that a state taxes can also raise your Medicare premiums. Part B and Part D carry an income-based surcharge, IRMAA, set from your tax return two years earlier, so a large IRA withdrawal or Roth conversion now can cost you later. Our sister site Cobalt Medicare covers IRMAA, including the income tiers.
A note on estate and inheritance taxes
Retirees also care about what happens to an estate. Most states we track levy no estate or inheritance tax, but a few do, each with its own exemption. The individual state guides above list the estate or inheritance tax where one applies.
Sources
- Alabama: Alabama Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Alaska: Alaska Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Arizona: Arizona Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Arkansas: Arkansas Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- California: California Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Colorado: Colorado Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Connecticut: Connecticut Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Delaware: Delaware Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- District of Columbia: District of Columbia Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Florida: Florida Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Georgia: Georgia Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Hawaii: Hawaii Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Idaho: Idaho Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Illinois: Illinois Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Indiana: Indiana Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Iowa: Iowa Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Kansas: Kansas Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Kentucky: Kentucky Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Louisiana: Louisiana Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Maine: Maine Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Maryland: Maryland Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Michigan: Michigan Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Minnesota: Minnesota Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Mississippi: Mississippi Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Missouri: Missouri Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Montana: Montana Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Nebraska: Nebraska Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Nevada: Nevada Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- New Hampshire: New Hampshire Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- New Jersey: New Jersey Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- New Mexico: New Mexico Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- New York: New York Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- North Carolina: North Carolina Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- North Dakota: North Dakota Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Ohio: Ohio Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Oklahoma: Oklahoma Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Oregon: Oregon Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Rhode Island: Rhode Island Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- South Carolina: South Carolina Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- South Dakota: South Dakota Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Tennessee: Tennessee Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Texas: Texas Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Utah: Utah Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Vermont: Vermont Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Virginia: Virginia Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Washington: Washington Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- West Virginia: West Virginia Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Wisconsin: Wisconsin Department of Revenue / Taxation.
- Wyoming: Wyoming Department of Revenue / Taxation.