# Which States Tax Social Security? > Only eight states still tax Social Security, and most exempt it below an income threshold. The full list, the thresholds, and what other states tax instead. Source: https://savingslast.com/social-security-taxes-by-state/ Markdown: https://savingslast.com/social-security-taxes-by-state.md Site: SavingsLast, free retirement drawdown calculators. Educational estimates, not advice. The list keeps getting shorter. Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas all dropped their Social Security tax in 2024, and West Virginia finished phasing its out for the 2026 tax year. Here is who is left — and why the answer matters less than it sounds. ## The 8 states that still tax Social Security | State | How it works | | --- | --- | | [Colorado](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-colorado/) | Taxed, with a full deduction at 65+ and an income-tested deduction at 55–64 | | [Connecticut](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-connecticut/) | Taxed only above $75,000 federal AGI (single) / $100,000 (joint), and then on at most 25% of benefits | | [Minnesota](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-minnesota/) | Taxed, with a subtraction that is full below $86,410 AGI (single) / $110,780 (joint) in 2026 and phases out above | | [Montana](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-montana/) | Taxed, following the federal calculation | | [New Mexico](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-new-mexico/) | Taxed, but exempt below $100,000 AGI (single) / $150,000 (joint) | | [Rhode Island](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-rhode-island/) | Taxed, but exempt at full retirement age below $107,000 AGI (single) / $133,750 (joint) in 2025, indexed | | [Utah](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-utah/) | Taxed, offset by a Social Security credit that phases out above $54,000 of income (single) / $90,000 (joint) | | [Vermont](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-vermont/) | Taxed, exempt below $55,000 AGI (single) / $70,000 (joint) and phased out by $65,000 / $80,000 | Read those carefully. Almost every one exempts the benefit entirely below an income threshold, and most of those thresholds are high enough that a typical retiree pays nothing. The list is a poor guide to who actually owes tax. ## The states that tax no retirement income at all **No income tax whatsoever (9):** [Alaska](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-alaska/), [Florida](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-florida/), [Nevada](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-nevada/), [New Hampshire](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-new-hampshire/), [South Dakota](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-south-dakota/), [Tennessee](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-tennessee/), [Texas](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-texas/), [Washington](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-washington/), [Wyoming](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-wyoming/). **Income tax, but retirement income exempt (3):** [Illinois](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-illinois/), [Mississippi](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-mississippi/), [Pennsylvania](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-pennsylvania/). These are the quiet winners — an ordinary income tax that simply does not reach pensions, 401(k) withdrawals or Social Security. **Exclusions large enough to cover a typical drawdown (8):** [Colorado](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-colorado/), [Connecticut](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-connecticut/), [Georgia](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-georgia/), [Iowa](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-iowa/), [Maine](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-maine/), [Michigan](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-michigan/), [New Jersey](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-new-jersey/), [North Dakota](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-north-dakota/). The income class is taxable in principle; the exclusion means an ordinary retiree owes nothing in practice, and a large one may still owe. ## The list keeps shrinking Twenty-six states taxed Social Security in some form in the 1990s. Missouri and Nebraska dropped it in 2024, Kansas removed its income cliff the same year, and West Virginia completed a three-year phase-out — 35% exempt in 2024, 65% in 2025, fully exempt from 2026. The direction of travel is one way, because taxing Social Security is politically expensive and raises comparatively little. ## Federal tax is the bigger number For most retirees the federal tax on Social Security is larger than any state's, and it applies identically in all fifty states. Up to 85% of the benefit becomes taxable once provisional income crosses thresholds that have not been adjusted for inflation since the 1980s. That is the one worth planning around — see [how Social Security is taxed](https://savingslast.com/is-social-security-taxable/). ## Every state in detail ## Retirement taxes by state - [Alabama](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-alabama/) - [Alaska](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-alaska/) - [Arizona](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-arizona/) - [Arkansas](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-arkansas/) - [California](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-california/) - [Colorado](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-colorado/) - [Connecticut](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-connecticut/) - [Delaware](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-delaware/) - [Florida](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-florida/) - [Georgia](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-georgia/) - [Hawaii](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-hawaii/) - [Idaho](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-idaho/) - [Illinois](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-illinois/) - [Indiana](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-indiana/) - [Iowa](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-iowa/) - [Kansas](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-kansas/) - [Kentucky](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-kentucky/) - [Louisiana](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-louisiana/) - [Maine](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-maine/) - [Maryland](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-maryland/) - [Massachusetts](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-massachusetts/) - [Michigan](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-michigan/) - [Minnesota](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-minnesota/) - [Mississippi](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-mississippi/) - [Missouri](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-missouri/) - [Montana](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-montana/) - [Nebraska](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-nebraska/) - [Nevada](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-nevada/) - [New Hampshire](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-new-hampshire/) - [New Jersey](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-new-jersey/) - [New Mexico](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-new-mexico/) - [New York](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-new-york/) - [North Carolina](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-north-carolina/) - [North Dakota](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-north-dakota/) - [Ohio](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-ohio/) - [Oklahoma](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-oklahoma/) - [Oregon](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-oregon/) - [Pennsylvania](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-pennsylvania/) - [Rhode Island](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-rhode-island/) - [South Carolina](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-south-carolina/) - [South Dakota](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-south-dakota/) - [Tennessee](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-tennessee/) - [Texas](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-texas/) - [Utah](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-utah/) - [Vermont](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-vermont/) - [Virginia](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-virginia/) - [Washington](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-washington/) - [West Virginia](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-west-virginia/) - [Wisconsin](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-wisconsin/) - [Wyoming](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-wyoming/) - [Washington, D.C.](https://savingslast.com/retirement-taxes-in-washington-dc/) ## Frequently asked questions **How many states tax Social Security?** Eight, as of the 2026 tax year: Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah and Vermont. Most of them exempt the benefit entirely below an income threshold, so the number of retirees actually paying is much smaller than the list suggests. **Which states do not tax retirement income at all?** Nine states levy no income tax at all: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Three more — Illinois, Mississippi and Pennsylvania — have an income tax but exempt retirement income from it. **Should I move to a state that does not tax Social Security?** Rarely on that basis alone. Social Security is usually the smaller part of a retiree’s taxable income, and states without an income tax recover the revenue through property or sales taxes. Compare the whole picture — income, property, sales and estate tax — not one line of it. **Does moving states change my federal tax on Social Security?** No. The federal provisional-income rules apply identically in all fifty states. Moving changes only the state layer, which for most retirees is the smaller of the two. ## More on Social Security - [Social Security break-even](https://savingslast.com/social-security-break-even-calculator/) - [When to take Social Security](https://savingslast.com/when-to-take-social-security/) - [Money last with Social Security](https://savingslast.com/how-long-will-my-money-last-with-social-security/) - [Retirement income with SS](https://savingslast.com/retirement-income-calculator-with-social-security/) - [Social Security bridge](https://savingslast.com/social-security-bridge-calculator/) - [Is Social Security taxable?](https://savingslast.com/is-social-security-taxable/) - [How much do I need to retire?](https://savingslast.com/how-much-do-i-need-to-retire-with-social-security/) ## Related calculators - [Investment calculator with withdrawals](https://savingslast.com/investment-calculator-with-withdrawals/) - [4% rule calculator](https://savingslast.com/4-percent-rule-calculator/) - [Rule of 55](https://savingslast.com/rule-of-55-calculator/) - [72(t) / SEPP](https://savingslast.com/72t-distribution-calculator/) - [RMD calculator](https://savingslast.com/rmd-calculator/) - [Roth conversion](https://savingslast.com/roth-conversion-calculator/) SavingsLast calculators are educational estimates. They assume a constant average return and steady inflation; real markets are volatile and sequence-of-returns risk can shorten how long money lasts. Nothing here is financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions.