Lifestyle
By looking for the states with lowest taxes for retirees, you can reduce your monthly expenses and have more money to do the things you really want to do.
Stephanie Faris
Published November 9th, 2020
Updated December 18th, 2020
Stephanie Faris
•
Published November 9th, 2020
•
Updated December 18th, 2020
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
The top 10 tax-friendly states either have no income tax on retirement or lower overall taxes for retirees.
It’s important to also look at property taxes, sales tax, and general living expenses when considering relocating after retirement.
Some states tax retirement income but offer credits and exemptions that could reduce your liability.
Taxes are an inevitable part of retirement, but not all states have the same tax rates. By looking for the states with lowest taxes for retirees, you can reduce your monthly expenses and have more money to do the things you really want to do.
Some states tax Social Security and pensions, while others partly tax them or base taxation on your income levels. In a handful of states, you’ll pay no income tax whatsoever, but it’s important to look into other factors, like sales tax and overall cost of living. To help you get started, we’ve broken down tax rates by state, along with ranking the most and least tax-friendly states for retirees.
The 10 Most Tax-friendly States for Retirees
When you’re looking at the best states to retire to, taxes aren’t the only consideration. But by narrowing it down to the top 10, you can consider other amenities and find the state that checks off the most items on your wish list. Here are the top 10 most tax-friendly states.
- Wyoming
- Alaska
- Alabama
- Florida
- Georgia
- Delaware
- Mississippi
- Nevada
- South Dakota
- Pennsylvania
What do these states have in common? In most cases, they’re states that don’t tax Social Security and retirement income, which brings a big cost savings. Wyoming, Alaska, Florida, Nevada, and South Dakota are among the nine states without an income tax, and Wyoming doesn’t have a sales tax.
Another feature to look for when you’re searching for an affordable place to live is inheritance tax. All of the above states except Pennsylvania have no inheritance or estate tax. This is significant if you’re married and one spouse survives the other since it will leave more behind for the surviving spouse.
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Schedule your FREE Retirable consultation today.The 10 Least Tax-friendly States for Retirees
If money’s a top concern, there are some states you should scratch off your list right away. The following ten states are the least tax friendly states for retirees.
- Nebraska
- Minnesota
- Illinois
- Connecticut
- New York
- Kansas
- Wisconsin
- New Jersey
- Vermont
- Ohio
Just as you look for states that don’t tax pensions before retiring, you’ll want to stay away from states that do tax them. Many of the above states will tax your income, regardless of the source. Nebraska not only taxes your retirement income, but also has high property taxes and inheritance taxes.
What Are the Different Kinds of Taxes Imposed by States?
Before you decide on your post-retirement home, it’s important to take a look at what the cost of living will be. There are three things to consider: state income tax, state tax on retirement income, and sales tax. The below tables separate out the sales, income, and retirement taxes by state as they stand currently.
Income Taxes by State
There are two things to consider when looking at the best states to retire, tax-wise. First, there’s the state income tax, which applies to all earnings. The second is sales tax, which applies only to what you purchase. Some states have no income tax at all, which means you won’t pay state tax on your Social Security or other retirement income. Others have a state income tax but exempt retirement income, either in part or in whole. Here’s the breakdown of state income tax and retirement income tax by state.
| State | State Income Tax? | Retirement Income Tax? |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2% to 5% | Yes* |
| Alaska | No | No |
| Arizona | 2.59% to 4.50% | Yes |
| Arkansas | 2% to 6.60% | Yes* |
| California | 1% to 13.30% | Yes |
| Colorado | 4.63% | Yes* |
| Connecticut | 3% to 6.99% | Yes* |
| D.C. | 4% to 8.95% | Yes |
| Delaware | 0% to 6.60% | Yes* |
| Florida | No | No |
| Georgia | 1% to 5.75% | Yes* |
| Hawaii | 1.40% to 11% | Yes* |
| Idaho | 1.125% to 6.925% | Yes |
| Illinois | 4.95% | No |
| Indiana | 3.23% | Yes |
| Iowa | 0.33% to 8.53% | Yes* |
| Kansas | 3.10% to 5.70% | Yes |
| Kentucky | 5% | Yes* |
| Louisiana | 2% to 6% | Yes* |
| Maine | 5.80% to 7.15% | Yes* |
| Maryland | 2% to 5.75% | Yes* |
| Massachusetts | 5% | Yes |
| Michigan | 4.25% | Yes* |
| Minnesota | 5.35% to 9.85% | Yes |
| Mississippi | 3% to 5% | No |
| Missouri | 1.5% to 5.40% | Yes* |
| Montana | 1.0% to 6.90% | Yes* |
| Nebraska | 2.46% to 6.84% | Yes |
| Nevada | No | No |
| New Hampshire | 5% | Yes* |
| New Jersey | 1.40% to 10.75% | Yes* |
| New Mexico | 1.70% to 4.90% | Yes* |
| New York | 4% to 8.82% | Yes* |
| North Carolina | 5.25% | Yes |
| Ohio | 0% to 4.797% | Yes* |
| Oklahoma | 0.50% to 5% | Yes* |
| Oregon | 4.75% to 9.90% | Yes* |
| Pennsylvania | 3.07% | No |
| Rhode Island | 3.75% to 5.99% | Yes* |
| South Carolina | 0% to 7% | Yes* |
| South Dakota | No | No |
| Tennessee | 1% on dividends and earned interest | Yes* |
| Texas | No | No |
| Utah | 4.95% | Yes* |
| Vermont | 3.35% to 8.75% | Yes |
| Virginia | 2% to 5.75% | Yes* |
| Washington | No | No |
| West Virginia | 3% to 6.50% | Yes |
| Wisconsin | 4% to 7.65% | Yes* |
| Wyoming | No | No |
*These states have some form of state income tax on retirement. However, there are exemptions and credits that will either reduce or exempt you from paying tax on your retirement income.**
Sales Taxes by State
In states that don’t tax retirement income, it’s important to take a close look at the sales tax. Some states, like Nevada and Tennessee, make up for low or no state income tax with higher sales tax. The below sales tax rates are the base. Local jurisdictions often add their own smaller amount to the base rate.
| State | State Sales Tax |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 4.00% |
| Alaska | 0.00% |
| Arizona | 5.60% |
| Arkansas | 6.50% |
| California | 7.25% |
| Colorado | 2.90% |
| Connecticut | 6.35% |
| D.C. | 6.00% |
| Delaware | 0.00% |
| Florida | 6.00% |
| Georgia | 4.00% |
| Hawaii | 4.00% |
| Idaho | 6.00% |
| Illinois | 6.25% |
| Indiana | 7.00% |
| Iowa | 6.00% |
| Kansas | 6.50% |
| Kentucky | 6.00% |
| Louisiana | 4.45% |
| Maine | 5.50% |
| Maryland | 6.00% |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% |
| Michigan | 6.00% |
| Minnesota | 6.875% |
| Mississippi | 7.00% |
| Missouri | 4.225% |
| Montana | 0.00% |
| Nebraska | 5.50% |
| Nevada | 6.85% |
| New Hampshire | 0.00% |
| New Jersey | 6.625% |
| New Mexico | 5.125% |
| New York | 4.00% |
| North Carolina | 4.75% |
| North Dakota | 5.00% |
| Ohio | 5.75% |
| Oklahoma | 4.50% |
| Oregon | 0.00% |
| Pennsylvania | 6.00% |
| Rhode Island | 7.00% |
| South Carolina | 6.00% |
| South Dakota | 4.50% |
| Tennessee | 7.00% |
| Texas | 6.25% |
| Utah | 6.10% |
| Vermont | 6.00% |
| Virginia | 5.30% |
| Washington | 6.50% |
| Wisconsin | 5.00% |
| Wyoming | 4.00% |
How to Estimate Your Retirement Taxes
If you know where you’ll be living after retirement, it’s quite a bit easier to estimate the amount you’ll pay in taxes after you retire. It’s even easier if you plan to live in one of the states that don’t tax retirement. But you’ll still need to keep property taxes, sales tax, and federal taxes in mind as you plan your budget.
One of the best ways to calculate post-retirement taxes is to look at what you’re paying now. Then compare that to the income you’ll have after retirement. If you plan to stay in your current house, you’ll already know what your property taxes will be but if not, you’ll need to estimate what your taxes will be for that, as well.
Final Thoughts
As you’re looking into what states do not tax Social Security and other income, keep in mind that taxes are only part of the overall picture. You’ll also need to look at the overall cost of living, which applies to everything from your weekly grocery bill to the home you choose. We recommend working with a Certified Financial Planner® who specializes in retirement planning to ensure you have enough set aside to live comfortably.
Share this advice
Stephanie Faris has written about finance for entrepreneurs and marketing firms since 2013. She spent nearly a year as a writer for a credit card processing service and has written about finance for numerous marketing firms and entrepreneurs. Her work has appeared on Money Under 30, The Motley Fool, MoneyGeek, E-commerce Insiders, and GoBankingRates.
Getting Started
Northeastern U.S. Best Places To Retire
Southern U.S. Best Places To Retire
Midwestern U.S. Best Places To Retire
Western U.S. Best Cities To Retire
Getting Started
Northeastern U.S. Best Places To Retire
Southern U.S. Best Places To Retire
Midwestern U.S. Best Places To Retire
Western U.S. Best Cities To Retire
Share this advice
Stephanie Faris has written about finance for entrepreneurs and marketing firms since 2013. She spent nearly a year as a writer for a credit card processing service and has written about finance for numerous marketing firms and entrepreneurs. Her work has appeared on Money Under 30, The Motley Fool, MoneyGeek, E-commerce Insiders, and GoBankingRates.
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